Pennsylvania Oddities

Virtually everyone who lives in Huntingdon County is familiar with the legend of John Armstrong, who is more  commonly remembered as Captain Jack-- arguably Pennsylvania's most iconic hero of the  frontier.

Virtually everyone who lives in Huntingdon County is familiar with the legend of John Armstrong, who is more  commonly remembered as Captain Jack-- arguably Pennsylvania's most iconic hero of the  frontier.

In the 19th century, Philadelphia lost  one of its most curious and morbid historical landmarks-- an obscure  graveyard hidden in the center of an urban jungle, where the bones of forgotten Philadelphians slumbered for generations-- until their remains  were mysteriously and unceremoniously disinterred.

Be sure to visit the Pennsylvania Oddities blog for hundreds of strange but true stories from every county in the Keystone State!

In the 19th century, Philadelphia lost  one of its most curious and morbid historical landmarks-- an obscure  graveyard hidden in the center of an urban jungle, where the bones of forgotten Philadelphians slumbered for generations-- until their remains  were mysteriously and unceremoniously disinterred.

Be sure to visit the Pennsylvania Oddities blog for hundreds of strange but true stories from every county in the Keystone State!

In the summer of 1947, Dr. Vernon Haber, a well-liked Penn State University professor, went missing. Despite a massive month-long search involving  hundreds of students, law enforcement officials and State College residents, the fate of the vanishing professor remained unknown... until his body was found hanging from a tree, in a place that had been searched thoroughly just days before. Was it a suicide or murder? The mystery remains unsolved.

In the summer of 1947, Dr. Vernon Haber, a well-liked Penn State University professor, went missing. Despite a massive month-long search involving  hundreds of students, law enforcement officials and State College residents, the fate of the vanishing professor remained unknown... until his body was found hanging from a tree, in a place that had been searched thoroughly just days before. Was it a suicide or murder? The mystery remains unsolved.

When a newspaper reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer traveled  to the remote mountain wilderness of Clinton County in 1890 in search  of a story, he discovered more than the rustic ways and quaint customs  of the backwoods hill people-- he discovered an unspeakable horror. It  was in Sugar Valley where the Inquirer reporter discovered  William Bierly, an elderly man, known to locals as a "raving lunatic",  who had been chained like a wild beast for 35 years and forced to live  inside a wooden pen.

When a newspaper reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer traveled  to the remote mountain wilderness of Clinton County in 1890 in search  of a story, he discovered more than the rustic ways and quaint customs  of the backwoods hill people-- he discovered an unspeakable horror. It  was in Sugar Valley where the Inquirer reporter discovered  William Bierly, an elderly man, known to locals as a "raving lunatic",  who had been chained like a wild beast for 35 years and forced to live  inside a wooden pen.

Unpunished murders have always been a blight on Schuylkill County, especially during the 1920s and 30s. In some cases the murderer was identified but eluded capture, disappearing into the night, never to be seen again. Other cases, such as the peculiar death of William Laughlin in 1930, remain unsolved to this day.

Laughlin, who worked as a confectioner at his father's candy shop in Centralia, disappeared after attending a boxing match at Lakewood Park. His nude body was discovered the following day in a most unusual place-- inside a fortune-telling booth near the entrance of a now-defunct amusement park. 

Unpunished murders have always been a blight on Schuylkill County, especially during the 1920s and 30s. In some cases the murderer was identified but eluded capture, disappearing into the night, never to be seen again. Other cases, such as the peculiar death of William Laughlin in 1930, remain unsolved to this day.

Laughlin, who worked as a confectioner at his father's candy shop in Centralia, disappeared after attending a boxing match at Lakewood Park. His nude body was discovered the following day in a most unusual place-- inside a fortune-telling booth near the entrance of a now-defunct amusement park.