Penn State's Haunted History: Old Coaly, Ghost Walk & More with special guest Holly Faust

Episode 102: Slice of the Paranormal checks out Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania, exploring the haunted history, ghost stories, and paranormal legends surrounding one of Pennsylvania's most historic universities. Penn State was founded during the Civil War era, and its earliest ghost is said to have helped build Old Main. But this ghost wasn't a man—it was a pack mule. "Old Coaly" lived on campus for nearly 30 years and died in 1893, yet according to Penn State folklore, his spirit may still roam the university. Stories claim that his distinctive braying has been heard echoing through dark basements, while others say Old Coaly has been seen around campus long after his death. Old Coaly isn't the only ghost associated with Penn State University. Former university president George Atherton and his wife are also said to haunt the campus. Atherton's grave sits just outside Schwab Auditorium, another location surrounded by paranormal stories and campus lore. We also explore the story of a student who reportedly died during an 1860s blizzard. A path leading toward the Old Botany Building became associated with repeated sightings of his ghost and was eventually known among students as the "Ghost Walk." Join us as we investigate these haunted Penn State stories and more with our special guest Holly Faust. Holly was a member of the Paranormal Research Society (P.R.S.), which gained national attention when Ryan Buell's hit television series Paranormal State brought the group into the spotlight. Holly is an author, esoteric minister, psychic medium, healer, and fellow podcaster behind Deadtime Tales. She is not only a personal friend, but also a fantastic local resource when it comes to Pennsylvania paranormal history, ghost stories, and the unexplained. So sit back, enjoy the lore, and join Slice of the Paranormal as we search for Old Coaly, explore the haunted history of Penn State, and pick Holly's brain about the ghosts and paranormal activity said to linger around State College, Pennsylvania.

Sources: Haunted Pennsylvania by Mark Nesbitt and Patty A Wilson 2006

The Pennsylvania Ghost Guide Volume 1 by Patty A Wilson 2000

The Big Book of Pennsylvania Ghost Stories by Mark Nesbitt and Patty A Wilson 2008

The Daily Collegian "Ghosts Haunt Atherton Hall," December 8, 1997

The Daily Collegian "Haunted Penn State Legends Include Haunting Tales Of Partee Stacks, Old Botany And Schwab," October 30, 2003 & "The Ghosts That Haunt Us," Spooky Penns