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Author: Jill Stefko
Bethlehem Steel Magnate Charlie Schwab's Haunted Barn
It was a warm sunny September day when Charlie Schwab's haunted barn was investigated. The researchers experienced paranormal phenomena in the structure.
The year was 1965. There was a group of Moravian College students who were interested in ghosts. We talked about them and the parapsychological theories about them. One September day, one of the women said she heard Charlie Schwab’s barn was haunted. The only ones who were brave enough to investigate were Dean and me. This was my first paranormal investigation. We had learned about Charles Michael Schwab in history classes as the steel mogul. Now, we had the opportunity to investigate his haunted barn! Later, I learned that Charlie was associated with other haunted places.
Charlie Schwab: The Man
He’s renowned as the leader, innovator and motivator when he was at the helm of the, now defunct, Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Schwab united four municipalities into the city of Bethlehem, built the elegant haunted historic Hotel Bethlehem for Bethlehem Steel’s clients to enjoy premier lodging and dining, was influential in building the Hill to Hill bridge, connecting the city’s South Side to the North Side, created Liberty High School and was a philanthropist.
Schwab was also human. He was a gambler, union buster and businessman of questionable ethics. Thomas Edison referred to him as the ''master hustler.'' Schwab had no children with his wife, Emma, but had a daughter with a woman he had an affair with. The stock market crash of 1929 financially ruined Schwab. He was bankrupt when he died on September 19, 1939.
Haunted Charlie Schwab’s Barn: The Investigation
I drove over the Hill to Hill Bridge, accompanied by Dean. When we arrived at the barn, we heard construction noises and the blaring music from the workers’ radio. Suddenly, Dean poked me and told me to look at something on the ground, close to the car. It was a dead raven. She had been voted most likely to succeed in high school and, since then, has accomplished a lot. She’s also of Gypsy heritage, therefore somewhat superstitious. Dean said it was a bad omen. I shrugged it off.
The grey Barn’s large double doors were wide open. We walked in without trepidation. When we were about two feet inside of the ramshackle building, the air was chilled, we no longer heard the construction noises and music and we heard voices saying, “Get out,” repeatedly, in loud whispers, so we exited. Dean and I looked at each other and decided to go back into the barn. The same thing happened. We decided not to explore the barn because of its dilapidated condition.
Could the voices been vagrants who didn’t want to be discovered? It’s possible, but unlikely. Cold spots are common phenomena in haunted places. There is no scientific explanation for us no longer hearing the workers’ noises because the open doors were very large.
Dean and I were excited that we experienced paranormal phenomena in our first investigation. The reaction was mixed when we told our friends about our experience. Some were relieved not to have joined us, while others were disappointed they decided not to..... continues
Copyright©Jill Stefko
Originally posted on Suite 101 on Sep 12, 2012 and reproduced here courtesy of Jill Stefko
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