Liberty or Fear: 17 Most Haunted Places in Pennsylvania

When it comes to the most haunted places in Pennsylvania, there’s almost too much to put into one list. Whether you’re into historic forts or shadowy inns as old as the country, this state’s supernatural scene in Philly is no joke. 

These are the 17 most haunted places in Pennsylvania:

Gettysburg Battlefield

Gettysburg

The most haunted places in Pennsylvania are soaked in blood, mystery, and unresolved history. Few locations illustrate this better than the fields of Gettysburg. Fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg was one of the deadliest encounters of the Civil War.

Over 50,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or reported missing. The battlefield and the surrounding town seem frozen in time. Thousands lost their lives. The air feels heavy, and many report unexplained experiences tied directly to the battle’s thick energy.

Hauntings include:

• Sounds of battle: Visitors frequently report hearing drum beats, cannon blasts, gunfire, and distant shouting echoing across the fields and woods.
• Disappearing Union soldier: Paranormal investigators have documented the appearance of a Union soldier walking into the woods before suddenly vanishing.
• Devil’s Den: This rocky outcropping served as a Confederate sniper’s nest during intense fighting. Multiple people have seen ghostly figures among the rocks at all times of day.
• Unkempt soldier in photographs: A ragged-looking spirit with long hair, a floppy-brimmed hat, and no shoes has appeared in several photographs. In rare instances, witnesses claim he spoke to them before disappearing.
• The Cavalryman: A strange figure on horseback has been seen riding across the battlefield before disappearing.

Gettysburg’s legacy of gore makes it one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania, which everyone must visit at least once.

Sachs Covered Bridge

Gettysburg

Built in 1854, Sachs Covered Bridge spans over 100 feet across Marsh Creek and played a significant role during the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War. 

Manifestations:

• Locals report a sudden, strange fog that often gathers quickly around the bridge.
• Ghostly apparitions of three Confederate soldiers have been seen, believed to be either deserters or spies who were hung from the bridge.
• Visitors have experienced unexplained sensations like hair-pulling and strange touches.
• Witnesses claim to hear eerie voices and distant sounds of gunfire at night.
• Some have spotted three disembodied heads floating above the bridge after dark.
• Photos taken at the site sometimes show mysterious orbs of light.
• A strong scent of cigar smoke is sometimes noticed, as if a soldier from the past still patrols the area.
• Guests have reported feeling a tap on their shoulder, only to find no one there.

Washington Square

Philadelphia

Washington Square, one of Philadelphia’s original five public squares, stands quietly today as a leafy park in the heart of the city.

But before it became a public gathering space, Washington Square served as the country’s first documented Potter’s Field (where the dead with no family to claim them were buried). From the early 1700s through the 1800s, the square was used to bury the poor, the unidentified, and victims of war and disease.

As Philadelphia grew, the square absorbed the dead from yellow fever outbreaks, local hospitals, and wartime casualties. During the Revolutionary War, when British troops occupied the city in 1777, prisoners died in large numbers due to the horrific conditions of the nearby Walnut Street Jail. Bodies were piled into trenches, often without ceremony or record. 

Founding Father John Adams once wrote to his wife, Abigail:

“The graves of the soldiers, who have been buried in this ground, from the hospital and bettering-house, during the course of last summer, fall and winter, dead of smallpox and camp diseases, are enough to make the heart of stone melt away!”

At the center of Washington Square stands the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier, a memorial that contains actual human remains from the square. The tomb, lit by an eternal flame, honors the thousands of unidentified soldiers buried beneath the park, built in the 1950s.

Before the memorial, creepiness in the park was widespread. People heard disembodied whispers and distant screams. Others witnessed full-body apparitions of Revolutionary War soldiers wandering the grounds, especially right at sunset. Many believe that the lack of proper burial rites caused these hauntings.

The most common manifestation is a Quaker woman, Leah, dressed in black, who once lived nearby and spent her lifetime protecting the graves from body snatchers, patrolling the area, and sounding alarms whenever she spotted thieves. Even after her death, many say Leah still walks the square, guarding the graves.

Washington Square’s long-standing use as a burial site makes it one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania.

The Jean Bonnet Tavern

Bedford

The Jean Bonnet Tavern is one of the oldest buildings in western Pennsylvania, with a history that stretches back to the 1740s. Originally a French outpost, it later became a war headquarters before opening as a tavern in the 1760s.

In 1794, troops ordered by President George Washington camped at the tavern while on their way to stop the Whiskey Rebellion, a violent protest against a new federal tax on whiskey.

The tavern’s long and violent past has left behind more than just historic charm. It is now considered one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania.

Paranormal activity reported at the tavern includes:

• Doors opening and closing without reason, and paper towels unrolling on their own.
• Personal items like shoes and glasses move during the night.
• A ghost baby crying when no baby is around.
• Apparitions in frontier clothing staring through the window.
• The wounded Civil War veteran with a wooden leg dragging over the floors.
• A strong military has been seen in the basement.

The Knickerbocker Hotel

Linesville

Opened on January 12, 1882, the Knickerbocker Hotel has served as a hotel, restaurant, entertainment lounge, and private residence. Originally named The Arnold House, it later became The Arlington Hotel before being renamed “The Knickerbocker” by its current owner in 2005. 

The three-story, twenty-room building once featured a special doorway connecting it to a nearby theater, allowing guests to skip the dirt roads and enter directly. 

But the Knickerbocker is now better known for its ghostly residents than its elegant history. Clara Arnold, the original owner, died of tuberculosis at age 37, just three years after opening the hotel. Many believe her spirit still roams the halls—and she’s not alone.

The Knickerbocker Hotel is one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania, and its reported manifestations include:

• The ghost of Clara Arnold is often seen in her former bedroom.
• A child ghost was spotted in the basement and caught clearly on audio and video recordings.
• A shadowy figure was captured on infrared video in the third-floor hallway and on the stairs.
• A doll with a molded face that seems to change expressions on its own.
• A ghost cat is one of the most famous hauntings in the building.

The second-floor “Cat Room” is named after a former pet. Visitors have reported hearing the distinct sound of purring, scratching, and soft footsteps. Some claim to have felt the cat brushing up against their legs. The cat has even been caught on camera, appearing to leap or dart across the room despite having passed away long ago.

Pennhurst Asylum

Spring City

Once called the Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic, Pennhurst Asylum was built to house people with physical and mental disabilities. Now, it’s one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania. 

From 1908 to 1987, the institution became known not for care but for abuse, overcrowding, and neglect. Investigations in the late 1960s and early 1980s revealed the horrifying conditions inside. Patients were beaten, isolated, and even forced to fight each other. Some were murdered. 

After nearly 80 years of mistreatment, Pennhurst finally closed its doors in 1987.

Since then, the abandoned buildings and underground tunnels have become infamous for paranormal activity:

• Slamming doors and footsteps.
• Echoes of crying, violent vomiting, and voices in empty rooms.
• The spirit of a little girl wandering the halls.
• Apparitions of former patients trying to make contact.
• Darker claims involving past ritual activity on the grounds.

Today, part of the site functions as a haunted attraction and museum, preserving the history while honoring the people who suffered there.

The Pennhurst Haunted Asylum and the Pennhurst Museum now operate side by side on the grounds of the former Pennhurst State School and Hospital in Spring City, Pennsylvania. 

Bube’s Brewery

Mount Joy

Bube’s Brewery in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, is a 19th-century site that includes a Victorian parlor, a hotel, and underground catacombs. Over the years, it has become one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania, attracting visitors from all over. 

The most frequently seen spirit is a woman in a long white gown. She often appears near a hallway where a portrait of Alois Bube still hangs. Many believe she is the ghost of Bube’s granddaughter, who shared her name with both her mother and grandmother. 

But according to current co-owner Sam Allen, the spirit could be someone who spent countless hours in the building. “It seems like it left some residual energy of her—an unsettled soul type of thing,” Allen said.

Allen also shared that at least three dozen guests and over a dozen employees have seen her. Another hot area is the space now used as an art gallery, where the same female spirit has been seen many times.

Visitors often report a soft, non-threatening presence in the second-floor ballroom, while other areas of the building are said to carry a darker and more masculine energy. 

Jean Ellis, a great-granddaughter of Alois Bube and a local historian, has led ghost tours at Bube’s Brewery since 2004.

The Betsy Ross House 

Philadelphia

Located just blocks from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross House is the former home of the woman credited with sewing the first American flag. 

The front portion of the house was built around 1740, and Ross lived here with her third husband, John Claypoole. Today, it’s a popular tourist site, one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania.

Manifestations include:

• Betsy Ross: Visitors claim to see a woman weeping at the foot of a bed in the basement. This is believed to be Betsy Ross mourning the deaths of her first husband, who died in an explosion during the war, and her daughter, who passed away during her third marriage.
• Voices: Unidentified voices are heard throughout the house, especially near the basement.
• Basement: In 1980, two security guards got into an argument in the basement of the gift shop. One shot the other three times and left his body overnight. People now report hearing unexplained voices in that same area.
• Male voice: A man’s voice was recorded in the director’s office by paranormal investigators, though the words were unclear.
• Gravesite connection: Betsy Ross is buried on the property beside her husband, John Claypoole. Some believe this contributes to the home’s lingering spiritual energy.
• Historic death on-site: Charles Henry Weisgerber, the artist known for preserving the house and painting The Birth of Our Nation, died here.

The General Wayne Inn

Merion Station

Dating back to 1704, the General Wayne Inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and named after General “Mad” Anthony Wayne. The building is said to be haunted by a Hessian soldier, a British officer searching for a locket, and Edgar Allan Poe, who was a guest.

Poltergeist activity and screams have been reported here, and the inn has been featured on TV shows like Unsolved Mysteries and Haunted History. Today, the building no longer operates as an inn but serves as a synagogue and Jewish activity center.

The inn’s violent past includes the 1996 murder of its owner, Jim Webb, who was killed by his business partner over a life insurance claim. 

Shortly after, the assistant chef, Felicia Moyse, died in what was ruled a probable suicide, though some believe her death was connected to the murder.

In 1972, a séance done by the owners revealed 17 spirits, including a crying little boy and a Hessian soldier named Wilhelm, whose uniform was stolen from his body.

The manifestation of soldiers has been seen at the bar, in dining rooms, and wandering the halls. One soldier in a green uniform was famously spotted on the basement steps in 1848 by a visitor, and sightings continue in that same spot to this day.

The Fulton Theatre

Lancaster

The Fulton Theatre, a National Historic Landmark in Lancaster, first opened its curtains in October 1873. Over the years, it has hosted legendary performers like Mark Twain and Louis Armstrong. 

Manifestations:

• The Whistler: The most famous spirit is the Whistler, described as a man in a three-piece white suit, straw boater hat, brown shoes, and a brown belt. First spotted by a terrified carpenter who fled the theatre after the encounter, the Whistler has been seen and heard for decades. Many actors report hearing his distinct whistling and clapping backstage during performances. Some say he whistles when someone forgets a line, and though he might play tricks, he’s generally considered a positive presence.
• Woman in White: Another frequent apparition is Marie Cahill, the Woman in White. A Broadway star who performed at the Fulton in the late 1800s and early 1900s, she’s often seen near an old staircase by the stage. She is said to appear mostly to female actresses, sometimes even screaming in their ears during performances. Many believe she is jealous of the living.
• The Older Man: There’s also a gentle spirit believed to be a grandfather who once came to watch his granddaughter perform at the theatre, though he had died long before. Many have reported seeing this kind of old man wandering the theatre’s halls.

The Fulton Theatre’s uniquely haunted charm makes it one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania.

Fort Mifflin

Philadelphia

Located on Mud Island, Fort Mifflin (also known as Fort Island Battery and Mud Island Fort) was an important defensive site during the American Revolutionary War and later as a Civil War military prison. This historic fort is considered one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania, with unexplained reported paranormal encounters connected to its violent past and long history.

Manifestations: 

• The Screaming Woman: Believed to be the ghost of Elizabeth Pratt, she’s often heard wailing in agony over a tragic loss.
• The Faceless Man: A mysterious figure in uniform, usually spotted in the casemates, with no features where his face should be, is believed to be William H. Howe, who was executed during the Civil War
• The Lamplighter: Seen carrying an old-fashioned lantern, this spirit walks the grounds at dusk as if performing a long-forgotten duty.
• The Tour Guide: A spirit dressed in period clothing who sometimes joins or even leads tours before vanishing.
• Ghostly Children: Laughter, footsteps, and whispers from invisible children echo through the fort, especially near the schoolhouse.
• Phantom Dogs: Barking and scratching noises are heard near the old kennels, though no animals are present.
• The Blacksmith: Thought to be a former worker, this spirit is heard hammering and working in the old forge area.
• The Sad-Looking Man: Described as a melancholy figure in ragged clothes, he’s often spotted staring out toward the Delaware River.
• The Malevolent Presence: It’s famous for its unusually strong negative reactions to women with blonde hair. Women have reported experiencing sudden cold spots, their hair being tugged, or feeling as though they are being watched. Some have heard whispered threats or hushed voices aimed specifically at them. 

The Poconos Mountains

East Stroudsburg

Ancient and full of death, the Poconos Mountains, especially around East Stroudsburg, have earned a reputation among the most haunted places in Pennsylvania. 

These are a few of the most noteworthy haunted sites in the Poconos:

Buck Hill Inn

• Opened in the early 1900s by Quakers, closed in 1990, and demolished in 2016-17.
• John Leonard Sr. was found shot four times near the inn’s entrance in 1970; his murder has never been solved.
• Rumored that 73 people died at the Buck Hill Inn, a claim featured on MTV’s “FEAR,” but this was never proven.
• Note: Now heavily secured, trespassers risk arrest.

East Stroudsburg University 

• Shawnee Hall is allegedly haunted by a janitor who died in the basement; keys jingling and unexplained noises are heard.
• EMF readings and recordings of a woman’s voice were confirmed by “Ghost Hunters” in 2008.
• Residents report doors opening, lights, and TVs turning on by themselves daily.
• Legend of a Wiccan priest declaring the hall a portal for spirits.
• Reports of tall, black, skinny figure sightings in hallways.

Henryville House

• Historic hotel once visited by presidents Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, Benjamin Harrison, and Calvin Coolidge.
• Rumored to be built on an Indian burial ground, hosting nine ghosts (five women, three men, and a child).
• Notable ghost stories include a maid who hanged herself and a man burned to death.
• Passers-by report sightings of ghostly figures peering from windows.
• The area is now private property, heavily guarded, with reported voices warning trespassers.

The Columns (Milford)

• Built in 1904, housing artifacts from the Lenape Indians and philosopher Charles Saunders Peirce.
• Believed to be haunted by Juliette Peirce, the second wife of Charles Peirce, who roams the second floor and the stairs.
• Visitors report a strong presence, disembodied voices, shadowy mists, and sounds of footsteps and clicking heels.
• The basement is especially active, with sightings of a small woman lurking.
• Visitors have experienced visions of a woman falling down attic stairs and a man watching in disbelief.
• The museum holds historically cool items like the Lincoln Flag, used by Abraham Lincoln after his shooting.

Pocono Indian Museum

• Covers the history of Northeastern Pennsylvania from 10,500 B.C. through contact with Europeans, highlighting the Delaware Indians and Lenape people.
• Owned by Malcolm Law since 1976, the paranormal investigators have reported multiple apparitions.
• Reports include a shoebox found open on the ground as if someone tried on moccasins at night.
• The building served as a stop on the Underground Railroad, a stagecoach stop, and a speakeasy during Prohibition.

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