Pennhurst State School & Hospital or Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic was an institution for mentally and physically disabled individuals from 1908 until 1987. You might know it as The Shame of Pennsylvania but the people inside called it Hell on Earth. If you want to know more about the history I recommend reading Weird NJ’s article.
Today I listened to a new podcast, Real Life Ghost Stories, stumbling across this episode about Pennhurst. Based on the book, Ghosts of Mayflower, it recounted Tamera Lawrence’s experience working in 2011 as an orderly in the Mayflower building, one of the most spiritually active on campus. I recommend listening to the entire podcast but enjoy some snippets alongside images I captured when Zack and I “ventured” on the grounds early one morning. Happy Haunting!
“Night One: It started with a desperate cry. A tiny whispering, whimpering cry. Mommy? Tamera checked the hallways and stairways but was met with nothing but darkness. She wondered if perhaps one of her coworkers was playing a prank. A hazing of the new girl. But the tiny desperate cry seemed so real.”
“Night Two: Howie, come out to play! James cried out from the darkness. C’mon Howie come out to play! They were setting up the attraction pre-guests and James was obsessed with finding Howie. Howie haunts the Mayflower. He is said to be a lost child and he owns all the toys in the building. If you are in the Mayflower long enough you may find a ball roll and knock against your feet. Howie’s invitation to come and play, however if you take Howie’s toys, he’ll come and get you.”
“James approached again, his face full of glee. Hey! Hey! Guess what? I got tapped on the shoulder again! Twice this time! I just love it. Tamera was concerned. Something didn’t seem right. She scolded James and told him to stop taunting Howie and James skidded off down the corridor singing Howie, come out to play!”
“That night Tamera went to check on Laurie. They were both mothers in their 40s who just wanted to make a few extra dollars so they had a natural affinity to each other. Laurie seized her arm when she saw her.
Tamera, there’s something in the bathroom. Please, please, honestly there’s something in the bathroom. I kept seeing a shadow pear out from behind the stall in the bathroom. I swear I’ve seen it four or five times now.”
“Night Three: It wasn’t unusual for the orderlies to share experiences. Thus far James had claimed to have seen shadows running from room to room, a face appearing in second floor window, and being tapped on the shoulder twice. James desperation to have an experience didn’t make him the most credible witness and Tamera took his claims with a pinch of salt.
Today though, James was not his usual self. He was quiet and subdued. It was this night that the noises started on the third floor. Furniture being dragged, things banging and crashing, and little footsteps running up and down the corridors.
The guests likely thought that it was part of the experience.
It wasn’t.”
“Night Four: James had been talking about venturing up to the third floor but he was afraid to do it on his own. He finally got another employee to venture up there with him. Tamera listened closely for sounds of their movement on the third floor but there was no sound. Eventually they returned and James’ face was different. For the first time he look frightened. Properly frightened.
How did it go? Did you see anything? Tamera asked.
Something stabbed me. He stammered. It felt like something stabbed me but with a needle.”
“It was all as normal as it can be working in a haunted asylum, when a group of women arrived desperate to see something. They made their way towards the bathroom where Laurie had seen the shadow. Their screams reverberated around the hallways and they ran pale-faced and terrified to Tamera.
There’s a man! They cried. There’s a man in there and we thought he was a worker but he’s not!
They refused to continue on the tour and eventually Tamera sighed and agreed to check it out. She walked flashlight in hand with the group of women huddled behind her. She checked the bathroom. Nothing.
She ran to the corner in the common room and there it was. The tall black shadow of a man standing against the wall. The shadow was just not black, it was blacker than black. Standing as if it was almost waiting for her. It moved across the wall and melted into the corner.”
“The night continued with groups becoming smaller and smaller. Hardcore paranormal enthusiasts turn up in twos to explore the most haunted building in America. Tamera continued her shift almost forgetting the incident earlier. Almost.
Two men arrived. They were well versed in the paranormal and stopped to chat to Tamera before moving on to explore the rooms. They exited the first room almost as quick as they entered. One of the men looking pale and the other shaking his head in disbelief. The man who had turned pale was rubbing his neck. Tamera asked him if he was ok.
I swear something was just jabbed into my neck. It felt like a needle.”
