Keystone College Hauntings (formerly Keystone Academy/Keystone Junior College)

Keystone Academy was originally established in 1868 as a high school.  The only one serving a large area in the north east corner of the state of Pennsylvania, it was located in La Plume.  In 1934, it became a private 2 year college and was eventually renamed Keystone Junior College.  Today it is a 4 year institution and was renamed Keystone College.  It was originally built on the site of an old Indian burial ground.  It is believed that the disturbed spirits buried there are responsible for some paranormal activities that have occurred there over the years.

Harris Hall at Keystone College

In the college’s art center, an apparition of an Indian squaw has been seen roaming around the halls.   Most encounters seem to take place in the ceramics room.  Whether there is a connection with pottery, it is unknown.  Some folks claim to have interacted and spoken with her.  Only to learn later that she was a ghost.

The spirit of a former female student who passed away in her dorm room seems to linger in Moffat Hall.  This hall is a residence hall devoted solely to girls.  Sightings of a female full bodied apparition have taken place in the bathroom of suite 2A which is supposedly where the girl died.  Some say they have heard a girl crying in the bathroom into the late hours of the evening.  Upon investigation of the bathroom and surrounding area, no one is found.

It has been proven photographically that a spirit haunts Ward Hall.  There were reports of lights turning themselves on and off in the hallways and desks being moved around the hallways with no one claiming to have done so.  On one occasion, a student setup a video camera overnight to see if they could catch any pranksters on video attempting a ruse.  In the morning, the tape showed a light coming on at the end of the hallway with nobody around.  Then a dark shadow figure moved through the hallway.

Hauntings unrelated to Indians is believed to manifest in Harris Hall.  It was formerly Founder’s Hall and is one of the original buildings on campus.  This building was host of the business offices of the school at the time I was as student there in 1984-85.  I heard stories of a former student who hanged themselves in the attic area when it was a dormitory long before.  It is said that on occasion the deadbolt locks on doors of the building have been known to lock themselves on both ends of the main hall when no one was inside!