The history of Southwest PA gives a unique backdrop to its ghost stories. The area has a long industrial past, with mines and factories. The tragedies associated with these, like mine collapses and factory accidents, often find their way into the ghost lore. For example, the ghosts of miners are sometimes said to haunt the old mine shafts.
One well - known Southwest PA ghost story is about the haunted railroad tracks. Legend has it that if you park your car on the tracks at midnight, a ghost train will come and push your car off the tracks. It's said to be the remnants of a tragic train accident from long ago.
The story of the haunted asylum in Southwest Virginia is really scary. It was an old mental institution where many patients suffered and died. People who pass by at night say they can hear screams and moans coming from the building, and some claim to have seen shadowy figures in the windows.
Many southwest ghost stories also come from the area's colonial history. Old Spanish missions and haciendas often have tales associated with them. These could be due to the hardships, tragedies, and power struggles that took place there. For instance, the story of the haunted hacienda might have been born out of a real - life event of a family feud or a murder that happened on the property centuries ago.
Probably not. The Gravity Hill PA ghost stories are likely just superstition. The fact that cars seem to move uphill without effort is due to an illusion. The land around Gravity Hill is configured in such a way that it creates this visual trick. Regarding the ghost stories, there have been no verifiable reports of actual hauntings. People often like to attach spooky tales to unusual places, and Gravity Hill is no exception. Just because something seems strange doesn't mean it's the work of ghosts. In this case, it's all about the power of perception and the natural features of the area.
Perhaps the story of the phantom train is among the scariest. Locals claim that on foggy nights, a train that doesn't exist in the real railway schedules can be heard and sometimes seen. It is said to be the ghost of a train that had a horrible accident years ago, and the souls of the passengers are still on board, doomed to ride the tracks forever.
The Erie PA ghost story about the old prison is very scary. There were many violent deaths in that prison over the years. Now, it's said that the ghosts of the inmates and guards haunt the place. Visitors have reported being touched by unseen hands and hearing the clanking of chains. And then there's the story of a haunted forest near Erie. People who enter it claim to see strange lights and hear whispers, as if the forest itself is alive with the spirits of the dead.
The Lycoming County Courthouse also has its share of ghostly tales. It is said that the spirit of a former judge still lingers. People have reported seeing a shadowy figure in the hallways where the old courtrooms were located. Maybe it's the judge's attachment to the place where he once dispensed justice, or there could be some unresolved business from his time on the bench.
There is a story about a spectral dog in Washington PA. It's said to roam the alleys near an old factory. People have seen a translucent dog with glowing eyes. Some think it was a dog that died tragically in a fire at the factory long ago and now haunts the area.
One famous Centralia PA ghost story is about the apparition of a miner. People claim to have seen the figure of a miner in the old mine shafts. It's said that the miner's spirit still lingers because of the tragic mining accidents that occurred in Centralia.