Echoes from the Cells:
Inside the Haunted Old Stone Jail
The historic Old Stone Jail served as the cornerstone of the Cambria County prison system starting in 1872. Featuring a massive, castle-like structure crafted from light-colored sandstone and enclosed by a towering fortress wall, the building stands as a premier example of Gothic Revival architecture in Pennsylvania.
Originally built with just 27 cells measuring 15×8 feet, the facility routinely crammed up to 123 prisoners behind its thick stone walls. Extreme overcrowding plagued the site until 1911, when developers added a large annex containing 52 additional cells to handle the surging inmate population.
Between 1872 and 1909, the prison gallows witnessed the execution of 11 men by hanging. However, the most infamous tale from the haunted prison is that of Michael “Old Smitty” Smith. In 1884, Smith mysteriously vanished right before his scheduled execution. Local legends suggest he met a sinister, undocumented death deep within the jail walls.
Today, the building is renowned as one of the most active haunted locations in PA. Visitors stepping into Old Smitty’s cell frequently report sudden, unexplainable temperature drops and disembodied whispers echoing through the corridors.
Though the historic prison is decommissioned, shadowy apparitions still roam the hallways. Brave guests on our paranormal investigations regularly experience physical anomalies, including the sensation of being touched or grabbed by unseen entities.
The haunting extends from the upper tiers down to the dark execution grounds:
Hear the distinct rattling of iron chains echoing from past prisoner torture.
The Basement: Walk the lower levels where guests report heavy footsteps, the feeling of being closely stalked, and extreme cold spots.
Listen closely for the residual audio of past inmates who never escaped the prison’s grasp.
Join our next overnight lockdown and investigate the spirits of Cambria County.