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The Old Cambria County Jail

By: Mya Bradford

The Old Cambria County Jail is located in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania just twenty minutes away from Northern Cambria. This jail was built in 1872 and housed prisoners up until 1997. This is a very popular jail that no longer operates today but is known for many paranormal experiences. You have probably seen or heard about this jail many times. If you have heard anything about the jail you probably heard about Smitty.

In October 1884, just the day before Michael “Smitty” Smith was supposed to be executed for killing a Johnstown man, he “evaporated” from the Old Cambria County Jail. There is no known reason as to how he “evaporated” from the jail but there are many myths, There are myths out there that he escaped. It’s questionable about how he escaped because “His cell was a locked cage of iron bars inside a concrete room two sizes up from a clothespress,” according to old.post-gazette.com. Before he “evaporated” he left a note for the warden that he would not return.

Theres another prisoner named Jacob Hauser who murdered his wife and mother-in-law with a machete knife. So the prison ended up building gallows next to the prison to execute him. At the jail, a total of 11 men were executed. When people got executed, you could buy tickets to watch in the jail yard. There was no cable television back then so this was the only way they could watch.

The dungeon was under the warden’s office. The reason being is so the warden could listen to them scream for mercy to confess the crime. I do believe that they still have a gravestone of Hauser next to the jail. He was the only person that they had a gravestone for...

The scariest part of the Old Cambria Jail is said to be the dungeon. Ghost hunters named Nick Groff and Katrina Weidman from “Paranormal Lockdown,” have stayed a couple nights there in 2018. They spent 72 hours there. When they were there, they had the most paranormal experiences down in the dungeon. Something had appeared in front of them and they kept hearing the name “Smitty.” Old prison guards who worked there even claim that it’s the scariest down there.

As you can see, the Old Cambria County Jail has lots of history to it from the building itself to the prisoners that were housed there. I think that they should have more tours because I think a lot of people would be interested!

5 Haunted Places Near Us! By: Mya Bradford

Since Halloween is coming, what better is there to do than go to a spooky place with real paranormal activity. If you like haunted stuff, keep reading because I'm going to be talking about some of the haunted places close to us!

Haunted Hill View Manor

This place operated as a home for the mentally ill, elderly, and financially destitute from 1926 to 2004. This manor is located in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Visitors have reported hearing voices and footsteps. They also report seeing patients peeking out of rooms, a young boy, and a man who offers to take guests’ photos for a dollar. This place is open to tour almost everyday!

The Mishler Theatre

The Mishler Theatre which is located in Altoona, Pennsylvania is claimed to be haunted by Issac Mishler. This theatre opened in 1906 and still remains open today. A teenage girl named Madeline Letsche became friends with the founder of the theater after her mother helped with productions there. Over the years, many stage crew members, actors, and visitors have heard, seen, and even felt Isaac Mischler's presence.

The Old Cambria County Jail

You probably have heard about the Old Cambria County Jail. This jail is located in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. There is a story about the jail that still goes around today, and people still wonder what happened to this guy named Smitty. In 1884, there was a prisoner, Michael “Smitty” Smith. There is a story that said that he disappeared before he was going to get executed. Today, the jail is haunted and many people who have worked there and filmed there have had many paranormal experiences. You can tour the jail during Dickens of a Christmas if you dare.

Farnsworth House Inn

Before this place was a hotel it was used as a shelter for Confederate sharpshooters and a makeshift hospital after the Battle of Gettysburg. This place is considered one of the most haunted places in America according to Visitpa.com. It is located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Shultz family claims that the Inn has been haunted by as many as 16 spirits at one point in time. They even claim that each spirit has its own personality and name. If you want to learn more about paranormal stuff, this place is for you because you can spend the night still to this day.

Baker Mansion History Museum

This museum is located in Altoona, Pennsylvania. One of the most famous attractions there is the wedding dress. Many visitors and people who work there have witnessed the weird happenings revolving around the famous wedding dress. According to Pennsylvania Mountains of Attractions, the wedding dress was worn by Elizabeth Bell in 1830, who was the daughter of Edward Bell, another early Blair County iron master. The wedding dress is on display in the Bell room which memorializes the Bell family. This museum is still open today on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

I think you would enjoy visiting these places. They all have very high ratings and visitors have had very interesting experiences!