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JENNIE WADE HOUSE

BY KINEDY

548 Baltimore Street, gettysburg, pa

(717) 334-4100

Status: Historical Property

Website

Photo Copyright Branson Johnson

Used with Permission

Quite possibly the most famous house in all of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is known by many as the Jennie Wade House & is considered a must-see when visiting the town. 

The “Jennie Wade House” is situated just a stone’s throw away from East Cemetery Hill, a spot that saw extensive fighting throughout the Battle of Gettysburg, & just a few feet from where the armies divided the town. For many years, I have been intrigued by this story, as have many others, but I’m not entirely convinced it’s the right story. (DISCLAIMER: All of the details remain open to speculation & your own interpretation, there are several different versions of this story & none of us were actually there when the event unfolded. This is my research & my personal interpretation/belief)

The house was built in 1842 as a divided, two-family home, the south (right) side of the house was owned by a woman named Catherine McClain, & the north (left) side was owned by “Jennie’s” brother-in-law, John Louis McClellan. The house was originally called the McClellan house prior to “Jennie’s” death & she never actually lived there until the battle grew too close to her home & she came to stay with her sister, Georgeanna.

When the battle came into town, both families remained in their respective homes, going about life as best they could with a war raging quite literally in their backyard. However, on the morning of July 2, 1863, an artillery shell hit the house, but didn’t explode, leaving a hole in the wall that divided the two homes. This would later play a role in removing ‘Jennie’s’ body after she was killed.

The story goes that the morning of July 3, 1863, while ‘Jennie’ and her sister were preparing bread for the Union soldiers, a Confederate bullet penetrated two doors & struck ‘Ginnie’ in the back, killing her instantly. The story continues by saying that Union soldiers helped carry her body down to the cellar where she & her family waited out the rest of the battle in the July heat.

Photo Copyright Branson Johnson

Used with Permission

“Jennie” was born Mary Virginia Wade on May 21, 1843, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to Mary Ann Filby, & James Wade, Sr. While digging through several of the exact same stories & articles, I eventually found information that I don’t think has ever been talked about, so let’s.

“Jennie” was often thought to be a “copper head” or southern sympathizer, but this rumor could be attributed to the fact that her father, James was born in Virginia. It could also be attributed to the speculation that she, Jack Skelly, & a boy named Wesley Culp were childhood best friends. Before the war, Wesley moved to Virginia with his boss & joined the Confederate Army when Virginia seceded. There’s some speculation that she was actually in love with Wesley, not Jack. (which, quite honestly wouldn’t surprise me, but who knows.)

Going back now to her father, in 1839, James was charged with “committing fornication by force & fathering a child out of wedlock”, on this charge he was found not guilty by the Adams County Court, however, this wasn’t his first run in with such behavior. He was accused of arson, charged with assault three times & found guilty twice & sent to prison for larceny. That was, until 1852 when “Jennie’s” mother, Mary petitioned to have James found insane. He was sent to the Adams County Almshouse & remained there until his death in 1872. It was said that the family raised the said child as “Jennie’s” older brother, but I’ve only been able to find three brothers in her family tree, from credible sources, & they are three, seven & twelve years younger than “Jennie”. Her only older siblings are two sisters, Georgeanna, “Georgia” (who lived in the house where “Jennie” was killed) & Martha.

Photo Copyright Branson Johnson

Used with Permission

After “Jennie’s” death, not everyone was thrilled with a monument being erected for “Sweet Jennie Wade”. A War of 1812 veteran & Union soldier, John Burns made his feelings for her very clear in a writing to a local newspaper after the battle, “I knew Miss Wade very well. The less said about her the better. The story about her loyalty, her being killed while serving Union soldiers, etc., is all fiction, got up by some sensation correspondent. The only fact in the whole story is that she was killed during the battle in her house by a stray bullet.... I could call her a she-rebel.”

A Union Colonel, David Hunter Strother said that the monument to her “reminded me of when I was a boy and would become sentimental about corn cobs!” It was even said that the Gettysburg locals weren’t exactly fond of the Wade family. Maybe it was because of her father’s supposed history, or maybe they had different reasons to believe otherwise.

The story of “Jennie’s” death is one that almost every Gettysburg buff has heard, but I don’t know what to believe anymore. There’s the story that she was killed by a Confederate bullet, but personally, this version has been laid to rest for me. In 2007, a package arrived at the Jennie Wade House, addressed to the then owner/manager. Inside the small parcel was a bullet, kept by a Union soldier who had found it in the casket containing Wade’s body. The soldier hadn’t actually removed the bullet, but a family member had removed it when examining the body before presenting his findings to Congress (presumably to determine if her mother could get a government pension for the death of her daughter).

The owner sent the bullet off to a Civil War relic dealer to have it identified. It came back as a .577 caliber Union minie ball that had lost its velocity.  This bullet not only put an end to the controversy as to “who” killed “Jennie”, but it also provided evidence that she was hit twice. Once by a spent round, & one that proved fatal.

Over the years, claims of the house being haunted have surfaced. Including a “dark” energy that is felt in the basement, believed to be “Jennie’s” protective father. Other claims include footsteps, voices, apparitions, shadow figures, and other phenomena occurring inside the house. Even a local legend had spawned when the house opened its doors to tourism. It’s said that if a single woman places her ring finger in the bullet hole on the door, she will be engaged not long after.

Some visitors have even reported seeing “Jennie” wander around the surrounding battlefield, others have seen her wandering around the McClellan house, & some have even captured photos of who they believe is “Jennie’s” ghost.

I’ve had a personal experience without ever stepping inside the house, (yeah, I’ve not been inside yet), but the spirits there seem to know who I am. My friends, Steve & Dylan from Haunted Nights were there on an investigation, doing a livestream when they decided to do a digital recorder session. Dylan had asked if the spirits there remembered me, a response on Steve’s recorder repeated my name back to him, & Dylan’s recorder captured a voice saying, “I remember her.”

Could they know me, despite me only walking past the house a year ago? Or is it possible that the Civil War friends I’ve made in Gettysburg have mentioned me to those who still occupy the house 160 years later?" 

Photo Copyright Branson Johnson

Used with Permission

old lakeshore hospital

1290 circle drive, defuniak springs, florida

Status: Former Medical Clinic; Hospital; Formerly Abandoned; Museum & Historical Building

History

This site opened in 1939 as a one storey clinic by Dr Ralph Spires. In 1949 it became a two-storey hospital.

While the hospital was segregated, with a separate entrance and ward – both of which are still intact – for African Americans, Dr Spires did admit African Americans from day one. In the times this was almost a miracle; most other doctors in the south refused to provide medical care no matter what.

The doctors of this hospital were far ahead of their time in providing advancements in polio vaccinations, women’s health and the reduction of infant deaths.

The hospital was closed in 1972 and left abandoned.

In 2013 the Florida Chautauqua Association bought the building saving it from being demolished as it had become so run down.

In 2021 they and the Florida Division of Historical Resources helped the site become recognized and added to the National Register of Historic Places. This also secured a grant of $50,000 for renovations and restorations.

The building is now the headquarters for the Florida Chautauqua Assembly as well as a museum. It is also used for numerous community events throughout the years.

While not common a few groups have been allowed to do an investigation.

Paranormal Activity

Reported Paranormal Activity

Apparitions of former staff and patients including faces appearing in the windows; time slips; feelings of not being alone and being watched; shadow figures; EVPs including Class A and light anomalies.

Hotel Colorado

526 Pine Street, glenwood springs, co

(970) 945-6511

Status: Former Hospital; Historic Hotel

Website

History

This hotel was built by a banker who made his fortune in the silver market named Walter Devereux. It was modeled after the Villa de Medici in Rome, Italy and cost of $850,000 ($28.7 million in 2023 dollars).

Construction was begun in 1891 and the hotel opened on June 10, 1893, with fireworks and a midnight dinner for 300 couples.

After long stays by both Presidents Teddy Roosevelt and William Howard Taft the hotel became known as the “little White House of the West”. It also became a summer playground for many of America’s ultra rich.

With the casualties flowing back to the United States from the European and Pacific battlefields due to the onset of World War II the United States Navy rented the hotel in 1942 for use as a convalescent hospital.

In 1946 the US Navy decommissioned the building and returned it to the owner who re-opened the building as a hotel.

The hotel is still open, and stays can be booked via the phone number or website above.

Paranormal Activity

The hotel is very open to it’s hauntings and ghosts.

The original owner, Walter Devereux, seemed to have stayed on long after death. He most often lets his presence known with phantom cigar smoke. No one living has been able to smoke in the building for many years so it’s very obvious when he’s around.

Occasionally, his faint apparition has appeared amid a cloud of cigar smoke. Sensitives are said to feel his presence throughout the building.

Smells of phantom cigar smoke are reported in the basement which is, probably, where his office used to be. He also seems to have his favorite rooms in the hotel as well where the smell is reported as well as faint – but visible – clouds of cigar smoke.

Walter is also blamed whenever a room locks itself.

The majority of reports come from the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors with rooms 321, 551 and 661 being the most active.

In Room 551 the apparition of a man is seen both in the room and in the hallway outside of the room. The man is said to be very active but seems to go out of his way not to frighten anyone. It has been described as a very benign haunting.

Room 661 is the largest of 2 suites in the tower and is haunted by a woman in floral print dress and is usually seen standing over guests when they are in bed. There is one story where a man became ill and needed to stay in bed; his wife opened the room’s windows to get him some fresh air. When his wife left the bedroom another woman came in and closed the windows; apparently, this battle went on for 3 days.

The elevator is known for going up and down on it’s own. It has been checked repeatedly for faults, but no mechanical or electrical reason can be found for why it does this.

One room was so active – rumored to be due to a maid being murdered there – the hotel has turned into storage room with no public access.

Phantom knocks on people’s rooms

Other electrical disturbances in the rooms include lights turning on and off on their own as well televisions changing channels, increasing and decreasing volume and turning on and off all on it’s own.

Apparitions of former guests and staff as well as sailors from the building’s time as a hospital.

The see through apparition of a young girl in seen in Victorian era clothing throughout the building; usually she is playing with a ball.

Another ghost in Victorian attire is a lady seen in the dining room. She is said to wear very nice smelling perfume – which is often smelt even when she is not visible – and is said to be very friendly toward men. This also could be the same ghost as one in more modern attire that’s reported (see below).

The basement of the hotel – which was used as a morgue and a crematorium when the hospital was open – is also said to be very paranormally active. Phantom sounds including disembodied voices having conversations and the sounds of typewriters have been reported.

In 1993 a hotel employee witnessed an elderly woman looking in one of the windows cupping her hands over her face. When he looked away for an instant to turn on the lights she disappeared.

The main floor is haunted by a nurse named Bobbie. It is said she dates back to the World War II era and was murdered by a jealous lover who was a Naval Officer. The story says he was shipped out to cover up the crime, but the hospital staff spread the story.

Bobbie is said to haunt the dining room and easily identified by her perfume – which smells like Gardenias – which sounds very familiar to the earlier story about the Victorian lady. This report comes from the hotel itself, though, so is probably the correct story.

IGLOO CITY

denali national park, alaska

Mile 214.5 George Parks Highway or Mile 188.5 or 188.7 Depending on Which Website You Read

Status: Partially Constructed Hotel; Never Opened or Used; Former Gas Station; Being Repurposed

History

There is a lot of versions of the story of this location - much of which is contradictory – although the major players seem to stay the same.

In the 1970’s Leon Smith, a railroad worker, began using the scrap lumber and other materials to build his dream hotel modeled after the igloos Alaska’s native population constructed.

Other versions of the story say Smith was an adventurer who owned the original gas station on the property. In this version he cleared out the land behind the gas station to build his hotel; which at least explains how he came to own this land.

Even in Alaska you can’t just built whatever you want wherever you want.

This property is located about halfway between Fairbanks and Anchorage; so essentially in the middle of nowhere.

The igloo is 80 feet (24.4 metres) high and 105 feet (32 metres) wide. Put another way, this structure is said to be visible from jets flying over at 30,000 feet.

The exterior, made of wood and urethane, was constructed but the windows were deemed to small for a commercial property. And that was just the beginning of Smith’s issues with the creation of his hotel.

In the end, due to financial problems, Smith sold the property and igloo to Brad Fisher in the 1990’s. Fisher operated a gas station on the grounds and also attempted to make Igloo City a reality, but it proved too expensive for him as well.

There being no electricity on site is one of the unsurmountable issues; everything has to be run from generators; adding a huge price tag to both building the hotel and operating it. And there’s the bears; one of the scariest grizzly bear attacked happened only a half mile away when a man had his head clamped in the jaws of the bear resulting in an injury requiring 1,000 stitches and 7 hours of surgery.

Fisher – despite the stories of there being multiple owners – is still the owner of the property; although he his has put it up for sale more than once.

According to recent posts (202t-22) the property has been leased to a company who are looking to open a distillery complete with a tasting bar and restaurant here. The company also hopes to be able to buy the property in the future.

Paranormal Activity

The paranormal activity is said to be possibly related to an aboriginal burial ground nearby.

The hotel, thus far, has not been completed so no one has ever stayed here – let alone died here – although it’s been abandoned since some time in 2005.  Meaning this may be another case of a tulpa: a Buddist belief that a supernatural entity can basically be created by people’s belief that there should be haunting.

While a tulpa may not be a spirit or ghost per say they certainly fall under the category of paranormal activity.

The reported activity reported at this site includes a woman in white who is seen either looking out of or passing by one of the building’s small windows and unexplainable light anomalies from streaks of colors to orbs.

There are reports of feeling as if you are being watched but that may just be a natural reaction to be all alone in the middle of nowhere.

ghosts

A ghost is believed to be the discarnate form of a human or animal soul or spirit. It can be either visible or invisible; related to the human sense of sight.

A belief in life after death – or at least in some form of the first law of thermodynamics stating that energy can neither be created by destroyed – is seemingly necessary for the belief in ghosts.

Or is it? Ghosts also have been theorized to be extra-dimensional entities that were never human but have the ability to resemble humans who have crossed into the dimensional of death. My question is why?

Why would entities from different dimensions bother doing this? Some would say to deceive the living and its possible that’s true. But can this possibly be the answer to the thousands of reports of ghosts made every year?

My thoughts? No.

However, I have had experiences with entities much like but - in my opinion – not ghosts. These creatures will be covered in future cryptozoology articles.

Of course, the existence of ghosts has, thus far, truly never been proven so I suppose you can believe whatever you want to believe. I’m attempting to stick to proven scientific methods for the time being anyway.

But generally, people who believe in life after death believe the energy that is the soul moves on to a better place. Call it Heaven, the Happy Hunting Grounds, Valhalla or what ever you want. This is, of course, an opposite direction the soul can go but the journey in either direction is well beyond the purview of this article.

Except for one little question this brings up. Why would a soul choose to stay in our reality rather than move on; why would it become a ghost?

There are no facts, but plenty of theories: they’re trapped here, they don’t know they're dead, they’re trapped in a dimension for final judgement before moving on, they’re afraid of what may happen to them if they do move on; they have unfinished business on this earthly plane; they are unwilling to move on etc.

Although the existence of ghosts cannot be proven; it cannot be proven that they don’t exist either.

The amount of false evidence and outright fakery in this field – especially from so-called “paranormal celebrities” who treat the field like a game show or worse – these days has made those of us who truly want find evidence proving or disproving the existence of ghosts and the paranormal have to work even harder.

Unfortunately today, most people tend to believe that any evidence presented has been faked. Either that or people actually believe investigating is like a game show. Honestly, I couldn't tell you which of these facts are worse.

The non-believers – composed of those who seek to disprove but also those who seem to feel that anything they don’t believe in is a personal attack – are quick to point out that hallucinations can be caused by any number of things such as mental health, drugs and alcohol, physical health and even carbon monoxide poisoning. And they are absolutely right.

The use of non-believer as opposed to skeptic is purposeful. Skeptics are open to the truth be it paranormal or not but not blind believers. Believing in something that cannot be proven is dangerously close to zealotry.

The one constant in the paranormal field is that in approximately 75% reports of paranormal activity of any kind is actually due to something quite normal. A list of things that people have reported as ghostly activity but turned out as something explainable would fill a thousand articles.

Any investigator truly devoted to the truth will always look for the normal before the paranormal.

I’d also like to point out 2, well not facts but not just theories either, that have been brought up by many people in the field.

1) If everyone became a ghost they would outnumber the living by billions so, logically, not everyone who dies becomes what we call a ghost

2) No one has ever reported the ghost of a tyrannosaurus rex, a woolly mammoth or even a cave man so, again logically, ghosts don’t last forever. At some point their energy must change forms into something different. Something we either cannot precieve or we do not understand it’s relationship with ghosts.

There have been reports of ghosts dating back to the beginning of human history. Long before written history ghosts show up in in the spoken history and legends of every society. Ghosts also showed up in classical written literature such as William Shakespeare, Emily Bronte and Charles Dickens.

Ghosts have been reported by many trusted and respected people such as police, fire, EMS and Presidents and other world leaders.

There are even instances of ghosts helping to solve their own murders.

As you can see the topic of ghosts just opens door after door after door to other topics. It is a question that cannot be answered – at least right now – and a question that only leads to other questions.

Hundreds of questions.

EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY

(Historic Site)(State Correctional Institute, Philadelphia)

2027 Fairmont Avenue, Philadelphia

(215) 236-3300

Status: Famous Historical Prison

Website

All Photos Courtesy of StrangerMindz

STRANGERS JOURNEY

TO

EASTERN STATE PENINTENARY

BY: FERNANDO INFANTE (STRANGERS MINDZ)

Here is another location I have had the privilege to visit that needs no introduction due to its crazy, violent, extraordinary and not to mention very haunted history. 

Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP) was considered to be the world's first true penitentiary, and it was once the largest and most expensive public structure in the country.

Today, it operates as a museum where you can enjoy tours and learn its history from within. The tour includes an audio guide that contains a playlist called "The Voices of Eastern State". An mp3 player with headphones is given to you upon admission,  that will guide you through the penitentiary while explaining it.

ESP operated as a prison from 1829 until 1971 and it housed nearly 85,000 inmates over its history. ESP even housed very notable criminal fuigures like Al Capone AKA "Scarface" and Willie Sutton AKA "Slick".

ESP was one of the first structures in the United States to have central heating and running water within its buildings. An amazing concept at the time primarily due to that not even the White House had either of them.

The massive outside walls of ESP resemble a barricaded castle almost like a defense for anyone who tries to invade. The walls are 30 feet high and 10 feet thick and spreads across exactly half a mile with towers at every corner. The concept of this structure designed by John Haviland, who was an English-born American architect was inspired by prisons and asylums built in his homeland, England and Ireland. The design was primarily used to put fear into those who thought about committing any future crime with it's neo-Gothic monstrous look.

ESP was originally named Cherry Hill State Prison due to its location which was ten acres of farmland known as Cherry Hill near Philadelphia.

Throughout my research on ESP, I have come across so much information that I decided to construct a somewhat of a timeline to help put in as much information as possible. We are talking about squeezing in 142 years of history. With that said, let's take a journey into Eastern State Penitentiary.

In 1787, Dr. Benjamin Rush created the first prison reform group to which is still around today called Pennsylvania Prison Society. It was to promote reform and social justice.

Benjamin Franklin was part of this group as well.

1821, The Pennsylvania Legislature approves funding to build Eastern State Penitentiary. The idea for this penitentiary was to redefine how prisoners were kept and treated. The revolutionary system for this prison was to have separate incarceration cells for its inmates, which first put into place in the Walnut Street Jail to try and reform their inmates rather than to punish them.

Four architects submitted their designs for this revolutionary prison but only one came out winning with his design. John Haviland won the commision with his Goth like nature design. Haviland was a major figure in the American Neo-Classical architecture. He was one of the most notable architects working from Philadelphia during the 19th century.

At first, it was meant to hold 250 people, but later on we see that ESP continued expansions due to high demand incarcerating inmates which included building up to 15 cell blocks, about 1,000 cells and housing more than 1,800 inmates by 1930.

In 1829, the legislation to seperate and utilize solitary confinement for inmates was passed. Leaders who was part of passing the legislation believed that crime is the result of how people acted in society within their environment and that solitude will make the person regretful and penitent, which was how the word penitentiary came to life.

To make matters worse for these convicted criminals, they had to wear masks once they entered the prison to keep them from communicating with others. Cells were made with feeding doors and yard time was for single inmate use to prevent any contact between other prisoners, and even guards. In this same year, their first inmate was admitted.

On October 25th, 1829 - Charles Williams, entered the prison as prisoner #1. He was convicted of burglary and he was a light black skin man, 5'7" tall. They even measured his feet which was 11 inches. Scar on nose, scar on thigh, broad mouth, black eyes. They even detailed his living, farmer by trade and noted that he can read. Theft included, one twenty-dollar watch, one three-dollar gold seal and a gold key. His sentenced was two years in confinement with labor. He was received by Samuel R. Wood, the first Warden of Eastern State Penitentiary.

1831, Cell block 3 was the last of its single story original structure. Cell block 4,5,6 and 7 was two story cell blocks due to the increasing amount of people being incarcerated. It is also the year that the first female prisoner entered.

1832, ESP encountered its first escape attempt by William Hamilton (inmate #94), he served as the warden's waiter. He saw an opportunity from the roof of the front building to which he was able to lower himself from. Once he was apprehended shortly after, he tried his luck a second time in 1837 using the same method.

Let's fast forward to 1924 because there is so much detailed information but I have to mention what happened that year due to the craziness of ESP history.

On 1924 August 12 - Was the day that Pennsylvania Governor Gifford Pinchot "sentenced" Pep "The Cat-Murdering Dog" to life at Eastern State. Pep allegedly murdered the governor’s wife’s cat. Records show that Pep was assigned a prisoner number, C-2559, which is also seen in his mug shot.

1929, Al Capone was incarcerated and spent 8 months in ESP. But the controversy surrounding his prison cell had many people wondering if the system was corrupted. An article was even written by the Philadelphia Public Ledger on August 20, 1929, and described the lavishness of his cell. "The whole room was suffused in the glow of a desk lamp which stood on a polished desk.... On the once-grim walls of the penal chamber hung tasteful paintings, and the strains of a waltz were being emitted by a powerful cabinet radio receiver of handsome design and fine finish..."

The information goes on and on.

As the years gone by, there were many attempts of escape especially during the time when the Pennsylvania System of confinement with solitude was officially abandoned in 1913. They started giving their inmates more humane prison time. But this led to more than one hundred people escaping during its 142 years of operation. Most notably, in 1923, there was an inmate by the name of Leo Callahan, who actually escaped and still to this day remains at large. Obviously he has passed, but that was quite an achievement.

But what I am about to share with all my readers through all the research I have done is probably why so many inmates attempted fate and tried to escape. Convicted inmates spent 23 hours a day in their cells and only had two, half-hour exercise breaks. Every two weeks they were bathed but were forced to wear masks during that transportation.

Any inmates that were caught speaking to one another were punished. The punishment consisted of being left in their cells for an unknown amount of time, left in a dark cell and fed only bread and water. Some were confined to a straitjacket and gagged.

From 1933 and on, the inmates started riots by various means, lighting fires and short circuiting electrical boxes. All due to low wages, overcrowding and mistreatment.

In 1945, 12 men escaped through a tunnel they dug for some time. "Slick" Willie Suttun a famous bank robber was one of them and took credit for planning the whole thing.

But due to all the riots, overcrowding, the prison was slowly deteriorating over time due to how massive it was, maintenance was difficult to uphold and even bad press, especially when Charles Dickens visited ESP and wrote "The System is rigid, strict, and hopeless solitary confinement, and I believe it, in its effects, to be cruel and wrong....". Led to the Pennsylvania Legislature recommending to abandon Eastern State Penitentiary, which had since been renamed the State Correctional Institution at Philadelphia.

Abandoning ESP wasn't so easy and it didn't officially happen due to how are were they going to let all this hard work, money, and the idea of why ESP was built in the first place just die?

That is why ESP remained open up until 1971. Eastern State Penitentiary finally closed its doors and left abandoned. For 20 years, that location became highly vandalized and even nature took over.

Walking through this monstrous prison, anyone who toured within the walls can easily see and feel why this place is deemed haunted. Reports of suspicious paranormal activity dates back to 1940's, long before ESP was abandoned. Both prisoners and guards began to have several unusual experiences and unexplained paranormal occurrences.

Many of these incidents have been reported and it states that there are witnesses to shadow figures and unnatural noises. But even before that, there were incidents that were reported involving Al Capone when he was imprisoned for 8 months in 1929.

Guards and other inmates reported hearing Al Capone, who was dubbed Scarface, a famed Chicago gangster, screaming in his cell. They heard him screaming at "Jimmy" to go away and to leave him alone. Now here is the back story to that, but we are going to take a detour out of ESP and into what is known as the St. Valentines Day Massacre.

Long story short, the massacre happened in 1929 where several rivals of Al Capone were murdered in Chicago on Feburary 14th. One of the victims was named Albert Kachellek aka James Clark also knows as Jimmy. The massacre was an attempt to eliminate Bugs Moran, head of the North Side Gang.

Al Capone, was widely assumed to have been responsible for ordering the massacre but never charged. Al Capone was actually convicted and then transferred to ESP for a much pettier crime, he got caught carrying a concealed weapon on May 16, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His luck had to run out sooner or later.

Now back to the paranormal activity in ESP.

After hearing about the guards and inmate reports, the story with Al Capone, all the deaths that have occurred throughout the years in ESP that including two guards and several inmates being murdered, reports of suicides and hundreds of others dying from disease and old age. Not to mention, the ones that aren't documented due to suspicious circumstances. How can it not be haunted?

Due to the dark history of ESP and paranormal activity, many paranormal investigators have investigated this location and it has even been featured on television. Everyone who has stepped into this prison, including staff, visitors and investigators have reported many paranormal activities including sightings of ghostly entities.

Cell block 12 being an area which is highly active where you can hear voices, laughs and apparitions of inmates. Cell block 6, it is known to have shadow figures, screaming and laughter. Cell block 4, reports of ghostly faces and hearing loud whispers. There are even reports on the watch towers, apparently a silhouette of a guard can be seen doing his rounds.

Visitors have heard doors slamming, keys jingling, footsteps. It's no wonder this is the paranormal investigators Disney Land.

Unfortunately, today, ESP doesn't let anybody investigate anymore. You cannot even have a device to conduct any investigations. If you are a psychic, medium or empath, keep it to yourself because you will be asked to leave.

The bright side is, you can visit ESP any day between 10am -5pm and they also do amazing Halloween festivals that start from September through November.

Hope you guys enjoyed reading this article and if you are interested in knowing more about Eastern State Penitentiary, go to their website and explore all the information they have to offer.

Also, fun fact, in google maps, you can tour inside this structure.

Researched Paranormal Activity

Cellblock 4

Numerous reports of ghostly faces appearing out of nowhere. At least one report of one of these faces beckoning the witness toward it. A report of being held so tightly that movement was impossible. The same report includes a feeling of a terrible dark force rushing by them.

Cellblock 6

Shadow figures have been reported – some of them are said to slide along the walls.

Cellblock 12

Echoing disembodied voices and phantom laughter.

The Towers

Apparitions of former guards have been seen in the old guard towers still watching over their prisoners.

Site Wide

Apparitions of former inmates and staff, unexplained mists, disembodied voices, feelings of dark energy, phantom sobs, cries and screaming, light anomalies, electrical disturbances, empathic sensations of negative emotions including anger, madness and fear, feelings of being watched, feelings of not being wanted, feelings of not being alone.