Check out the best breweries in Altoona, the Railroaders' Memorial Museum, Chimney Bluff, and the limestone kilns at Canoe Creek State Park. Well, it turned out to be the only overnight in a haunted facility that this ghost hunting team DID NOT COMPLETElolthey ran out the front gate. Grace Chapel was built in 1914, as part of the original Cresson Tuberculosis Sanatorium. Frank is the most popular spirit in the museum but not the only ghost whos said to live there. You can hike in state parks at night, but any other area and you risk being shot as a trespasser or by a hunter. The Cambria County Historical Society has some good info on the Sanitorium including first hand stories of people that were patients there. The Bethlehem Steel Stacks in the Lehigh Valley are one of the most impressive abandoned places in Pennsylvania. Turned out Rockview had the CERT team there. The Legend has it that the 1930s Catholic Millers Church was taken over by devil worshippers, and practitioners sacrificed young girls inside its walls. Opened from 1855 until 1972, this was the longest active anthracite coal mine in the world and had tunnels as deep as 800 feet below the ground. A hidden piece of Altoona's railroad history in a long-forgotten abandoned town. Its steeple rises above many of the buildings, so its fairly easy to find from many areas throughout the prison grounds. I said mostly abandoned because at least part of the former prison grounds is now being used by a new company for a new purpose. We just happened to have our Rockview Jackets and were allowed in. I lived in Clairton , pleasant hills and bethel Park, I now live in California but miss Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. The Coplay Cement Company built the kilns in the early 1890s, and they were in use until 1904. In 1911, the dam failed and the ensuing flood of water killed 78 people. While many are welded shut, a few are open. (Note: While to the best of our knowledge you can legally visit these abandoned places at the time of publication, access can always change. By the sounds of it the place was NOT a nice place to be. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. For future events, Ive been told that they will be providing a map of the site, which should help with finding your way around the facility and finding the buildings that you most want to visit. This 1797 inn was named because the original innkeeper, Peter Marck, would only accept cash as payment. It was torn down to make way for an expressway. Some of the older cells have an enormous amount of peeling paint coming off the ceiling and walls, thus my recommendation to bring a dust mask along. It is behind a f cow pasture. The graffitied ruins stand hidden within the Pennsylvania woods. Of all the abandoned train tunnels in PA, this might be the easiest to reach as its located directly adjacent to a large parking lot. The City of Altoona is required to provide notice and a period of time for the vehicle . Thanks, Pennhurst Asylum in Spring City, PA is an eerie abandoned place to explore. If so, be sure tolike and followPA Bucket List on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Pinterest tostay up-to-dateon my latest write-ups aboutthe best things to see and do in Pennsylvania! Tons of cool architecture and history there. Though the day-to-day focus of Hydroponic Life is on growing crops and building equipment for other hydro farmers, they began offering photographers and explorers a chance to tour portions of the former prison in May of 2021, as a way to help offset the costs of restoring vandalized infrastructure more quickly. Since then, while portions of Eastern State Penitentiary have been cleaned up, the site is managed as a preserved ruin and is a fascinating place to explore. Discover Castle Halloween Museum in Altoona, Pennsylvania: Journey through a collection of over 35,000 Halloween items from all generations. Rachel is believed to be the spirit of a Civil War nurse who seems to be looking for soldiers to help. Tours are given and during the Halloween season, midnight tours. Located in the Scotia Barrens, just a few miles from State College, youll find the ruins of Scotia. Its not called the Horseshie Curve. My trip report from my second visit contains more than 50 new photos as well! It is nearly 500 feet long, and visitors can walk through the tunnel, keeping an eye out for abandoned tracks along the way. As medical treatments for tuberculosis patients improved over the years, the need for the sanatorium began to wain. I spent the last 2 weekends of April visiting my brother/sister in law in Portage before they moved out of state, we were looking up alot of places to go those 2 weekends & this was one of them!!! You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Sadly, the homes were left abandoned for over a decade and are now in a state of disrepair. Exploring the Abandoned Cresson State Prison in Cambria County, contact Hydroponic Life / Big House Produce at this link, abandoned places to explore in Pennsylvania, 30 Abandoned Places in PA You Can Legally Visit, Road Tripping to the Best Abandoned Places in PA, Exploring the Curtis Publishing Building in Philadelphia, The 17 Best Hiking Trails Near State College, Exploring the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte, Exploring Boggs Run Vista in Clinton County. The land used to belong to Col. George Wiestling, a veteran of the Civil War who died in 1891. The depot was built on land that was once the town of Alvira before it was seized by the government for the depot. Not far from Johnstown Pa. is the Staple Bend railroad tunnel. He handed them some ammunition for Psychics say that the energy here is high because there an Indian burial ground beneath the land. The Coplay Kilns are nine kilns that are the remnants of a large cement factory that was located on the outskirts of town. This 1906 theater building, still in operation today, is said to be home to three ghosts: Mr. Isaac Mishler, a howling dog, and a female spirit who plays pranks in the restroom. The historic Cresson Sanatorium building is located on the north end of the campus and is one of the cant miss buildings. After this second failure, Austin Dam was abandoned and left to crumble. Horseshoe Curve Is A Haunted Tunnel In Pennsylvania That Has A Dark History Horseshoe Curve in Altoona beckons tourists who want to experience the beauty and architectural wonder of the railroad line with tracks that curve around the mountainside like a horseshoe. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Follows the old railroad bed. During my exploration, I was able to, I believe, enter into every unlocked building, and each structure had interesting spaces to explore, though some obviously were more interesting than others. In addition to learning how a coal mine worked, the Number 9 is interesting because it contains several abandoned buildings and apparatuses within the mine itself. Search. Inmate phones in the cell blocks were controlled by panels like the one below. Located on state game lands a short distance south of Williamsport are the Alvira Bunkers. See Howard Tunnel in York County, Pa for the oldest operating railroad tunnel in the world. If you visit, be sure to check out the exquisite small details like this rear door to the chapel. Is this place really haunted? It seems that in the late 1800s a sheriff was shot to death by a gang of bandits on the staircase leading between the jail and the attached brick building, which was the jailer's family home. The status of visitors being allowed is unknown, but I assume that it is currently closed to exploration. No matter where you look, youll see plenty of razor wire and chain link fences. Oil Creek State Park is known as the Valley that Changed the World and was the site of the worlds first commercial oil well. After sitting vacant for several years, the site was purchased with the goal of turning it into a hydroponic farm. There really is just so much to see at this abandoned prison, and Im grateful that owners have decided to open it up for the public to explore so that you can find your own hidden surprises, of which there are many more that arent included here. Austin Dam is located in rural Potter County, Pennsylvania. This might have been my favorite building to explore, as even with the ravages of time and vandalism, it still (fittingly) retains its grace and beauty. Visitors can walk out onto the remains of the bridge or walk to the valley floor for a close up look at the bridges remains, which still lay where they fell. Click here to read her tragic tale. Perhaps the largest abandoned spot in Pennsylvania is an abandoned stretch of PA Turnpike. Only to find out, that is where caretakers had faced ghostly spirits. Naval officerRobert Peary, a Cresson native credited with beingthe first explorer to reach the North Pole. Ran into fellow officers. It became a tavern in the 1760s, and was also used as a courtroom. As I mentioned, it is possible to visit SCI Cresson State Prison with permission from the owners. Thank you for publishing this article and telling of your experience. In fact, much of the equipment looked like you could just dust it off and start working out. While most of the buildings have been torn down, its still fascinating to drive around the old streets and see the curbs, gutters, and stone steps that are surrounded by fields of forested land. In conjunction with the Allegheny Tunnel mentioned above, theHorseshoe Curveallowed trains to cross back and forth over the steep Allegheny Mountains, something that had been impossible before 1854. Youll journey less than 100 miles to the sprawling town that boasts some pretty amazing haunted tales. But, beware, for a brokenhearted Irish womans spirit is said to have haunted the tunnel since the 1800s. Fortunately this time, no one was killed. Today, the kilns sit in the middle of a park in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. kettner dam elk county,jones twp. They assumed he, like them, was an extra working on the film. Several people were hanged here, and it is said that their spirits walk restlessly throughout the place. If you like exploring older churches, youll enjoy the fine details that went into building Grace Chapel. I know of Horseshoe Curve Tunnel and the abandoned turnpike, but are there any scary/ haunted places known locally that's legal . Old Bridge. Cap off your visit to Altoona, arguably the most haunted town near Pittsburgh, if you still have the energy, on an invigorating hike (or drive, if you prefer) along this haunted road where you may just run into the The White Lady of Wopsononock. These disused steel furnaces are now haunting ruins that may one day be a national park. When it was completed in 1882, the Kinzua Bridge was the largest and tallest bridge in the world. She is believed to the first wife of Edgar Kaufmann, depressed by his unfaithfulness. Experiencing Raystown Lake Witout a Boat - You don't need a boat to explore Pennsylvania largest lake. Story goes that a doctor was killed here in an accident around the middle of the 19th century. 7. I was shocked to see these paintings still looked in pristine condition and really enjoyed spending a few minutes looking at each one. Downtown Scranton is home to four of the best-preserved iron furnaces in Pennsylvania. Now SCI Cresson sits mostly abandoned on a parcel of land just off of Route 22 between Altoona and Ebensburg. Check out the Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike, the best things to do in Altoona, the Allegheny Portage Railroad, and the historic Horseshoe Curve. We have one of it in flames. Make sure to obey any signage you might see, and obtain owner permission or pay the admission fees where required.). Thank you Joan Cramer Stefanini. Located in Cresson, PA, just a few miles from Altoona, youll find the abandoned SCI Cresson. Open house dates for the prison are announced on the Facebook page for the site and all events are listed on their website. (Submitted by Chris Berglund), A former volunteer named Jack is commonly seen in the basement. Legend has it that she was a new bride on her honeymoon at the Wopsononock Hotel, which burned down long ago. On these days, volunteers work for a few hours and then are given a few hours to explore the site at no cost. When the mine closed in the early 1930s, it was thought to be a temporary closure, so all the equipment was placed inside the mine before it was closed. Often seen on the second floor is the ghost of an African-American man who wears 1800s clothing. The seam below this coal region town caught on fire in the early 1960s, which marked the beginning of the end for the community. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. This aqueduct was built for the South Penn Railroad, who also dug the tunnels of the nearby abandoned turnpike, though it never came to fruition and the projects were eventually abandoned. Ashville, PA (4.9 mi.) I have. One soldier who frequents the site has been described as having long gray hair and dirty, torn clothing of buckskin. Springwater still runs through this building, creating one of the most unique abandoned places in PA. Eastern State Penitentiaryin Philadelphia wasthe most famous and expensive prison in the worldwhen it opened in 1829. Eldora Park between Donora and Monongahela in Carroll Township. Its amazing to tour the homes and think about what it would have been like to have lived in this community. In later years it was a girl scout camp. Concrete City is located in Luzerne County near Nanticoke and was once company housing for select employees that worked at the nearby Truesdale Colliery. While Ive only visited for the self-guided tours, this seems like a great location for both. Such a neat place to explore. Greenwood, PA (5.3 mi.) She disappears from cars at the Devils Elbow. The owners have been known to auction the rooms for a night, which is enough for some guests to leave the hotel in fear. Visitors to this site have reported hearing the harrowing sounds of battle, although nothing appears to be happening on the quiet field. Completed in 1854,the Allegheny Tunnel is still in use tothis day, and theGallitzin Tunnels Parknext to it is a popular spot for railfans to congregate and watch trains enter and exit this historic tunnel. No doubt countless pick-up games were played on this court over the years the prison was in operation. Explore Altoona; Places to Stay; History of Altoona; Getting Around. Built in 1947 and operating until 1983, this building could put out ten-foot pieces of steel and still retains its giant crane and power generating station. There is a wedding dress in a glass case that is said to move on it's own, especially around Halloween and full moons. Witnesses say they have felt a heavy presence inside, during which it is difficult to breathe. Her tragic story is a bit murky with some claiming she was murdered as she waited outside of the tunnel for her beloved to return from work while others say her beloved was murdered as she waited for him in the tunnel. In Lebanon county there is a park and boat ride on the Union Canal in West Lebanon. Her parents buried Redstone Cem where we go And there are plenty of them to check out. Have you been to Brownsville? 9.9 miles from Altoona, WA The historic 1925 theater has played host to the likes of Jack Benny, Guy Lombardo, Duke Ellington and Al Capone. Since then, its been hidden away in the woods of this state forest. However, when traffic necessitated upgrades to the roadway, this section of road and its two tunnels were bypassed. However, the site is also home to two long-closed steel mills that can be seen on tours of the museum. The 13-mile stretch, shut down and abandoned in the 1960s, features two tunnels - Rays Hill Tunnel and Sideling Hill Tunnel. Night and day. In fact, Id say that only Yellow Dog Village can compare to the condition of this site as far as legally accessible abandoned buildings in PA go. Of course, this also gave it a bit of an eerie and forbidden feeling. They plan to continue offering events throughout 2022 while simultaneously remodeling, cleaning, and protecting the historical buildings at the abandoned Cresson State Prison. There are two access points for the turnpike: one near Breezewood and one in Fulton County. Inmate phones in the Scotia Barrens, just a few are open this site have reported hearing the sounds. And are now in a long-forgotten abandoned town than 50 new photos as well of a Cement. I lived in this community older churches, youll find the abandoned SCI Cresson sits mostly abandoned on parcel... As having long gray hair and dirty, torn clothing of buckskin site the. 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