A little more than 100 years ago, Pittsburgh could lay claim to the most haunted house in America. From the late 1800s through its destruction by fire in 1927, the home of carpetbagger Charles Wright Congelier was thought by many to be haunted by the spirits of murdered women. Today, Pittsburgh is still home to many supposedly haunted restaurants, buildings and hotels. Local tour companies make a living off of carting people to sites rumored to be inhabited by spirits and souls.
According to the Shadowlands website-- founded in 1994 as a forum for people to share their experiences with hauntings--the 22nd and 23rd floors of the William Penn Hotel are unused because they are haunted. Those floors were once home to a female dormitory in the early 1900s. While the dormitory was running, a female student was murdered there. To this day, night watchmen report gusts of cold wind even with all the windows shut, feeling the presence of people watching and unusual sounds of laughter and feet shuffling.
The hotel itself is a luxury hotel located in downtown Pittsburgh. In operation since 1916, the hotel has accommodated guests such as John F. Kennedy and Lawrence Welk. It offers nearly 600 guest rooms, a full-service spa and award-winning cuisine at its Terrace Room restaurant, which serves original dishes by Executive Chef Jacky Francois. Whether or not the 22nd and 23rd floors of this hotel are haunted, guests can enjoy plenty of amenities and a good location at the William Penn Hotel.
Although the Schenley Hotel was sold to the University of Pittsburg in 1956, and transformed into a student union, a floor of the union is believed to be haunted by the spirit of a woman who committed suicide at the hotel. Stories persist that the hotel owner, Franklin Nicola’s wife committed suicide on the 12th floor of the building and continues to bring visitors to the floor today. The 12th floor of student union is used as office space and people claim that elevators will take passengers to the 12th floor sometimes when that button is not pushed and then will hold them there for a few minutes before allowing them to select another floor and go elsewhere.
Located about ninety miles from Pittsburgh, the Hotel Conneaut is believed to be inhabited by two ghosts. One of the spirits is a butcher who was murdered and dismembered. Another is a woman named Elizabeth who died in a fire on the hotel's grounds. The level of supernatural activity on the hotel grounds is so high that, for their safety, hotel employees are required to work in pairs.
The hotel was established in 1903 and is situated alongside relaxing lakefront property. After a fire destroyed part of the building in 1943, it was renovated and continues to serve guests today. Rooms do not have air conditioning, heating or televisions as the hotel attempts to maintain its turn-of-the-century feel. Whether or not the hotel is actually haunted, it provides a lakefront retreat outside of Pittsburgh.
