Old Almshouse Cemetery Gettysburg

A Brief History: The Old Almshouse Cemetery is located at Howard Avenue Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In 1820 the Adams County Almshouse was built. It was meant to take care of the poor in Adams County. The property was over 270 acres of land. It included 3 buildings, The almshouse proper, the infirmary, and the old insane hospital. The buildings held approximately 125 people. During the Battle of Gettysburg, the Almshouse complex was located just northeast of Gettysburg. The initial Union Line on the first day of fighting took place there. North of the Almshouse complex was what is now known as Barlow Knoll which is where the cemetery still stands to this day. In 1886 a report was done on the poor conditions of the facility. In 1881 thanks to Dr. O'Neil a new insane hospital was built which could hold 24 patients or 12 of each gender. For some reason the county never sent any patients there. The Complex was shut down in 1964 with the buildings being demolished over the next 10 years. The last building was finally demolished in 1974, which was the 1881 insane hospital. While the buildings are no longer there you can head north to see the graves of the dead from the county complex, the poor and unidentified citizens that died in Adams County at the Old Almshouse complex.

Haunted History: There are many paranormal experiences that have occurred here. There are feelings of being watched. Some paranormal investigators claimed to have captured EVPs here. Some also say that you can hear sounds of the battle that took place there in 1863.