Folklore, scary stories and myths haunt Franklin County

Editor's note: Public Opinion originally published this story on Oct. 30, 2007. We resurrected it, in the spirit of Halloween. Beware: Some information may not be up-to-date. 

At the Old Jail in Chambersburg and the Enoch Brown Park near Greencastle, some have reported hearing mysterious voices, and at a Wilson College dorm, some say windows have inexplicably opened and closed on their own.

Whether based in fact or folklore, ghost stories like these abound in Franklin County.

"Typically, you're going to find these energies, aka hauntings, in these areas with a rich history. The Civil War was fought in this area, there were all different social changes and thousands of lives criss-crossed here," Athena Varounis of Waynesboro said. She is working on a book on Franklin County's haunted places. (The book was published in 2009. Check it out here.)

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Folklore more fun than facts

Local folklore will point to a number of haunted places, but often facts cannot support the stories, Josh Woltz said. He has been researching supposed hauntings and led local ghost tours for several years.

"There are a number of different stories, and in typical fashion with any haunting or ghost story, generally the stories cannot be confirmed or denied," he said.

In the case of the Old Jail, folklore says a jailer repeatedly heard voices coming from the basement that eventually drove him to hang himself in 1847, but Woltz said there is no evidence to back the story.

"Any records were destroyed when Chambersburg was burned (by Confederate troops in July 1864). At that time, records were kept at the courthouse," Woltz said.

Another well-known local legend is the White Lady of the village of Pond Bank, near Mont Alto. Some have reported seeing the white figure appear, but Varounis said she downplays this particular ghost story.

"I talked to some local residents and they said people used to take a white sheet and tie it to a basketball and throw it at cars," Varounis said. "The White Lady legend is universal to the U.S. There are very few little towns that don't have their own White Lady. It seems to be universal folklore."

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Several buildings at Wilson College are believed to be haunted, including Riddle Hall, Laird Hall and John Stewart Memorial Library. One of the oldest buildings on campus, Norland Hall has been the setting for many ghost stories, particularly in a tower room known as the "The Ark" and a secret stairway to the attic.

"You have what appears to be a haunting in some dorms and classrooms. Norland Hall appears to have some activities going on in there. At one room in particular, the sink turns on, the bath tub, doors slam," said Varounis, a Wilson alumna.

Woltz said others have reported hearing the sound of horses when they are not near the campus stables or when there are no horses in the stables.

Children heard at site of massacre

The Enoch Brown Park near Greencastle, the site of a brutal massacre in 1764, is also believed to be a hot spot for paranormal activity.

"There are several types of hauntings, and this one is known as a residual haunting. It's not an active haunting where people are directly affected. It's like a tape that just keeps replaying. Some say they hear children's voices when no one is around, and there were apparitions of a child seen by a spring where Archie McCullough, the only survivor, was found," Woltz said.

Some other sites in the area that are settings for ghost stories include the Capitol Theatre and Heritage Center in Chambersburg, Dykeman's Pond in Shippensburg, Fort Loudon, Shelly's Woods near Mercersburg, as well as several cemeteries and private homes. Ghost tours are also a big draw in nearby historic Gettysburg.