Haunted hotel

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Haunted hotel
July 25, 2009
Jimmy Mincon
AltoonaMirror.com

t's historical - and supposedly inhabited by ghosts.

The U.S. Hotel Rest-aurant and Tavern in Hollidaysburg not only has a rich and storied past as a central Pennsylvania landmark, it's also a mecca for ghost sightings and other paranormal phenomena - not the least of which is an ax-wielding apparition thought to inhabit one of the hotel's upstairs bedrooms.

"We have had ghostbusters from the Allegheny Mountains come in here on a regular basis, and they say there's definitely a poltergeist up there with an ax," said owner Karen Yoder. "I mean, of course you can believe what you want, but there are definitely ghosts out here."

And that bodes well for area ghost aficionados, because the U.S. Hotel will play host to a paranormal event from 5 p.m. Aug. 1 to 2 a.m. Aug. 2. that includes a buffet dinner, lectures by nationally renowned paranormal investigators Kristyn Gartland and Brian Stephenson, both members of The Atlantic Para-normal Society; demonologists John Zaffis and Adam Blai; psychic Chip Coffey, who stars on the TV shows "Paranormal State" and "Psychic Kids"; and a meet-and-greet session with the investigators.

Stephenson, 36, of Ridgefield, Mass., grew up in Lilly and graduated from Penn Cambria High School.

"Kristyn and I felt it would be a good opportunity not only to in-vestigate the building, but to bring in some of the best investigators in the world to investigate the place," he said. "It just seemed like the perfect fit for us."

He said he's been fascinated by the hotel since he was a kid. Yoder, too, is anticipating the investigation.

"I'm really excited about it," Yoder said. "The five people coming all have incredible paranormal experience - they all have a great reputation. I think it's a great thing for the public and for us."

Yoder said she's seen her share of ghostly activity through her 16 years of owning the hotel.

"One time, I was showing the dining room to a customer who wanted to have a party there," she said. "As we were speaking, a fork flew off the table for no reason at all."

She also recalled seeing chandeliers swaying in the dining room, adding she could then "feel a cold breeze go by ... the hair on my arms stood up."

Manager Kim Clark-Yoder, 37, of Hollidaysburg also believes the hotel is haunted.

"There are things that happen here that are unexplainable," she said. "I've heard knocking sounds from inside the building when no one else was here, and I've seen things like glasses falling off shelves and the TV coming on for no reason. ... We've also had customers who've seen apparitions."

Zaffis, 52, from Stratford, Conn., conducted a paranormal investigation at the hotel years ago - and never forgot it.

"There was definitely a lot of spirit activity there," he said. "I have no doubt whatsoever that the place is haunted."

The investigation also serves as a promotional kickoff for Stephenson and Gartland's new Massachusetts-based company, Anomalie, which specializes in backpacks for paranormal investigation equipment.

"We started it back in September in 2008 because there was nothing at the time designed to carry this kind of equipment (things such as electromagnetic field cameras, infrared illuminators and thermal imaging cameras)," Stephenson said. "To my knowledge, this is the first company of this nature ever designed."

The hotel is not currently a functioning hotel, he said, adding the upper floors have been dormant for many years and the rooms have not been changed or renovated in any way - including beds and dressers.

"The entire hotel is very active, but the upper floors are said to be the most active areas of the building." he said.

Gartland, also from Massachusetts, said she was instantly taken by the hotel when she and Stephenson recently took a guided tour of the place, adding the building "has a huge potential to be haunted."

"It seems like there were a lot of murder-suicides in this place - a lot of tragedy," she said. "It's got a lot of history, and I'm just excited to go back."

But is that excitement tempered by fear?

"No trepidation," she said. "We wanna scare 'em back. We want to get this stuff documented - we want them to come out."

And all the investigators want the people in Blair County to come, too.

"I can't wait - it's gonna be a real high point for us," Stephenson said. "I know people are gonna be blown away not only by the presentations, but by the investigation itse