As The Raven Dreams Podcast - State By State Ep 02 - Strange & Scary Things In PENNSYLVANIA

Episode Date: September 27, 2025

Today, on the 195th episode of the As The Raven Dreams podcast, we have a collection of Strange and Scary things in Pennsylvania - the second of our State By State series. Today's episode was written by Tom K, Find his other works here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DBVX81W7 If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like or rate the podcast, and leave me a comment with your thoughts if the platform your own supports it! I upload episodes every 3 days, so there are 2 days between new uploads. The podcast consists of new scary story collections, Glitch in the matrix collections, and also what I call the "Dark Dreams" collections (which are older stories, remastered and layered with rain sounds). If you have a story to submit, would like to find where to listen to the podcast, or want to find me on social media platforms, all of that info can be found at https://www.astheravendreams.com You can also send stories into my subreddit (r/theravensdream) or email them to me at [e-mail] Want to check out some ATRD Podcast Merch? ➤ https://teechip.com/stores/astheravendreams Or for signed merch ➤ https://ko-fi.com/AsTheRavenDreams I wrote a novel, "The Insomniac's Experiment" by Raven Adams! Check it out on amazon (Or you can email me for a signed copy!) Join Patreon to get early access and support the Podcast! ➤ https://www.patreon.com/AsTheRavenDreams Check out my gaming channel with my pal Ghost_Ink ➤ @superNefariousBros On YouTube TimeStamps… Ad break After Story 2 01 - The Western State Correctional Facility ➤ 1:41 02 - The Mutter Museum ➤ 7:50 03 - The Cave of Kelpius ➤ 15:27 04 - Gettysburg ➤ 20:06 ----- Disclaimer ➤ Episodes include a content warning for language and sensitive/disturbing content. Listener discretion is always advised. ALL Audio and visuals on this podcast are copyright of AS THE RAVEN DREAMS / RAVEN ADAMS and may not be duplicated, in any format. Bless This Mess. None of my audio is AI Generated, I am a real person reading real stories into a real microphone. #ScaryStories #UnexplainedMysteries #Pennsylvania Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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things in Pennsylvania. I know this isn't a story episode and hopefully you guys don't mind that. I like to do these research projects every once in a while. We've been kind of stepping him up a little bit. Just to kind of get a few extra in there, and Tom has some great ideas.

And a huge thank you to Tom for writing these up. And working with me on these projects. All of his links to his stuff on Amazon, his books, he is an author, are down below in the description of the podcast. And yeah, let him know you appreciate it if you do. And if not, that's totally fine. If you don't like these, that's okay. I don't expect everyone to enjoy research projects.

Some people are just here for the stories. This is just something that others have said they have wanted on the channel, so it's something I wanted to try, and I've been enjoying it. That said, back to the scary stories next episode. Hopefully I'll see you there. If you have a story, go to as the ravendreams.com and send it my way. You can also email it to Astherraven Dreams at gmail.com. Just make sure you put what kind of story it is in the subject, if you can.

If it's like a glitch, a stalker story, a cryptic encounter, something like that. Just put it in the subject, and I'll know what it is from there. I don't really have much else to say I just hope you're all doing well Um weather's tearing up my sinuses and such But I'll be okay That's what happens never we shift over to fall Fall was my favorite but it's what happens

So Anyways friends Hope you remember that you are loved valid and important And I'll see you again here very soon Until next time Much love And sleep well The Western State

Correctional Institution in Pittsburgh It was in 1826 that the doors and cells of the Western State Penitentiary were opened. This was the result of a booming period of growth for the Pittsburgh area. With a growing population always comes a growth in the number of crimes committed. It didn't take long to populate the prison with the unseemly type that had taken up residence in the budding metropolis and the surrounding area. Nor was the Western Penn alone where it opened for operation. Within a few years, Philadelphia was hosting the Eastern State Correctional Institution. Officially known as a Jordan Correction Facility,

it may be better known by some of its nicknames such as Western Pen, Western Penitentiary, or simply, the wall. The site is located just a few miles from downtown Pittsburgh, and was the first correctional facility built west of the Atlantic Plain, and began to earn its notoriety as a major Civil War prison in 18,000. 63 to 1864. While at the time of the institution's closing in 2017, it was a low-to-medium security prison. It was, for a long stint of its operation, a maximum security facility.

During the Civil War era, no fewer than 118 Confederate prisoners of war were housed at the prison from 1863, until 1864 when the majority of them were transferred to a military fort in New Jersey. Not all of them made it, however. As despite conditions at the time being considered good, at least eight of them would die in the institution, one of them as he was attempting to escape. The facility continued to operate, housing some maximum security inmates,

all the way until 2005 when the facility was shut down and the inmates transferred to SCI Faye. It was reopened in 07, and this time it housed low to medium security inmates that required substance abuse counseling up until it was closed again a decade later in 2017. Among others, a few of the more famous inmates to pass through and serve time this prison include George Fagley, who was the notorious leader of a sex cult that was transferred to the facility. In 1983, two known associates of Fagley's drowned on the premise, and what was believed to be an attempt to break the cult leader out.

Not long after the attempt, he was transferred to SCI Huntington. Alexander Berkman, the man that unsuccessfully tried to assassinate Henry Clay Fick. He served 14 years of his sentence in the facility. The experience there led to the publishing of his first book, Prison Memoirs of Anarchist, and Gerald Mayo, the man that filed lawsuits against Satan and his servants in the United States District Court. And while the original Western Penn is no longer standing,

the ghosts from its past continue to roam the National Aviary that now stands where the prison once was. Now, while we have very little information or documentation on deaths that occurred in the prison, the apparitions that have been spotted over the years almost always seem to be from the Civil War era. and we do know that at least eight Confederate POWs died in the prison during that time of conflict. It's entirely possible that the spirits roaming the hulls are the lingering specters of these POWs,

as they are often identified by their Confederate uniforms. With the heavy number of people that roam the aviary during its daylight hours, it's in the twilight hours and beyond that most of the sightings seem to take place. by the after-hours employees that come in to do their work after the tourists have all retired for the night. While it is unknown if these spirits just prefer the nighttime hours, or if during the day they just manage to get lost amongst the crowd, one thing is for certain.

When night falls, these ghostly apparitions will come out to wander the grounds. Perhaps they want to enjoy the bird exhibits on a bit more private basis. Or perhaps they're trapped in the world. the final days of their lives, reliving their time in the Western penitentiary for eternity. Now, the most commonly reported phenomena are the ghostly apparitions. Don't think that all of these spirits are quiet. Stories do come around every so often of strange noises of ghostly footsteps trotting the halls, mysterious loud bangs coming from certain areas.

Other people have even reported the feeling of being watched, followed in stories. followed and stalked by the footsteps, as if they were being either hurted off by an unseen entity or maybe just closely supervised and monitored to ensure their work is up to standards. Even spirits, like a nice, clean place to dwell, I suppose. I mean, who doesn't? One employee at the aviary even reportedly witnessed a radio

turn itself on, then off and then back on again. While it is widely reported to be haunted, it's one place that does not offer a ghost tour, nor can you book a ghost-hunting expedition there. I'm not sure if this is for the sake of preserving the integrity of the sight, or perhaps more out of the concern for the feathered beings that don't have the luxury of going home after a long day of being gawked at by strangers. Either way, from everything I've found, whether you enjoy the spooky and supernatural, or just like, like seeing some rare and exotic birds, it might be worth a visit to the old site of the Western pen. If you ever find yourself in Pittsburgh. The Mutta Museum.

Possibly one of the creepiest places on Earth, number seven, to be exact, according to the Travel Channel. The Motter Museum is a real collection of oddities in the macabre. Build as a medical history and science museum, the place houses a lot of medical and scientific history. History. Named for Thomas Dent Muta, who in 1858 donated $30,000 and his own collection of 1700 pieces of his private Bone Museum plaster casts, medical illustrations, and other pathological artifacts. The goal of the Institute was to educate medical students and invited

guests of college fellows. It was not open to non-fellows until the late 1970s. Part of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia ever since the facility's opening, the college has continued to expand the collection and bring in more exhibits to the place. It houses numerous medical instruments, including Civil War amputation kits, wax models, one of which is of a giant colon, anatomical and pathological specimens, right down to the always-classy stillborn fetus. The college itself is not a teaching organization and refers to to a teaching. itself as a scientific body dedicated to the advancement of science and medicine. With over 37,000 pieces, as of 2023, only about 10% were on display. This excludes the literary collection housed in the

historical medical library. The various items and artifacts were acquired on a global scale, with college fellows, buying the various specimens and instruments, and then being fully reimbursed for the cost of purchasing the item in question, as well as any cost associated with travel or other expenditures incurred during the acquisition of said item. According to Ella Ward, who was the curator from 1939 until 1957, this meant that the Mertr Museum Committee proceeded to spend Dr. Mieter's money like sailors on surely. The museum was given a grant by the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage in 2023, in order to research the history of the human remains collection in order to better understand

how each specimen instead of remains came to be in the possession of the museum. It also hosted a town hall-style meeting in order to discuss the future of the institution, with the first meeting being conducted on November 17th of 2023. Now, let's talk about some of the exhibits that are actually housed within the museum. We'll start with the skeletons on display, which is a nice to. change from skeletons in the closet. Henry Raymond Eastlack, which is a fully articulated skeleton, it's the remains of a man who suffered from FOP, also called Munchmeyer disease.

The American giant, the tallest skeleton on display in North America standing at 7 feet 6 inches, or 224 centimeters. Mary Ashberry. Ms. Ashbury was a woman with a congeplasia and died after childbirth as a result of medical negligence in 1856. The Hurtle Skull Collection. A massive collection of skulls donated from James Hurtle who collected the specimens in order to prove the diversity of Europeans and disprove the racial science of phrenology.

Other skulls and crania. There are ten skulls and five crania on display that show extensive syphilic involvement. Most of these specimens came from Dr. Mieter's own collection. The collection also plays host to 1700. hundred wet specimens. This incredibly macabre collection houses teratological specimens, cysts, and even tumors.

Some of the notable exhibits would be the preserved heart of Robert Pandarvis, who was a living donor suffering from Echromagalli, intestinal specimens from the 1849 cholera outbreak, and tattooed skin dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Some of the more interesting if slightly unnerving exhibits would be the numerous wax figures on display throughout the museum. Most of these were made by Tramond of Paris and Joseph Town of London. These figures showcase all manner of pathology in the human body, and were meant to be used in cases where cadavers were difficult to obtain or preserve. It's even said that some mulages have human bones in some of their works. Of all these figures, one of the most famous, famous would be the last known wax figure of Madame Damanchi, a woman who had a human horn removed after six years of growth sometime in the 19th century. But even all of these don't cover the wide range of strange and slightly gross, Tom's opinion, exhibits.

A few of the other really interesting things housed by the museum include half of Albert Einstein's brain, a malignant tumor removed from the hard pallets of President Grover Cleveland. The plastered death cast and conjoined liver of the original Siamese, conjoined twins, Ang and Chang Bunker, and a piece of thoracic tissue removed from John Wilkes' booth. So, with all of this laid out there, I will tell you that I couldn't find any real documentation of alleged hauntings, but guests do often report feeling deeply disturbed,

dizzy, nauseous, or other uncomfortable and unpleasant sensations. But in a place that houses so many disturbing things, I feel like it'd be very easy to get overwhelmed and possibly start to feel anxious or even have some kind of a miniature fit of some kind. The questions I have, of course, would be one of morality. However, science isn't always about ethics. It's about results.

Now, if most of these, quote, specimens, had consented before their death to be a case study for the college, or something that is certainly one thing. But seeing as how the museum was founded in the 19th century, I think a lot of us have some kind of understanding that, in those days of science and medicine, grave robbery was incredibly common. And a lot of those skeletal figures in science classrooms

were the remains of someone that had been taken unceremoniously from their final resting place. Perhaps this little factoid from history has something to do with the current investigation of the museum's many exhibits, and the discussion about the Institute's future might be on the table right now. Maybe the investigations are to determine just how legitimately some of the remains were obtained. When you have thousands upon thousands of these kinds of things in your collection, I think it's fair to say that more than a few of them were probably acquired, by nefarious and illegal means.

And that some of these specimens were undoubtedly stolen from their place of final rest, and then turned into something of a spectacle. First for students and fellows, and later on for the general public, the cave of Calpius. So I'm sure that just about anyone listening to this is familiar with, at the very least,

the concept of a doomsday cult. I would name a few, but that would probably lead to some kind of slippery slope and completely derail what we really want to talk about right now, which is the first doomsday cult in North America. Johannes Kelpius was a very interesting guy and had a wide range of things that he dabbled in. He was a writer, a musician, and a mystic. He was very intrigued by the occult, astronomy, and botany. He was born in 1667 in Transylvania as Johan Kelp.

When he went to the University of Altdorf, his name was Latinized to Johannes Kelpius. By the time he was 22, he had earned a master's in theology and had published several works. It was while he was at the university that he had drawn into pietism and become a follower of Johann Jacob Zimmerman. Zimmerman himself was a mathematician, astronomer, and until the position ended in 1685, a cleric. By this time, they had built a bit of a following, and just before the group set out to travel to the new world, Zimmerman died suddenly and Kelpius became the de facto leader of the group. They had collectively decided to resettle themselves in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

because it had built a reputation as being very religiously tolerant. Kelpius himself had become convinced that a new heavenly kingdom would be born somewhere in the wilderness. Pennsylvania was the edge of the western wilderness at the time, and was religiously accepting to those with differing beliefs. And so he had decided that this was the best place for him and his followers to settle. Kelpius's travel diary has been preserved, and, according to it, when the group set out for faith, Philadelphia, there were about 40 devoted followers that made the voyage over with Johannes.

When they did reach the New World, the cult did not stay in Philadelphia for long, before setting out for Germantown and then on to Wissahicken. The group, the Society of the Woman in the Wilderness, often referred to as the mystics of Wissahickon Creek, settled in the forested area along the aforementioned creek. speculation abounds as to if they practiced some kind of communal kind of living or lived solitary lives in the many caves alongside the creek. Those who did live amongst the order did live their lives in celibacy and meditation, however.

It was in one of these caves that Kelpheus himself spent much of his time meditating and came to the conclusion that, in 1694, the world was going to come to a terrible end. His followers believed in him completely, and it was in the cave of Kelpius that they all gathered together and awaited the prophesied end of days to come. Even after the fatal prediction had failed to come to pass, this did not shake the faith of the group, and they continued to live in their solitary way, studying the stars and trying to find any answers as to just when the day of judgment may arrive. The group of pietists did a lot of good among the community, such as building of schools for neighborhood children. They also shared their medical knowledge with the other settlers,

and often held public worship services. Doing these kinds of things did attract a few new followers to the group, but especially after Kelpius himself died in 1708, the group began a steady decline. Johannes did not think that he was suffering a physical life. death, but was transitioning on to another stage of life. Some people believe that Kelpius had a philosopher's stone in his possession, and that just before his death, he ordered the stone to be cast into the Wissahicken, or Sturrahill.

Perhaps it would be worth going out there to that old creek and walking its banks, just on the off chance that there's a philosopher's stone lying on its bed somewhere in the old forest of Pennsylvania, Gettysburg. Gettysburg is an incredibly historic place for several reasons. It was the site of one of the most pivotal battles during the Civil War, one that completely turned the tide in the conflict. The battlefield is also the site of one of the most famous speeches delivered by any leader in history with Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and it's one of the most haunted

places in America. But with so much bloodshed, I think it wouldn't come as soon as far as. no surprise that the old battlefield would harbor its share of restless spirits. From July 1st through the 3rd of 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg was raging between the Northern Union Army and the Southern Rebel Army of the Confederates. Little did anyone know at the time just how pivotal this battle was going to be in this conflict, but the men locked in combat certainly knew it was one of the bloodiest battles they had ever seen. and many of them by this point were very grizzled and hardened veterans.

By the time the fight was over, Gettysburg had become the site of the costliest and most deadly battle of the entire war, in the deadliest in American history, with over 50,000 Americans dead by the time all was said and done. This battle would change the tide and place momentum firmly in the camp of the Union Army, who would go on to win the war. resulting in the freeing of the slaves and marking a new era in American history, and arguably the history of the world. But the legacy of Gettysburg would also live on for other reasons, more supernatural reasons. For the end of the battle was not the end for those that had died in the struggle. And to this day, they continue to live out that incredibly violent battle over and over again,

possibly for eternity. Although it would be a bit narrow-minded to think that it's just the ghost of the soldiers that died in the battle that linger and still roam the streets and fields of Gettysburg. There are numerous, allegedly haunted places in this very old community, and most of them are on that famous ghost tour that you can go on in town. So, much in the spirit of the first entry onto this little list, we're going to break down some of the most interesting places one can go for a good scare while touring Gettysburg. First up is Jenny Wade's house. Mary Virginia Wade story is a great place to start on this little journey as she is the only civilian to have been killed during the famous Battle of Gettysburg. Born in 1843, Jenny Wade was only 20 at the time of her death when she was struck by a story. straight bullet. Jenny's life had always been troubled with her father largely not in the picture,

so on July 1st the battle began, Jenny and her mother headed to the home of the eldest Wade child. However, mere hours after arriving at Georgia Anna's home, the sounds of battle and gunshots filled the air once more as the wades found themselves again in the middle of the fighting. For two days, the family weathered the storm, and then on July 3rd, tragedy came in the form of a stray bullet striking her in the back, passing through her heart, and killing her instantly as she prepared to bake bread. But the tragedy goes a bit further than that. When the war had begun in 1861, Jenny Wade was engaged to a young corporal. Just two weeks before her death, her fiancé had been injured grievously. She had never received word of what happened to him,

nor had he ever gotten word of Jenny's death, before he too passed away from his injuries. There's a legend that says if you go to the home where Jenny was killed and place your finger through one of the bullet holes in the door that were penetrated at the time of Jenny's death, that you'll become engaged not long after. And yes, one of these doors is still in place to this day. Today, the Jenny Wade House is the Jenny Wade Museum, and tours are available to those that wish to step back into the 19th century and see what time was like at the time that

Jenny Wade died. The house is largely the same as it was in those days, right down to Jenny's bloodstains on the floor where she collapsed after the fatal gunshot. It's not uncommon to hear about people witnessing her apparition walking around the house, or even roaming the nearby countryside. Second is the National Homestead at Gettysburg. With so much of the lore of possibly the most haunted place in America being attached to that infamous Civil War battle, one could almost be forgiven for associating the ghost of Gettysburg with the soldiers that once fought and died over those three days of hell.

However, in the most haunted town in the U.S., the most haunted place of all does not have a single soldier associated with it. In that place is the national homestead of Gettysburg, or, as it used to be known, the Gettysburg Orphanage. Founded in the wake of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1867, the homestead was originally prosperous. But after the original headmistress was replaced by Rosa J. Carmichael, the history of the orphanage took a turn for the worse. The incredibly sadistic Carmichael built a dungeon to discipline unruly children. These are the kinds of tales that have given the homestead a notorious reputation. The orphanage was at some point turned into the National Soldier Museum where tours were guided and narrated. This gave the guest a chance to experience the dungeon for themselves.

However, the museum has been closed to the public since November of 2014. With so many dark things having happened here, it's not a shocking turn of events that many paranormal investigators have come to the homestead in hopes of capturing evidence of the lingering spirit of the children, and even the cruel headmistress. For over a century, tales of ghostly children roaming the building and grounds have circulated in Gettysburg and beyond. And of course, the most ominous place of all, the dungeon, is said to have an overwhelming feeling of oppression with some people saying that being just in the room

makes them physically ill. These are just a couple of the most famously haunted spots in a very historic, and undoubtedly, haunted town. Whether haunted by actual spirits, or just by the memory of the blood that was shed here, could be up for debate, but either way, Gettysburg is definitely one of the most haunted place in America. And if you like the spooky sight of life, it would definitely be a bit of the same. it would definitely be worth a visit and worth exploring if for no other reason and then to take in the rich history of that town.

So yeah, that my friends was a collection of strange things in Pennsylvania. I know this isn't a story episode and hopefully you guys don't mind that. I like to do these research projects every once in a while. We've been kind of stepping them up a little bit just to kind of get a few extra in there and Tom has some great ideas and a huge thank you to Tom for writing these up and working with me on these projects. All of his links to his stuff on Amazon, his books.

He is an author are down below in the description of the podcast. And yeah, let him know you appreciate it if you do. And if not, that's totally fine. If you don't like these, that's okay. I don't expect everyone to enjoy research projects. Some people are just here for the stories. This is just something that others have said they have wanted on the channel. So it's something I wanted to try and I've been enjoying it.

That said, back to the scary story. stories next episode. Hopefully I'll see you there. If you have a story, go to as the ravendreams.com and send it my way. You can also email it to as the raven dreams at gmail.com. Just make sure you put what kind of story it is in the subject if it can. If it's like a glitch, a stalker story, a cryptid encounter, something like that, just put it in the subject and I'll know what it's from there. I don't know how much else to say. I just hope you're all doing well. weather's tearing up my sinuses and such but I'll be okay that's what happens never we shipped over to fall fall was my favorite but it's what

happens so anyways friends hope you remember that you are loved valid and important and I'll see you again here very soon until next time much love and sleep well