Welcome to a collection of haunted tales and locations around Lancaster County.
The Ghost of General Reynolds
Some believe General John Reynolds’ spirit never found peace after dying on the opening day of Gettysburg. As such his ghost wanders the streets between the Fulton and his family home looking to meet his fiancé just as he had promised he would after the historic battle.
Death by Dynamite. How building the Enola-Low Grade claimed 200 souls
If you were looking for potentially haunted locations in Lancaster County, the 200 souls lost constructing the Atglen & Susquehanna Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad would be a good place to start.
Shenks Ferry’s Haunted Tunnel
Local lore hangs heavy at Shenks Ferry. Stories vary but most center around the death of a young woman wearing white. Her ghost is said to haunt the tunnel there.
The Legend of Ironville’s Headless Horseman
Legend says that on cold autumn nights in the five minutes before midnight, the sounds of a galloping horse along Ironville Pike can be heard. Others swear they have actually seen the headless rider.
Did the Curse of Chickies Rock cause the worst trolley accident in Lancaster County history?
In 1896, the worst trolley accident in Lancaster County history occurred. It killed six people and injured another 68. Some believe it was a plague of potato bugs brought on by a decades-old witch’s curse that caused the tragedy.
The sad tale of Lover’s Leap at Chickies Rock
Even if you don’t believe in ghosts or spectral apparitions, Chickies Rock is a place of death. At least 13 people have died there since 1981. The earliest deaths involved a Native American murder-suicide love triangle.
How a doomed ferry crossing, dynamite, and grief lead to watery deaths on the Susquehanna
At its peak before the completion of Columbia’s first bridge in 1814, 15 different ferries were making the crossing. With so many crafts navigating the mighty Susquehanna, it’s no surprise that tragedy occasionally struck—cattle drowned and boats capsized. One doomed ferry trip resulted in two watery deaths. The man’s ghost still haunts the shores of Columbia today, looking for the body of his lost son.
The Witch Sisters and Chiquesalunga’s Curse
Three sisters once lived in a small house atop Chiques Hill. Rather than leave their land when forced out, the three witches committed suicide but not before putting a curse on it. Some believe the ground is still cursed today.
More Haunted Lancaster
If you have a ghost story you want to share as part of Haunted Lancaster, comment below or email me.