Whispers from the Closet: the Spectral Child of Columbia

After posting several Columbia-based ghost stories, one reader shared this spine-tingling encounter that still haunts him and his roommate.

The Spectral Child of Avenue I

My buddy and I lived at 302 Avenue I in Columbia for a year. He lived in the back room of the second-floor apt, and I lived in the front room.

302 Ave I, Columbia, PA

One night, he was lying in bed with his girlfriend (now wife) when he thought he heard someone walking at the bottom of the bed (hardwood floors throughout). He even saw the water in his glass on the nightstand ripple. Next, he saw the blinds move as if someone had run their hands up them. He thought he was imagining this, so he rolled over to discover his girlfriend was sweating and freezing at the same time. He pulled the covers up and rolled away from her.

He was facing the closet now and said he saw a little girl in the closet. He blinks a few times to refocus his eyes, but she’s still there. He rolls away to gather himself, then returns to see her still in the closet. He jumps out of bed, turns on the light, and tears the closet apart, but nothing is there.

Fast forward a few months, and he’s moving out. He has the bathroom, hallway, overhead, and lamp lights on in his room with his phone charging. Suddenly, his phone started ringing, but it was blank. He cancels it, and it happens again. Then the lamp light started flickering like crazy, so he unplugged it and plugged it back in. This time, though, all the lights he had on started to flick and go crazy. He and his girlfriend tore off out of the house and came back during the day to finish.

My only story is that I was relaxing on the third floor, home alone, mid-afternoon. I heard the front door open, and someone came up the steps, so I yelled that I was upstairs, seeing that people were always randomly dropping by. I got no answer, so I shouted again.

No answer.

I went down to see who was there and found the apartment empty and the front door still locked.

A year after we moved out, the Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) came to the Market House across the alley from our old apartment to investigate the dungeon. They talked to some witnesses, and one thing they said they saw was a little girl who would wander the alley but disappear around a corner if you tried to approach her.

We had no idea people were seeing her, and our minds were blown when we heard that and put two and two together.

The Ghosts and Legends of the Columbia Market House Dungeon

A few weeks ago, I enjoyed a private tour of the infamous Columbia Market House dungeon by Chris Vera, a name synonymous with preserving the river town’s rich history. Vera is also the manager of the historic structure, and his deep involvement with the legendary lockup has led to personal encounters with the unexplainable, lending credibility to the ghostly tales surrounding this place.

One chilling experience Vera shared involved a sinister manifestation in the dungeon. He and his brother witnessed a terrifying phenomenon — a black mass that seemed to defy the laws of nature, crawling up the wall and stretching across the ceiling. This dark, amorphous entity then began to advance down the hallway towards them, its intent unknown. The encounter was so intense that it sent Vera and his brother fleeing upstairs, seeking refuge from the unnerving presence. Click the link to read more, including the ghost of Big John, an eternal specter who allegedly met a tragic end in one of the damp, unground cells.

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Adventure Awaits!

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