Considering Pennsylvania is one of the first thirteen original colonies, it only makes sense that it’d have some stories, especially considering Montgomery County was formed in 1784 (just eight years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted) and Norristown was officially declared a borough in 1812. With history this old, there has to be something in terms of unforgiving spirits roaming around an abandoned building or two. Here are five different places that you could even visit.

Selma Mansion (7 minutes away on 1305 W Airy St)

This mansion is one of the oldest structures in Norristown. It was built by General Andrew Porter, a Revolutionary and Civil War officer for the Union, in 1794. 

Fun fact on the General. His great-granddaughter, Mary Todd, was married to Abraham Lincoln. 

The Selma Mansion has been passed down from family to family and finally landed with the Fornance family, whose patriarch, Joseph Fornance, represented Norristown and Montgomery County in the 26th and 27th U.S. Congress. An annual “Psychic Fair” takes place in the Selma Mansion as well, due to its presumed spiritually active standing. 

According to Lisa Terrio and Buser, members of the “Pennsylvania Underground Paranormal Society,” one of the major spirits haunting the Selma Mansion is Mrs. Fornance. However, Terio and Buser would prefer the term “spiritually active” rather than haunted due to Mrs. Fornance (and any other lively spirit residing there) being rather friendly. 

According to the Lower Bucks Times article, people who go into the mansion report feeling a woman lurking over their shoulders. Some others report being overwhelmed by the aroma of roses, her signature scent, mainly by men, whom she was said to be rather fond of in her day.

There have also been reports of shadows of a man pacing outside General Porter’s study as well as eerie sounds and disembodied voices in general. 

Abington Presbyterian Church (forty minutes 1082 Old York Rd, Abington PA)
This church was founded in 1714 and is the third oldest Presbyterian church in Pennsylvania. The church itself originally was located in the center of the Abington cemetery.

The original owner of the church, Malachi Jones, sold half an acre of his farm “to build a House for the Publick Worship of God And also a place for Burying the Dead” in 1719. However, in 1779, the cemetery was moved across the street from the church to make extra space for expansion. However, it did leave something behind.

The church is rumored to be haunted by the apparition of a small child who looks out the window and occasionally makes appearances during prayers. It’s believed that the spirit did not go across the street along with the cemetery and has been left behind.

West Chester University (30 minutes away at 700 S High St, West Chester PA)

The University that is well known throughout Town, and that many of our alumni are even attending now, was quite a surprising find. All of the information was sourced from the University’s student newspaper itself.

For one, there is the student named Drutz, who hung himself in the early 1920s on the fourth floor of the Hollinger Field house on the weekend of homecoming. The rumor is that Drutz comes back each homecoming weekend to haunt the University’s gymnasium.
An English Professor, Dorothy Ramsey, is also said to have committed suicide and haunts the sixth floor of the Ramsey house because her plaque’s death date is wrong. Some further research showed that she actually died in her home, though the cause of death is unknown in records and she lived a block away from the dorms that were named after her. So it could very well be haunted by her.

Other places within the campus that are believed to be haunted are The Francis Harvey Green Library on the top floor (the story behind it is unknown) and the Phillips Hall which is believed to be haunted by ghosts who wish to perform on stage. 

Valley Forge Park (13 minutes away at 1400 N Outer Line Dr, King of Prussia, PA)

Located just thirteen minutes away from the school is the historical landmark “Valley Forge Historical Park.” It’s a place we all know and some of us even visited on field trips. So it comes as no surprise that there are rumors of it being haunted, though not as much as I anticipated.

Despite no battles being fought on the land, around 2,000 American Soldiers still perished, mainly from diseases like influenza, typhus, typhoid, dysentery, and smallpox as well as possible malnutrition.

There have been stories of “phantom soldiers,” the distant sounds of musket fire, and even a report from 1895 from locals saying they thought they saw “ghostly campfires and spirits of Revolutionary soldiers visibly roaming hillsides on stormy nights.” 

Someone walking the trail of the park, around 14 years ago, even caught an EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) of someone, or something, saying “Hurry, hurry up.” 

Paoli Battlefield Historical Park (32 minutes at Malvern, PA)

Last, but certainly not least, is the park where the Paoli Battle occurred, one of the most gruesome battles of the American Revolution. However, it was more like a massacre than a battle and is often instead called the Paoli massacre. 

British troops attacked the Continental camp at midnight with bayonets and swords in order to kill as many people as possible without making too much noise to alert the Continental soldiers. 

Some say that General Anthony Wayne (who led the American Army at the battle) haunts the area. During a ride to transport his bones to a different grave, some fell off. So people say that he walks through Pennsylvania looking for his missing bones on his birthday, January 1st

Some people claim to see a man in a colonial-era outfit riding a horse (perhaps the General?) whose hooves flash fire close to the Battle of Brandywine and Valley Forge.

According to the podcast “Paranormal in Pennsylvania,” there are said to be 9 hotspots around the Paoli Battlefield and reports of people seeing shadow figures in the trees. 

A paranormal investigator who goes by the name of Chris W. showed a photo that, on the surface, looked like butterflies but when he turned on the grayscale it looked like an outline of a person with no legs.

The podcast also provided a site with EVPs from the battlefield. Two which say “Car accidents” and “My appendix hurts.” There are many others but those two were the ones that were clearest for me.

Of course, there could be plenty of rational reasons for these reports of spirits that roam free. Paranoia, for example. Knowing that something horrible happened can make the mind play all kinds of tricks on you. Still, it’s important to be aware and cautious even if you don’t believe. After all, it’s never a good idea to try and aggravate any ghosts.