When you add these 6 haunted spots in Pittsburgh to the 11 most haunted places from last year, that brings the grand total up to 17! We think that could make a pretty epic haunted tour around Pittsburgh…if you dare.
The National Aviary
We’re sure many of you have been to the Aviary before, but did you know it’s said to be haunted? The land the Aviary sits on used to be part of the Western State Penitentiary, which was used to house Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. Supposedly the soldiers roam the halls at night, but few details are known beyond that.
The Depreciation Lands Museum
The Depreciation Lands Museum in Allison Park is possibly the most family-friendly haunted spot on our list. The Deacon, a man in a long coat and old-fashioned boots, has been seen there many times…but he seems to be a helpful soul. He’s credited with catching a painter’s ladder, saving a group of girl scouts when a ceiling collapsed on top of them, fixing a ladder, and catching a cleaning woman who fell. He also apparently fixed a broken window, and we could probably use his help at our house…
Tim’s Secret Treasures Antique Store
Tim’s Secret Treasures Antique Store in Charleroi has some antiques all right…as in spirits. It’s been featured on “My Ghost Story: Caught on Camera” on the Biography Channel, and we get goosebumps just reading about some of the encounters there. Things like the owners hearing whispers in their ear, footsteps on the stairs, furniture moving by itself, and ghost named Clara (who died in the building and wasn’t found for weeks) who wants to drink tea. And that’s not even what the customers have experienced: a little girl running around the second floor and hearing angry growls. But what else would you expect from a building that used to be a funeral parlor, scrap yard, and speakeasy during the Prohibition?
The Omni William Penn Hotel
Apparently the 22nd and 23rd floors of the Omni William Penn Hotel downtown are not used due to some …guests… who have decided not to check out. There have been reports of gusts of cold wind, mysterious footsteps, strange noises, and that creepy feeling of being watched when no one is around. We don’t know about you, but we’ll take a room on any other floor, thankyouverymuch.
Hill View Manor
Hill View Manor has been featured on the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures, Discover Channel’s Ghost Lab, Destination America’s Ghost Asylum, and SyFY’s Ghost Hunters, and if that isn’t enough to convince you to book a tour or an investigation…well, we’ll tell you a little more. Formerly a home for the destitute, mentally ill, and the elderly, Hill View Manor officially closed the doors in 2004. But, obviously, some of the residents didn’t move out. Many of the patients were buried on the property and roam the halls of the building to this day.
Blue Mist Road
Technically Irwin Road in North Park, Blue Mist Road gets it’s nickname from the fog that rolls in every night. And that fog brings, you guessed it, spirits. It’s a five-mile dirt road, lined with old trees and the foundations of former houses, and it’s rich with legends. Some say an old woman lived there who practiced black magic and opened portals to other dimensions. Others say a man murdered his family and disposed of the bodies in the septic tank, where they were discovered years later. Most agree that to summon the spirits, you should drive to where the road is blocked off (only foot traffic is allowed) and honk your horn three times. Just be careful that you don’t end up like the young man in the 1970s who took his girlfriend there for a scare…and was found hanging above his car hours later.
Looking for more ghosts? We’ve got you covered with some haunted weekend getaway ideas!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.