Next month, the restored 1874 Tamaqua Train Station celebrates its 150th anniversary.
The Italianate Victorian-style landmark is known for its gourmet restaurant, gift shop, visitor center and rich history.
But long before the $1.5 million restoration, there was a time when the brick walls were shaky and some interior rooms were charred by fire.
The place was, in a word, eerie.
And for good reason.
On June 21, 1877, ten suspected Molly Maguires, men accused of violence and crimes in the fight for miners’ rights, were executed by hanging in two nearby towns.
Known as “Rope Day,” it remains one of the largest official mass executions in American history.
After the incident occurred, some of the bodies were stored on ice overnight at the Tamaqua depot.
During the macabre handover, corpses were lifted out of the wagon and pushed onto baggage carts through the rear door.
Two years later, the scene repeated itself when the alleged leader of the Mollies, John “Black Jack” Kehoe, was accused of murder and hanged.
Once again, the body was handed over to the depot for temporary storage.
And it happened again when Charles McAllister and Ellen O’Donnel were brutally shot at 3 a.m. on December 10, 1875 in the Wiggan’s Patch Massacre.
For years, some people believed that the eerie sounds and sensations in the building came from the disembodied spirits of the Mollies.
No wonder the ghost hunters decided to spend the night and investigate for eight hours. They invited me to join them.
“Whatever is here, it wants to be recognized by people who have the ability to do so. It wants to be heard,” says Kevin Tersavige, founder of the group.
I watched as they set up cameras, recorders and other equipment. They searched every room of the depot while I joined others searching old tunnels beneath the building.
At some point a flock of bats flew by. Yes, scary bats. So fitting.
In the middle of the night a violent thunderstorm swept over the city. Thunder and lightning.
We weren’t worried about a power outage because there wasn’t one anyway. There was no electricity or running water.
Out of the darkness, the team came across a direct hit.
Sunbury sound engineer Cory Reigel recorded what sounded like a pleading voice: “Can you help me?”
“We’re going to run it on the computer to remove the distortion,” said investigator Tammie Kelley of Danville.
The croaking, deep yet whispering request was recorded using a procedure called the EVP test.
“It stands for electronic voice phenomena,” said Reigel.
Kristeen Reynolds of Bloomsburg, who describes herself as “sensitive,” said the building has a presence. Psychics Janet Wahley and Glenda Wolfe, both of Danville, agreed.
But Wolfe said the spirits were not evil.
“They are not malicious,” she said. “They do not mean to cause harm, although they may be angry. Kehoe and the others are still here. They may be too angry to pass by.”
For some, the anger is understandable. Many believe that the Mollies were treated fairly. Others say their trials were a farce.
In fact, decades after his death, Kehoe was even pardoned posthumously. But the final chapter has not yet been written.
Modern historians argue about whether the Mollies were murderers or martyrs.
Meanwhile, the ghost investigators want to let the accused speak for themselves.
In the 1990s, the Tamaqua train station, which dates back to 1874, had not yet been restored and needed supports to stabilize its brick walls.
Members of the Central Pennsylvania Paranormal Research Association rest after an investigation at the Tamaqua train station in 1999. The group recorded on tape what they believe was the voice of the spirit of the late Molly Maguire. Kneeling (from left) are Matt Richter, Tammie Kelley, Willy Mahute and Corey Reigel. Back row (from left) are Rick Bromune, Kevin Tersavige, Chris Skelly, Kristeen Reynolds, Dave Hafer of Tamaqua SOS, Janet Wahley, John Snyder and Glenda Wolfe. DONALD R. SERFASS/ARCHIVES
The interior of the Tamaqua depot was dark and eerie in 1999. There was no electricity or running water and the walls had to be supported.
Sound engineer Corey Reigel listens for clues about the possible presence of ghosts at the Tamaqua Depot during a 1999 investigation. DONALD R. SERFASS/ARCHIVES
Kristeen Reynolds of Bloomsburg, who describes herself as a sensitive person, tests the aura of a room with a pendulum.
