Hometown ghost stories from Philadelphia

Philadelphia is home to more than just cheesesteaks and the Liberty Bell. It’s also home to some haunting stories that we’ve collected from Philadelphia driver-partners. These stories are perfect conversation starters for your next campfire or Halloween party.

I have been driving in Philly since 1987. Where I live there’s a cemetery called Mt Laurel. It’s the biggest cemetery in Philly, with 4-5 avenues running adjacent to it. On several occasions throughout the years, I have encountered a vehicle that I’ve labeled the ‘Mt Laurel Kelly Drive ghost van’. It’s all black, from the paint to the windows to the wheels. The van won’t bother you, it just scares the heck out of you. I have encountered this van on several occasions over the past 5 years. No one is driving the van, it’s definitely a supernatural thing. You don’t hear the vehicle coming. It’s just suddenly there. If you are ever near the cemetery between 3 and 4:30am, expect to see the van. It’ll catch you on a curve, and then it’s next to you, speeding up and slowing down, acting like it’s going to come into your lane. This can go on for 5-10 minutes, and when you look over, it’s gone. A couple of minutes later, there it is again letting you know it can come and go at will.

A few years ago my family and I visited Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. One of the last places we toured was death row. We were in the yard listening to the guide when out of the corner of my eye I saw movement in the guard tower. I asked the tour guide if anyone was in any of the towers. She said no and explained that the floors and stairs were not safe. She then asked if I had seen something. I told her that I had and still do. Everyone in the group looked and couldn’t see anything while I still could. I couldn’t see features, but I could make out a uniform and hat. Still, no one could see what I could see. I finally pointed to where the “guard” was and he disappeared. I’ve been back and haven’t seen it since that first time. It was very exciting!

At work one night at a mental health hospital I was doing my rounds, checking in on the residents in my unit. When I first started working there, I would always hear a tapping sound in one of the lounges. This room is always dark, even during the day. I brace myself when I’m walking by the room because I’ve always been creeped out by the weird noises. That particular night, I walked past without hearing anything and continued down the hallway. Suddenly, I hear a yell from the room. As I went to investigate, I saw a head pop up slowly in the darkness. I stopped in my tracks, and the dark figure watched me for a while before it slowly faded away. I called some of my co-workers to go into the room with me and there wasn’t anything there. It was very creepy.

One evening I received a call in the middle of the night. The phone rang loudly and only rang once. I jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen to answer and just as I did, I saw the figure of a man in a miner’s hat, plaid shirt, and red suspenders standing directly in front of me. It scared me so badly that I fell back into my bed and put my head under the covers like I did when I was a child. When I finally got the nerve about 20 minutes later, I searched my entire home. I checked the doors and closets. No one could have gotten in or out. I went to the phone and no calls were received according to caller ID. This is a true (and scary) story!

One morning I had woken up at 6:30am for school. I jumped out of bed quickly so I wouldn’t fall asleep again. Since I was living in the basement, it was still dark but I had become accustomed to it and could see better than most. With heavy eyelids, I began to head upstairs to prepare breakfast. Halfway up the stairs, I heard the sounds of house slippers sliding across the living room floor. “Oh, someone’s awake!” I thought to myself. After sticking my head out and looking around, it was apparent that nobody was in the living room. My heart began to race and it almost paralyzed me. Fear-stricken, I made my way to the couch to have a seat and contemplate where that sound came from or who created it. The thought had led me to believe that I had gone mad. I remained seated until it was time to leave for school.

If you’re looking for more scary stories, check out what other driver-partners and riders have experienced in notoriously haunted cities around the US.