Page 26 - Indulge October/November 2016
P. 26
By Patrick O’Donnell
Look at any place long enough, up years ago, Houston says. As she group that had less-than enthusiastic
and you’ll find dark shadows. tells it, a pair of employees were closing members. “I try to have a lot of fun with
Even if it’s a place with a bright, cheery for the night when one “saw someone my tour, but these people were just sort
nickname like “The Christmas City.” run into the back hallway.” The daring of bored from the get-go,” he says.
duo decided to investigate, thinking it
Bethlehem joins a slew of sites across was an intruder, and tried to corner the Everything changed at the hotel. “I
the greater Lehigh Valley that reportedly late-night visitor in the kitchen. was facing my audience and the
have flocks of phantoms. In fact, the audience was facing the hotel, and
area seems to have enough haunts to The “visitor” vanished, but the I pointed behind me [and said] ‘she
keep a gaggle of ghostbusters busy — pair found something else frightening: usually haunts this third-floor area where
an informal count shows at least six “Someone had left the stove burning the lights are on.’ ” Armstrong says the
paranormal groups call the region home. and an exhaust fan running,” Houston audience suddenly became animated,
says. If not for the apparition, those staring at the space behind him and
But you don’t need to strap on appliances might have caused a fire. gasping loudly. “I’m talking about Mary
Ecto Goggles and a Proton Pack to see Yohe … and they’re like ‘There she is!’ ”
somethin’ strange. Who you gonna call? Tour stops vary, but favorites include
Take your pick — this time of year, ghost The Sun Inn — a veritable ghost By the time he turned around, the
tours appear all over the region. repository — and The Hotel Bethlehem, specter was gone. The group told him
where the spirit of Mary “May” Yohe, a that while he was telling Yohe’s story, the
In Bethlehem, the Moravian Book 19th century bon vivant (and one-time lights went out, a figure appeared on
Shop has been putting on ghost walks owner of the Hope Diamond), has made the balcony, then the lights came back
for years, says Kristy Houston, the her presence known. on and she had vanished. “I thought,
store’s event coordinator. Even the shop ‘is this audience playing with me? Or
is said to be haunted, but like Casper, Guide Jack Armstrong says he was it Mary taking a bow?’ Because
this is a friendly ghost. It first showed even thinks Yohe’s ghost energized one
26 | INDULGE • OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016
Photo illustration by Patrick O‘Donnell
