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🎄 Christmas at Gettysburg: Soldiers That Never Went Home

Though the Battle of Gettysburg took place in July, the emotional weight of the site carries through all seasons — especially during the holidays. Many Civil War soldiers never made it home to their families for Christmas. Letters found from the era speak longingly of hearth and home, of candlelight and kin. Some say that on cold December nights, especially around Christmas Eve, the battlefield becomes quieter, softer — as if the spirits themselves pause in longing remembrance of the homes they left behind.

In modern times, a few visitors have even reported the faint scent of pipe smoke, the sound of carol-like humming, or a sudden warmth in the middle of a wintry breeze — moments that feel strangely peaceful in contrast to the battlefield's violent past. These fleeting sensations are believed by some to be echoes of soldiers who, in spirit, are still trying to return home for the holidays.

Other accounts around the Christmas season describe strange yet gentle hauntings that feel less like warnings and more like spiritual homecomings. One frequently told story comes from near the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where visitors have seen a solitary figure in Union blue kneeling near the gravestones, head bowed. Witnesses describe the air growing inexplicably warm, and some claim to hear what sounds like a prayer or a soldier softly reciting scripture — only for the figure to vanish as they approach.

At the Farnsworth House Inn, which served as a Confederate sniper post during the battle, December guests often report hearing music with no source — faint violin strains or what sounds like a harmonica playing a hymn in a distant parlor. One guest swore she heard a man whisper the words "Silent Night" while standing alone on the staircase.

And in the Triangular Field — a place known for its heavy residual energy — December visitors have described sudden waves of emotion: overwhelming sorrow, deep yearning, or an unexpected sense of peace. Some psychics believe this is the lingering energy of soldiers who never got to say goodbye, finding momentary stillness when the world outside grows quiet during the holidays.

Even park rangers have noted that Christmas brings a different feeling to the battlefield. One longtime guide once shared that, every year near December 24th, he smells pipe tobacco in the crisp night air near the Devil’s Den — despite no one else being around. He says it’s become his silent nod to the past, a seasonal greeting returned by those who never truly left.

And then there’s Little Round Top, where ghostly sightings have been reported for generations. Soldiers in Union garb have appeared in photographs and videos, seemingly unaware of the modern world around them. Some visitors claim to hear voices calling for ammunition or names being shouted in the wind. At Christmas, the wind itself feels different — softer somehow, as if it carries the breath of memory instead of war. Some say they’ve felt a hand on their shoulder, only to turn and find no one there — just the view of the quiet hills, blanketed in frost and time.

Locals who’ve lived near the battlefield for decades tell of candles seen flickering in empty windows, footsteps heard on old wooden porches, and the echo of boots on frozen ground. Many believe these are the soldiers who still search for home, or perhaps return to the places where they once knew kindness, even if only briefly. In winter, with snow dusting the fields and silence hanging like a veil, the whole town becomes a doorway — where the veil between past and present wears thinner than usual.

And for those who truly listen, Gettysburg offers more than chills — it offers gratitude. The spirits here do not always come to frighten. Sometimes they return to remind. To remind us of what was lost, and what should never be forgotten. To remind us that home is not just a place, but a longing stitched into the soul — and that even in death, that longing can remain. Especially at Christmas.

Whether it's a scent on the wind, a song with no source, or the shape of a soldier in the mist, these holiday-timed encounters at Gettysburg remind us that love, longing, and the spirit of homecoming do not always end with death. For some, Christmas is still a time to return — even if only in spirit.

This story is written in honor of all who never made it home — and all who still try.

The Haunting of the Baleroy Mansion in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

In the historic Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia lies a house that is both majestic and unnerving — Baleroy Mansion. This stately stone home, with its ivy-covered walls and stoic façade, looks every bit the part of a place lost in time. But behind its elegant charm is a legacy woven with whispers, death, and spectral mysteries that have earned it the unsettling title of “The Most Haunted House in America.”

A Family Home Built on History and Heartache

Built in 1911, Baleroy became the long-time residence of the Easby family, descendants of American military hero General George Meade. The Easbys were collectors of rare, historic antiques — some said to have belonged to Jefferson, Napoleon, and even Lincoln. But it wasn't just dusty portraits and glass-enclosed heirlooms that filled the mansion. Something else clung to the air: an energy, a watching presence, like the past refused to stay in the past.

George Meade Easby, the most well-known resident, was a man deeply proud of his lineage. But he was also haunted — literally. From the time he was a child, George claimed to have experienced things in the house that defied explanation. The eerie began early, with a terrifying vision involving his younger brother Steven…

The Fountain Prophecy

George and Steven were playing in the courtyard one day, gazing into the shallow fountain that sparkled under the sun. As George looked down, he saw something that would never leave his memory — Steven’s reflection had turned into a skull, grinning back at him from beneath the rippling water. His own reflection was normal.

Less than a month later, Steven was dead.

Doctors blamed it on a sudden illness, but George never accepted that explanation. He always believed the mansion had taken his brother — and that it had shown him what was coming.

The Cursed Chair in the Blue Room

If Baleroy is infamous for anything, it’s the Chair of Death. Located in the Blue Room — a stately parlor filled with deep sapphire drapes and antique furniture — sat a 200-year-old Louis XVI chair with royal blue velvet upholstery. It was beautiful. Elegant. And cursed.

Visitors who sat in the chair were often struck with sudden illness or worse — death within weeks or days. According to George Easby, at least four people died not long after sitting in it, including a journalist, a friend of the family, and an art historian. The spirit believed to haunt the chair was called Amanda, a hostile entity George claimed was attached to the antique.

Eventually, George banned anyone from sitting in it. The chair remained in the Blue Room like a spider in its web — untouched, but always present.

Shadows in the Hall, Whispers in the Night

The mansion seemed to come alive after dark. Hallway lights would flicker without reason. Guests spoke of cold spots that would pass over them like a breath from beyond. Some claimed to hear footsteps echoing overhead when no one else was in the house.

One apparition seen often was that of an elderly woman with a cane, wandering the upper floors. Another was a small boy, believed by some to be the spirit of Steven, forever pacing the home he never left.

George himself often awoke with a sensation of hands gripping his arm, but no one was ever there. Other times he heard voices calling his name from empty rooms. He lived there for over 70 years — and he was never alone.

Phantom Cars and Electric Fury

After George’s death in 2005, many of his prized vintage cars were sold. But some locals claim that the cars never really left. Phantom sightings of vintage Packards and limousines pulling into the long gravel driveway have been reported — only to vanish moments later.

Even stranger were the electrical disturbances. Baleroy Mansion had a long history of attracting lightning strikes, shorting out alarms, and triggering electronics for no clear reason. Some believed the entire home sat on a spiritual hotspot — a crossroads of energy too powerful to tame.

The Mansion Today — Echoes

Today, Baleroy Mansion is a private residence, and its doors are no longer open to the public. The original furnishings have been sold. The cursed chair? Gone — or so they say.

But many who walk past on quiet nights still report flickering lights in the windows, a shadow pacing by the curtains, or a sense of being watched. It’s as if the house itself is alive. And though Easby is gone, his voice — and those of his ghosts — still seem to linger inside.

Address: 111 West Mermaid Lane, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA 19118
Private residence – no public tours currently available

The Haunting of the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Eastern State Penitentiary

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

Photo Wikipedia

Towering like a fortress in the heart of Philadelphia, Eastern State Penitentiary is one of America’s most infamous historic prisons — and one of its most haunted. Built in 1829, the penitentiary was the first of its kind to implement the "Pennsylvania system," which emphasized strict solitary confinement as a means of penitence and spiritual reform. What began as a vision of moral rehabilitation became a nightmare of isolation, madness, and inhumanity.

The prison’s gloomy Gothic architecture alone is enough to send shivers down the spine, with vaulted ceilings, steel cell doors, and long corridors that seem to stretch endlessly into shadow. It once housed notorious criminals such as Al Capone and bank robber Willie Sutton. Capone’s lavishly decorated cell still sits preserved, a stark contrast to the barren stone chambers surrounding it.

Over the decades, thousands of inmates endured silence, darkness, and despair within the crumbling walls. Some went mad, others died in their cells, and many believe their spirits never left. Guards and visitors have reported disembodied whispers, ghostly figures, sudden cold spots, and strange shadows darting between the cells. The infamous Cellblock 12 is said to echo with maniacal laughter, while Cellblock 4 is home to ghostly footsteps and the presence of unseen eyes watching from the dark.

Paranormal investigators from across the globe have explored Eastern State, many claiming overwhelming spiritual energy, EVPs, and chilling encounters with former prisoners who have yet to move on. It’s consistently ranked as one of the most haunted locations in the United States.

Today, Eastern State Penitentiary stands as a museum and historic site, drawing both history buffs and ghost hunters alike. During the Halloween season, it transforms into “Terror Behind the Walls,” a massive haunted attraction — but the real spirits don’t need costumes or makeup.

Whether you're fascinated by the brutal past of American incarceration or drawn to the spectral energy lingering in the ruins, Eastern State remains a chilling testament to punishment, pain, and restless souls.

The Haunting of Powel House

Powel House – Philadelphia County, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Built in 1765 by a man named Charles Stedman, the house was sold to Samuel Powel in 1769. Samuel Powel, good friend to George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette and Benedict Arnold, lived in the house until his death in 1793 when he perished from the dreaded Yellow Fever.

Later, the house was purchased by the Philly Preservation of Landmarks and restored. Today, the house is still standing beautifully and it has become an important part of our history.

Samuel Powel was, apparently, a very influential man and he socialized with many influential people. George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette and Benedict Arnold were not the only friends that Samuel associated with; he is said to have been friends with most of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. However, the three friends named have apparently made appearances in the old home, in the forms of apparitions.

In addition to the famous spirits that have appeared within the Powel House, there has also been an unknown woman who appears more often than most. Know one knows the woman’s identity but everyone who has seen her claims that she is quite beautiful and seemingly friendly.

One man, who was touring the house, separated himself from the tour group to use the restroom on the second floor. Suddenly, all of the lights went out in the house and the man, unfamiliar with his surroundings, was forced to grope his way along the wall to find his way out of the pitch-black bathroom. Once outside of this room, the man still could not find his way in the dark. He said that suddenly he was surrounded by an icy cold air and then felt someone gently take his hand. He was then led to the stairs and then the lights came on. He found then that the hand that had been leading him belonged to a very beautiful woman dressed in lavender and beige. The woman smiled at him and, without a word, she vanished before his eyes!

This same woman has been spotted by many people and she is usually seen on the second floor of the house. Most who have seen her describe her in much the same manner and they usually see her fanning herself while sitting in the drawing room, which is right next to the restroom. And, as with the surprised man who lost his way in the dark, the woman usually smiles at the living and then promptly disappears into thin air.

Address:
244 South 3rd Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
(215) 627-0364

The Haunting of the Harmony Inn

Harmony Inn – Butler County, Harmony, Pennsylvania

Built in 1856 by Austin Pearoe, this inn was originally used as a private residence. After the Civil War the home went on to become a hotel, livery stable, boarding house and more.

With the home passing hands so many times over the years, it’s hard to say exactly who is responsible for the paranormal activity within. Locals in the town of Harmony blame some of the activity on a man called “Barney” who apparently took a tumble down the staircase and died from a broken neck. However, regardless of whose haunting it, it definitely has some activity to substantiate the claims made by visitors and owners.

Many visitors and employees have said that they feel as if they’re being watched while they’re in the house. Most of these people also say that they don’t feel threatened by this gawking entity.

Some of the more noticeable activities include; objects moving on their own, cold spots and gusts of cold air that seem to come out of nowhere, unexplainable mists, electrical gadgets going haywire and the apparition of a man appearing in mirrors throughout the house.

Several apparitions have appeared in the house, as well as, outside. Many have spotted a female apparition in the entryway. Most describe this apparition as older with an early nineteen hundreds hairdo and dress.

Today, the inn still has claims of the paranormal from guests and employees alike.

Address:
230 Mercer Street
Harmony, Pennsylvania 16037
(724) 452-5124

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