Castles fit for a princess, charming Victorian homes, architecturally beautiful haunted dwellings, historical monuments, quaint colonial inns and a number of other beautiful structures grace much of the state of Pennsylvania; and the Westinghouse Castle, located in Wilmerding, a borough nestled just miles from Pittsburgh and bordered by Turtle Creek is nothing short of enchanting. It exemplifies a deep piece of history and is reportedly a hotbed for paranormal activity that includes ghost sightings and unexplained events. The castle was once home to the Westinghouse Air Brake Company by railway air brake inventor George Westinghouse when he purchased land and later built the stately castle in 1890 which is now on the National register of Historic Places and is proudly recognized for its architectural significance by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation.
Women were once a large contributing factor in keeping the legacy strong when the majority of the men working at Westinghouse were forced into more pressing obligations concerning WWII duties while the ladies stayed back and made gun parts for the war effort. Brother’s Herman and George Westinghouse both had offices at the Wilmerding headquarters that simply oozed with high quality deep carved wood and all of the finery, including limestone fireplaces that one would expect to find in the presence of powerful men. Sadly in 1896 the castle was destroyed in a fire, but was quickly rebuilt to its former Grand Scottish style that portrays a natural aura of elegance and gracefulness.
Today when walking through the castle, many of the staff members and volunteers claim that you can feel the presence of bygone days and those spirits that once lived it. The feeling of being followed is a daily occurrence and many of the employees and visitors of the museum swear that they have been physically touched by disembodied spirits who have brushed past them on both the stairway and in the hallways. Reported sightings of ghostly jean clad workmen are nothing new at the historic building and quite often giggling children can be heard running through halls. Vibes of paranormal activity are present in just about every area of the castle and eventually caught the attention of the Pittsburgh Paranormal Society, who led by founder Shawn Kelly visited the Castle to determine if there was any proof of actual ghosts residing in the more than a century old castle.
The investigative group quickly determined the presence of ghost children, but they could not determine the children’s identity or why they would be hanging around. Armed with high tech equipment ranging from infrared cameras and K2 meters, voice recorders and basic human personal instincts and experiences; the group was well received by the other side, and were instantly rewarded with evidence that the Westinghouse Castle is in fact haunted by several entities. While on the second floor the group entered the Historical Society Room where they were greeted by the spirit of a child. When the child was asked a series of questions the K2 meter lit up without hesitation. After more questions about playing games the room took on a chilly atmosphere which typically indicates a spirit is present when in situations such as these.
A more authoritative male ghost entered the room and the ghost child disappeared almost as if she feared punishment. The group continued on to the offices located on the third floor where the ghost of George Westinghouse is reported to hang out on most evenings. The presence of a ghost was immediately felt by the group, but the spirit is here strictly out of routine. Known as a residual haunting, this particular ghost brings no danger to those that witness his spirit, but the paranormal group felt that the ghost did not want them in the room and was pushing for them to leave immediately. Surprisingly, the attic held the least amount of paranormal activity while the heaviest spiritual activity generally takes place on the upper third, fourth and fifth floors. Volunteer worker Joyce Tomasic claims that she had a paranormal experience in George Westinghouse’s office while filming a commercial. Joyce claims that she felt the overpowering feeling that someone was standing behind her while whispering in her ear, and that hair standing up on your neck sensation can only be described as extremely unnerving because you know that you are witnessing something totally unbelievable.
Ghosts workers clad in blue jeans are often spotted descending the steps coming from the fifth floor. These workmen look like the average maintenance guy, but they are anything but general in significance, because the average man does not vanish into thin air or disappear in front of your eyes like these guys are capable of doing. The steps are always bustling with paranormal activity as groups being led on tours through the castle are never let down when it comes to be touched by a spirit. The sensation of something or someone brushing past you is hard to ignore, but sometimes embarrassing to talk about. However those that feel the need to share their experience have reported these incidences to the staff and the reported ghost sightings are getting heavier and more entailed each year. Groundskeeper Mike Smith claims that the boiler room is a hotbed of paranormal activity and that it is not uncommon to find all of the lights blaring even though they have been turned off.
Geraldine Homitz, the castles operations manager allowed the Pittsburgh Paranormal Society to visit and perform an investigation because of the hundreds of reports coming in that the castle is a hotbed of paranormal activity. Ghost hunting and paranormal phenomena are extremely popular events, and now amateur and seasoned ghost hunters can enjoy at the castle all year long as volunteers from the Wilmerding, Pitcairn and Turtle Creek historical societies work vigorously throughout the year so that the Westinghouse Castle flourishes with activity all while preserving the town’s deep history. The Westinghouse Museum not only honors inventor and entrepreneur George Westinghouse, but it also gives tribute to the thousands of men and women who have worked for the Westinghouse Company.
Location: 325 Commerce Street, Wilmerding, Pennsylvania, 15148. Call: 412-825-3000 or visit the web site at: http://www.wilmerdingrenewed.org/comingevents.html
Sources:
http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/paranormal-group-investigates-westinghouse-castle
http://www.wilmerdingrenewed.org/
http://www.miniaturerailroad.org/westinghouse.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilmerding,_Pennsylvania