The Spirits of the Elmwood Mansion

Posted: 02.17.2025 | Updated: 02.17.2025

Pennsylvania has a history as diverse as its landscape. Its history includes American Revolution stories, innovators of history, sports legends, and more. The state also has its fair share of heroes.

One family of heroes resided in York, Pennsylvania in a place now called the Elmwood Mansion. A beautifully preserved house nestled in a rural neighborhood worthy of a nature photography brochure, this place would be well worth a visit, even if it didn’t have a bit of a haunted history. 

Ask the locals who live nearby what the most haunted spot in their neighborhood is and they’ll easily point to the Elmwood Mansion. The name might not sound the scariest, but we assure you that this tale is a harrowing one just the same. 

Keep reading on to learn just why that is. No matter what you expect of this mansion and its story, we guarantee this tale will surprise you.  After you’ve read up on it, if you’re interested in other Pennsylvania haunts, experience them up close and personal with our very own Gettysburg ghost tour with Civil War Ghosts.

Who Haunts Elmwood Mansion?

As we mentioned above, Pennsylvania is no stranger to heroes. Some of them used to reside right here in the Elmwood Mansion although you probably won’t find their names in any history books.

Mansion History

It’s almost amusing that Elmwood is known as a mansion, given that it was originally a simple farmhouse. Yet, it has grown from those humble beginnings to be regarded as a mansion, a historic landmark, and the headquarters of a real estate company. 

The original building was built in 1835 to be used as a dwelling for the small family who farmed the property. However, unlike other farms of the era, this one had a secret that could get the family killed if the wrong ears heard of it. 

You see, the Elmwood Mansion, during the 1800s served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. 

The Underground Railroad wasn’t a railroad at all but, instead, an underground network of people opposed to slavery. In 1850, a contentious law called the Fugitive Slave Act was passed.

It stated that any enslaved person caught trying to escape to a free state should be captured and handed back over to their master. The Underground Railroad served as equal parts outposts, hideaway shelters, refueling stations, and guides for runaway slaves looking to escape.

Houses or “stops” on the Underground Railroad were situated along many different latitude and longitude lines, and the final destination could be Northern Canada, Mexico, or the Western states out in Indian territory. 

The Small family would pay the price for their status as an Underground Railroad stop; during the Civil War, Confederate troops stormed through York County and forced the family to house and feed their soldiers, turning the place into a makeshift Confederate base. 

That wouldn’t be the only tragedy that Elmwood Mansion would face over the years – it burned down twice after the war before being sold by the family in 1957.

Elmwood Mansion Hauntings

This tragedy seemed to have made an impact on the property, even after being sold. Some say that the intense drive of the freedom-seeking Underground Railroad passengers and the brutality of the Confederate invasion was strong enough to leave marks on the place, even centuries after they occurred. 

One such mark is the closet door on the second floor. The door is fairly unremarkable at first glance, just a wooden, unmarked thing that sits still most of the time. However, it’s been reported that at precisely 10:10 PM every night, the door will inexplicably swing open. Or, at least, it used to. 

Once the owners realized what was happening, the doors stopped opening—at least for a time. However, a couple of weeks later, they started opening again at the same time every night, this time at 9:50 PM. 

Again, this pattern was eventually identified and, again, it stopped for a time, only to resume opening at 10:00 PM every night. This seems to be the pattern for this strange, unexplained door; as soon as the time it opens is discovered, it stops and resumes at a different time later. 

However, it’s not just the closet doors that freak people out. The strange woman who’s known to pop up in and around rooms in the house is far scarier to people unlucky enough to catch a glimpse. 

The Hoop Skirt Lady

This particular woman who resides here, is known as “The Hoop Skirt Lady” because her real name has been lost to history. However, a couple of details about her are known. For one, she seems to be a shy ghost, appearing only in shadows or when it’s dark inside. 

One clue to her identity might lie in the stained glass window above the staircase landing. The window depicts a figure of a pale, sad-looking woman.

Perhaps this gives some kind of indication of the Hoop Skirt Lady’s past. Maybe she was a widow who used to live here, still mourning her loss? Perhaps she was a part of the Underground Railroad and was punished for it. 

Although her full history remains unknown, paranormal investigators remain fascinated by the stained glass window, its meaning, and whether or not it relates to the Hoop Skirt Lady. 

One man who was a little closer to this ghost than most investigators was Richard Kraus. He and his family used to live in the Elmwood Mansion, and he claimed that they all used to see the Hoop Skirt Lady skulking about every now and again. 

Even when she wasn’t fully seen, she would often make her presence known by making mysterious sounds and even smashing glass candlesticks together, breaking their sockets off like they were cut with a knife. 

Kraus claimed that his cat was the family member who could spot the Hoop Skirt Lady the best—or so it seemed. His feline friend would often look straight ahead in random rooms as though she had spotted a predator and would even try to attack it now and again. But no matter how hard they looked, the family could never see what had gotten the cat so excited. 

Haunted Gettysburg

Elmwood Mansion is an interesting trip, whether you’re interested in the Underground Railroad or the haunted history of the place. 

If you liked this story and want to learn similar tales, check out our Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. They spotlight other offbeat ghost stories all over the United States. Checking our blog is another good way to stay up-to-date with all the latest ghost stories and haunted spots in America.  

If you want to explore Gettysburg ghosts specifically, a ghost tour with Civil War Ghosts is the best way to do that. Our guides are knowledgeable and enthusiastic and can provide even more information on the area. 

Sources:

• https://www.witnessingyork.com/mapping-meaning/elmwood-mansion-witnessing-constant-change/

• https://www.ydr.com/story/news/history/blogs/york-town-square/2007/06/19/post-79/31590205/
• https://yorkblog.com/yorktownsquare/york-little-theater-elmwood-ma/
• https://www.nps.gov/subjects/undergroundrailroad/what-is-the-underground-railroad.htm