Gettysburg Orphanage with Rosa Carmichael

by 12 year old writer
(Gettysburg, PA)

While we were on a ghost tour in Gettysburg called "Ghostly Images Walking Tours" we went inside the basement of the orphanage that Rosa Carmichael chained the orphans to the wall, beat them, and sometimes worse.

As we entered The tour guide kept pointing me out as about the age of one of the orphans that would have lived in the dorm when all of a sudden my dad said had felt like he had gotten poked with a needle but nothing was there. Then my mom got touched on the leg. I didn't have anything happen to me yet. Then our tour guide turned off the lights. I got pictures of numerous orbs but that could be anything. So the lights came on and we were free to move around.

There was a room that Rosa put the Orphans in to beat called the pit. She had 14 to 19 year old boys called stick boys. They carried large sticks to beat the boy as well as girl orphans in the pit to show who was the boss around the place. Well, I crawled in the pit and saw what else nothing. I had my evp recorder along with me. Which stands for electronic voice phenomenon. We left and went back to the hotel to review the evidence. I have 2 evps. the one is my dad is talking about going into the pit and you hear a female's voice saying "get back, get back now!" And another one where my dad and I are in the pit and asked if anyone was in here and a child's voice replies "yes".

About Rosa: One day a boy came to visit his friend in the orphanage when Rosa said he died it was very sudden and nothing could have been done about it. They paid his respects and went home to tell his father. Well the father went around to the local doctors to see how the young boy died. Every doctor in Gettysburg replied that they had not went to the orphanage for any boys. The father became suspicious and contacted the local authorities. They questioned Rosa, asking why the doctors didn't know about a boy, and Rosa said the doctor was passing through and was closest to the orphanage and left town the night before. The cops thought that was understandable but needed something to tell the father to get off their backs. She did not have an answer for that. Well the cops left. Eventually, they found out that Rosa killed the boy and later found out that there was a skeleton of a young boy under the orphanage. Rosa was run out of town and never seen again.

Comments for Gettysburg Orphanage with Rosa Carmichael

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Emotional
by: Jessica

My sister and I went on a ghostly images ghost tour of the orphanage and it was very emotional. When I stepped in the house I felt that I always had someone looking at me. When we finally went downstairs into the basement the tour guide sat us down and turned the lights off. I couldn't see my own hand in front of my face. As I am sitting there on one of the benches, I can feel someone looking at me, staring at me, sitting beside me in the dark but it wasn't comforting. I was threatened. I sat there in the dark for about 10 minutes with a sick feeling to my stomach and a sense of terror. When she finally turned the lights on I felt fine, I even felt a feeling of grace and comfort. A complete atmosphere change. The tour guide had a table of toys for the little children spirits to play with and when you got close to them and played with them, it felt like someone was playing with you. I felt little touches on leg and hand the whole time. I recommend this tour to anyone who is looking for a spiritually experience and a great tour.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		The Basement
by: Anonymous

I went there in August and when they took us into the basement I was fine. But when they turned the lights off, I started crying, not because I was scared but bc I had this overwhelming feeling of sadness that I didn't feel when the lights were on. But once they turned the lights back on I was fine again. Once we were walking back to the benches from the dungeon, my sister sat in front of the original chain on the back wall and I sat on the other side of her. We were just sitting there waiting for everyone to come back into the room and there was a woman to my right. I was saying something to my sis and I felt someone grab my arm, so I looked next
To me thinking it was the woman, but she was on the other side of the room. I was kind of freaked out after that. I 100% think that it was a spirit of one of the orphans looking for someone to save them and they made me feel sad for them when they turned the lights off and touched my arm.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		This Story Is Sad! :(
by: Anonymous

Rosa dear glad you are living in our world today because you would get more than a $20.00 fine. To do what you did to those poor innocent children was totally unreal. They didn't deserve any of that torture. What they needed to do with you & stick boy is put you in the town of Gettysburg nail you & Stick boy to a stake & torture you both very slowly in front of everyone. Sounds like to love to see pain endured into those children so why not you & stick boy get your own taste of that same medicine. I hope both of you are burning cause you both deserve the finer things. Karma's a Beach!I know I will never see both of you ever cause I don't intend of coming into that hot world. May those children RIP eventually.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Karma
by: Linda

I'm so glad that Rosa isn't living now. She would pay the price for torturing those poor innocent children. She must have really hated children.. They should have gave her a torture death sentence in front of everyone. Oh yeah she's probably in HE!! right now burning.Better her than me..an eye for an eye!! Stick boy is probably with her also. Heck there was evil back in the day. Good day Rosa & Stickboy have a wonderful day & night in HE!! 4-ever cause you both deserve the finer things in life!!!! Burn baby Burn!!!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		There is no Justice Here
by: Madame X

I don't understand. The authorities found out that Rosa has been abusing the children along with some teenage boys. So, why wasn't she ever brought to justice? She even killed a few kids in the orphanage and yet, all they did was run her out of town? They should have arrested her and locked her up for life.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		LOVED IT!!!!!!!
by: sierra sharp

this piece is truly spectacular to be written by such a young writer
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		rosa c
by: Anonymous

boy oh boy it sounds like she was a piece of work. it was a shame those kids had to put up with all that torture. to bad that her fine was only 20.00 dollars,they also should of gotten stick boy also,to bad they didnt inprison her.thou i like comming over to gettysburg from lanc.co.i always feel the history of the area and the pure hell that the soldiers went thru
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		where is the justice
by: Anonymous

I don't understand why Rosa was just ran out of town.. That might be the reason for some of the haunting"s the victims can't rest because they never got justice.. Has anyone ever tried to find out where she went to? If she could do that to them all children are in danger if left in her care.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		From Phalinda to Rosa
by: Anonymous

The orphanage is indeed a very intense place. Whether you believe in ghosts or not. The story of the abuse that the children suffered there is enough to touch and sadden anyone, even the toughest of men.
The original care taken, teacher, and all around lovely lady was the widow of Sgt. Amos Huniston. He was unknown and found dead holding a picture of his 3 children. His wife Philinda Humiston came to take care of 60 children from 11 states ages of 3-16. after she remarried a teacher, Rosa Carmichael took over. The children were beaten, chained, and thrown into a pit for day at a time. Some where tied to a fence, striped bare and left to burn in the summer son. Little ones were placed in barrels of water where they had to keep their arms extended or they would drown. When the abuse was finally discovered Rosa was fined $20.00 for mis using funds and sent back to run the orphanage. Finally the townspeople had enough and Rosa was run out of town.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		want to go on the ghost tours
by: Anonymous

I just watched a special on haunted history about Gettysburg and Patricia was the name of the first head mistress,Rosa Carmichael seceded her as head mistress of the orphanage where she inflicted cruel and unusual punishment on the children of the orphanage,my wife and I are big fans of the paranormal and have always wanted to go on a ghost tour after seeing this we now know where we'll be going Gettysburg no doubt,they have so many haunted places to tour the jenny wade house,the orphanage,and the battle field how can you go wrong.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Spirits are not religious
by: Anonymous

Spirits are not religious,they do not read the bible,they do not go to church..Animals go to heaven,but animals attack and do the "Bad",things humans do but humans when they do it are evil and animals are cute or put to death but still go to heaven.
If you want to talk about religion,the bible states,the Soul is materialistic physical or Adam and Eve...Tempting to act believe,blame thinking you know,embarassment,anger,judgment,while spirit is pure light,love,acceptance...Jesus said Love your fellow man...accept your fellow man no matter how they are different then you,you don't agree with what they say or do accept them for they are part of god as well don't judge,don't hate them.
Discipline was different back then you look at orphanages now,old folks homes even in some homes children and patients are treated the same or worse then back then.Rosa was employed by mr bourns who treated the children worse then she did,so you do not know how much was her doing or choice or how much she was forced to,for mr bourns was embezzling money,the money philinda and the children were suppose to get for the sale of the photo they never got a penny.The donations stopped coming to the orphanage or did they,was someone taking the donations for their own use?
Stories get exaggerated and blown out of proportion over 150 years,so get the facts and never take anything for granted for I have been to the Orphanage and the area around it and felt the spirits and they are very happy,they are not trapped,the bible is metaphors heaven and hell are sttaes of minds and feelings,jesus said rest your soul in peace,your society and mans believe and go to the light of heaven your spirit,your love and all involved with the Orphanage are there for they do not sit around and talk about the old days here in the physical unless you want them to.But beware you treat them with disrespect and taunt them they will react just like anyone here.
God doesn't carry a bible and Jesus would not be accepted in the christian church today.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Caution
by: Anonymous

There is nothing Biblical to back up that theory so be careful of basing something that serious on what "we think"
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		The Ghosts of the Children
by: Robert D. Hendricks

Traumatic circumstances surrounding deaths- death by suicide or intoxication, or murder, frequently create a situation where disembodied spirits are not immediately aware of their own discorporate condition, and continue working to try and resolve circumstances that are no longer in need of resolution. Such spirits need to be calmly apprised of their condition by living persons who have been properly trained in giving them the tutelage they require for further progress and advancement in their respective journeys.To argue that all such manifestations of paranormal activity are manifestations of "Satan", and do not require our compassionate attention, is to offer an excuse for apathetic indifference, under the banner of fundamentalist sectarianism. I believe that Jesus Christ would want those who have taken His name upon themselves to take upon themselves the whole armor of God (as Paul suggests) and actively demonstrate some courage in being of some real help to these unfortunate souls.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Don't worry
by: DS

To everyone who is concerned about the children that lived under Rosa in the orphanage.....The minute those children died, they became present with Christ and are no longer suffering. Whatever is still floating around that orphanage site is of Satan as the Bible says demons can take on any image they choose. When we are believers in Christ and accept his gift of salvation, we don't have to be concerned about being "stuck" anywhere on this earth, unable to "cross over" to the other side. Hallelujah!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		ask and ye shall receive.
by: Anonymous

Spirits will give you what you want. You want to be scared they will scare you. You want to taunt and disrespect them they will let you know how they feel about it.
The tours are just that show and tell. The thing to do is investigations. Everytime we go we go to a store in the old Gettysburg village that is next to the homestead orphanage and it was awesome. The people who work and run it are some of the best and taught us how to use the equipment.
Talking to one of the workers about the spirits and Rosa he sounded very knowledgeable and honest. People have to remember stories do get bigger each time it is told. Discipline was a lot different back then. Most boarding schools did the same thing as what was happening here.
The homestead also had Mr bourns who treated the children the same or worse then Rosa and he cheated the humistons out of the money from the sale of the picture. Rosa was employed by mr burns.
The worker was saying one time he had his ghost box on and a lady came on and said"so who is this"? A gentleman came on and said this is and said the employees name and when he asked who she was she said Rosa and then they both said hello.
This gentleman he said also told the children to stay away.
Hearing that and wasting money on the hyped up rip off tours had us thinking and believing more of what we heard then the commercialised tours.
Things are not as they appear to be for what you see is not what you get.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Lived near by
by: Anonymous

I've never taken this tour but I grew up in Gettysburg about a half block from the orphanage. Gettysburg is a meaningful place in our history but it has a very dark energy that rubs off on all that spend large amounts of time there. I won't go into detail but I and most people I knew had very, very disturbing experiences. When I was of age, I couldn't move away fast enough. Be EXTREMELY careful of what your playing with, it can be very dangerous.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		$$$$ ghost tours real????
by: Anonymous

If you like to believe this then this is a fun site.Rosa Carmichael NEVER was real. She didn't have an orphanage and NEVER abused children. The ghost tours are just for fun, not real history. There is so much real history in Gettysburg you should learn that instead. Gettysburg is definitely haunted. Anywhere you walk was the battlefield, cause the battle was all through the town. There were men and boys who died too soon, or quickly and they don't know they are dead. I re-enact at Gettysburg and I advise people to have fun with the ghost tours, but PLEASE learn the real history of your country. It is the only civil war America has had.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Picture of boy
by: Ken

In 2005 I took my family on a trip to Gettysburg we went in to the orphanage and noticed the basement door open we didn't know if it was for the public to go down or not anyway we went down to look around the first thing we saw was a Bench with a manican of a little boy sitting on the bench so we took a picture of him and then we left ( no big deal) when we got back home in Ct my wife had our pictures developed and when we got to the picture of the boy we all got goose bumps and looked at each other because the picture only showed the bench not the boy.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Gettysburg
by: Anonymous

I have been here before. Where I got my ghost tour here, my guide was not that good. My friends went the year before, and they had the owner give them a tour. They said things were moving around, and you could here kids. Anyway I am actually going back to the orphanage tomorrow!!!I am so excited! I have all my equipment and whatnot. Anyway Where I sat in the orphanage last year, that is where rosa did here chinese water torture to the kids. It was a weird feeling knowing she shackled kids up where I was sitting and dropped water on them until the bruised. But I am so excited, I will comment my story when I return!!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		It's really haunted
by: Anonymous

So many great comments here. Went on orphanage tour four times now and LOVED it. It was so creepy and Ghostly Images guides do great job at least ones I had do. Try to get Alexis. She is fantastic. We got evp of woman laughing -- so scarey. My brother slept with light on after tour (he"s 34). I thought there was just enough history but I was there for ghost stories. It's ok if you don't believe in ghosts, but you are wrong. One visit to orphanage will prove it. Can't wait to go back.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		i just dont understans
by: jennifer friend

I JUST DON"T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE SO SICK AND TO ABUSE AND HURT CHILDREN I SEEN IT ON GHOST LAB AND CRIED I LOST TWO OF MY LIL GIRLS ONE TO LUKEMIA SHE WAS 2 MY 5 YEAR OLD DIED LAST JUNE TO A INFECTION ...IM JUST SITTING HERE CRYING ABOUT THE ORPHAN CHILDREN....MAY THEY ALL REST IN PEACE...A SAD SAD MOM...
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Freeing the children
by: Anonymous

I agree with the comments that the spirit of the children should be freed to "pass over" to where they belong. They have endured enough pain and suffering and should be free.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Free The Children
by: Traci

I've seen this Orphanage episode on Ghost Lab twice, and each time it has saddened me to my inner most core. I know there are paranormal groups and legitimate mediums out there who specialize in passing the dead that are stuck here on earth, over to the white light. It's called "crossing over". Even if there is the slightest possibility that these children may still be trapped there, not to mention that Rosa may be with them, why has no one looked into helping them escape that eternal hell by contacting one of these professionals who do the ritual of "crossing over"? I, in no way, have nor want anything to do with messing around with the paranormal. I thank God for protecting me and my family from evil daily. But a lot of people or groups have investigated this place and are aware of its horrible history, making them already involved. Why not go the extra step and try to help these poor children who in no way deserved the injustice they endured and may still be enduring? Someone hear my plea, and please look into this. I know God will bless you for your kindness.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Strange...Yet, Exciting
by: Mistie, 12

I've been to Gettysburg twice. The second time I went I brought my EVP,and I and some blonde headed kid (about 10) went inside the pit where Rosa would leave children in there for days without food or water. Anyway, we got a footstep on the EVP. I still have it. There was know way anybody made that noise. Everybody was in the other room and that boy and I were sitting in the pit not even moving a muscle. SO WEIRD! Then, I felt some sort of spirit-like thing go inside my brain I'm assuming because I was overwhelmed with sadness and next came the fear! As I said, WEIRD and FREAKY!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Info for me; exstream sreach for info on things tick this and more.
by: Grace

Hi i like looking up strange cool stuff, and this ranks a 9
Rating
starstarstar 		creepy.....
by: Anonymous

It's an old random house! Everything creaks when you step anywhere, and there are creepy handcuffs hanging everywhere. The pit was insanely creepy. I had fun on a ghost tour though! It was fun
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Gettysburg Orphanage
by: Anonymous

In 2010 I visited the orphanage in Gettysburg with my daughters. We took the ghost tour and when it was over, we went back to the orphanage to walk around and take pictures...no one else was around. In reviewing some of my pictures later, I noticed in two of the pictures a brightness that caused me to look closer. The images were, I believe an older child comforting a younger child. It appeared to have it's head ontop of the smaller child in a comforting way. The second picture was of a smaller child standing in front of a taller child (or adult?)You can see the high button shoes at the bottom. Very sad and errie. I took the pictures with a digital camera, not a professional and the pictures were not tampered with. First time I have ever caught something like this. I sent the photos to EVPS to look at and to comment on them.
Rating
star 		Just for the $$$$
by: Anonymous

I have been going to the Orphange to stay with my family since I was 5 years old. We are very good friends with the owners. Nothing has EVER happened at this place. No child ever died. One child went missing and most people chalk that up to "blue boy" at the College. You all have bought into the hype. Gettysburg has become so commercialized. Everything is for the money. Have fun chasing imaginary ghosts and researching into fake ghost stories.....
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		My own experiences
by: Anonymous

I myself have been to the Gettysburg orphanage 3 different times and every time I have some type of experience there. The first time my husband, son, and I went in we were listening to the tour guide and my son and I both felt someone or some thing wrap their arms around our legs. This was summer and there was no air in the area we were in so I did not know what was going on. The second time I went it was with my best friend and she went into the pit by herself and was trying to communicate with Rosa and the children and she was saying harsh things to Rosa for doing this to the children. When she was leaving the pit, she snapped a photo and there was a dark mass of something standing in front of her looking like it was coming towards her. Another girl there snapped a photo right beside her and there were 2 girls standing beside her that was not there on the guide with us and they both were dressed in that period dresses. The third time I went to the orphanage was in the summer of 2011 with my best friend again. This time we sat at the back of the basement and I had my cell phone with me laying right beside me. When the lights went out I could feel where my cell phone was and I just left it alone then. When the lights came back on my cell phone was moved about 3 feet to the edge of the bench without anyone touching it. So, out of all my experiences at Gettysburg and of course the orphanage, I am a firm believer there are spirits there and I believe the children are still there along with Rosa.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Rosa Carmichael-Orphanage
by: Anonymous

I have been in the museum part many times,and last summer was looking at the picture of the Humiston children in the side room.All of a sudden I heard laughing and running around by children.I turned around to go and saw a little blond boy in the doorway and heard some women who were with him telling him to be quiet.He looked up ay me his head cocked to one side and he was smiling,I smiled and waved and he waved back and then ran towards to back of the store,When I went to the store part I did not see him or the ladys.I got a comfortable strange feeling..The store part used to be the back porch,it has the pillars in the store that used to be on the porch and the yard they played in went back to where the motel is and have had strange feelings walking through the parking lot there.
I have always had good feelings inside the store,but my last time there I was reading the info on the wall and with the employee with me and talking about Rosa and the events and while reading one of the pictures got an uneasy feeling like I should not be there,like they ..The spirits were uneasy r upset?,so I left.I had also been upstairs looking at the apartment or rooms upstairs which used to be the dorm for the boys,the girls dorm was the homestead next door...but have never felt uneasy as I did that one time reading the infor and when I went back a few days later the worker was giving me a strange look and I felt somebody was there with me even though no one was?.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Paranormal Investigators
by: David

If you live around Allison, Iowa send me a message to HUGH10@live.com. We need more you will not get paid if you wish to start a sub-branch send me an email. If you want more go to dndps.weebly.com, Thanks!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		she is in my time line
by: ms.carmichael

ok i was sit in the living rooom a so happen to be waching tv and i heard rosa carmichael i ran to my laptop and seached it up ...i found out more to her and she was very evil but some wat down the line she is can to me
Rating
starstarstarstar 		head stroked and 3 fingermarks on my shoulder
by: kevin from nj

first of all let me state not a big believer in ghosts. The tour was entertaining. At the end we sat down in the basement the guide mentioned some people feel things like in their hair etc. After he said that I felt something on the rt side of my head and i turned around to my friend and told him get a picture something is touching me. The picture shows three fingers marks on my shoulder. I never felt anything on my back just my head and neck. No one was close enough to touch me I was sitting in the second row from the back at the end of the bench on the side with toy table. After I was touched a girl with a meter said she had activity in my area. The only reason i saw the marks they little white finger dust marks on my leather jacket. pretty freaky....
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		why is there no pictures of rosa
by: Anonymous

there must be a picture of her. why cant anyone find it?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Wow
by: Silvia Garcia

What pissed me off more than Rosa Carmichael's history with the children is the people who are aware of the children's tortured souls are still trapped in this building and not even help them to move on instead of leaving them with the wicked bitch for an eternity.

The children is already suffered in the orphanage and now are being treated as an entertainment for the people...isn't it the time for them to move on and be with their parents? I still feel sorry for the poor babies and I have my own son, I can't imagine their pains. :(
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Orphans
by: C Clavel

Re: Anonymous's comments about orphans. The orphans at the Gettysburg Union Soldiers' Orphanage were not all true orphans: in the case of my ancestor and her brother, they had a mother, but she evidently couldn't afford to keep them. They were at the orphanage for several years and apparently left when they were old enough to work.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		who seen rosa?
by: Anonymous

someone had to know where rosa carmichael went after she was run out of town!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Ghost Lab.
by: Patrick Kroon uit Nederland.

Ik volg altijd de serie Ghost Lab, en op zaterdag 7 januari 2012 was er een uitzending over Gettysburg
Weeshuis. Aandacht keek ik naar de uitzending, en besloot de naam van Rosa Carmichael op te zoeken op het net. Ik vond het een geweldige tv uitzending, Ghost Lab is elke zaterdagavond te zien op Investigion Discovery om 21.50 uur tot 22.40 uur.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Orphanage.
by: Anonymous

After the battle,many town folk went around looking for bodies and mementos and souvenirs.
A young girl whose father owned a tavern in Hanover Pa was around the York/Stratton st area when she came across the body of a soldier slumped up against a house that belonged to a Judge.

In his hand was a photo or Ambryotype of his 3 children,she took the photo to her dad who put it on the bars mantle.

2 reporters from Philadelphia on their way to Gettysburg stopped at the bar and one saw the photo and asked if he could have it.After he left and went back to Philadelphia he published the photo or description of the photo for they could not publish photos at the time,and asked who's kids they were.

The story was published in many newspapers and in one church magazine in NY Potville,a woman read the story and recognized it and thought it might be her kids and husband Amos Humiston.It came back that it was and she came to Gettysburg with her children and the story brought many donations that the reporter decided to open an orphanage for children who's father was killed in the civil and could not be supported by their wives and the reporter asked Amos widow Philinda if she would like to be the matron of it she said yes in part to help support herself and her children who became the first children of the orphanage.
Philinda was very well liked and treated all the children well but she hated Gettysburg and met a traveling salesman just passing through and decided to marry him to get out.

Of her 3 children her daughter Alice who was 6 at the time of the battle went back with her Alice spirit still is around there for I have spoken with her.

She is a very happy loving spirit and each time I went by the Homestead she always greeted me.
After Philinda left the reporter who financed the orphanage asked a friend of his Rosa Carmichael to run the Orphanage which she did and where she treated the children really bad. When the truth came out about the place and Rosa went to trial,they fined her $20 and told her to get out of town but most people said she never left,the physical Rosa never left.

There have been other instances,Also heard voices in the alley way and unlike many I have always felt a fun happy cheerful mood around the Homestead and Orphanage.

Ghostly images have fingerprints in paint on the wall that apparently was made by a spirit.
Most tours around Gettysburg tell the same stories in their own way so best to g on your own if you want to do something like that for spirits don't harm you,Hollywood harms you and most ,not all but most are residual sounds and haunts for recording tapes are made on magnetic paper/tape and the earth has a magnetic field.

But other sounds and sights are real for spirits have the ability to come and go as they please and some like to either relive and help you understand what they went through,others just to communicate but the only spirits that want to scare you is your own spirit.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		All "orphans" weren't orphans!
by: C. Clewell

My great-great-grandmother and her brother were inmates of this orphanage. Their father was killed in the Civil War but, since the Army never located the body, he wasn't officially dead and his widow got no widow's pension. One of their children died of typhoid fever during the war, but she still had four children to care for. She sent the two youngest to this orphanage. They weren't really orphans, because they had a mother. They were at the Gettysburg Union Soldier's Orphanage for about four years and were finally released when they were 13 and 11, probably because they were old enough to work then. I often wonder what they went through when they were at that terrible place.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		tugging on pant leg
by: Gini

I went on the orphanage tour with friends. We listened to the medium present information about the orphanage. As we were finishing, I felt something press against my foot, then a feeling of air travel up my pant leg, and then finally something was tugging on my pant leg. It was quite an extraordinary experience.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		The Punishment, and the Mystery
by: Anonymous

In the end, after a child died, a trial was held for her in Gettysburg, but the legal system made it imposssible for ther to be convicted of murder. Instead she was convicted of Child abuse, and was fined $20 and got thrown out of town. The strangest part is, Noone can figure out where she came from, or where she went.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Haunt
by: Brendan

Rosa haunts kids in there sleep in that building.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		the children
by: Alexandria

i feel so bad for those children, and i'm around the same age of some of them, i feel as though i have connections with those children
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Rosa
by: Linda

Just got back from Gettsburg today. I took the tour last night was very sad in the basement and I found it hard to breathe.. I saw the pit but didnot wish to go in although other people did.I woould love to go back If you go to Gettsburg take the tour it is so worth it.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		ghost adventures
by: banana

this story broke my heart. those poor children had to deal with the deaths of their fathers and came to this place prob. looking for comfort and got nothing but hell from that wicked woman rosa. ghost adventures went and offered the children candy in "the pit" and got an evp of a child saying "your wonderful" and "thank you" nick also got another evp in the pit of someone saying "betcha wont untie me" the whole thing is sad. no wonder these spirits are trapped with the brutal way they were killed. ive heard of hauntings where the spirit was basically waiting for the okey to move on. i wonder if there is a way someone could go in and convince these child spirits that their free to cross over, that rosa cant hurt them if they try to leave... it prob. wont be good for the ghost tour but they deserve to be in a better place. anyway the ghost adventures episode on gettysburg was really good. and the show itself is awesome they get hard evidence to prove there is something else we cant see. i cant wait to visit and see for myself.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Parnormal Activity
by: Anonymous

If you have ever watched the television show " Ghost Lab", their is an episode of the team visiting the orphanage. I love paranormal expeiriances going on in the world, i'm actually thinking of being a ghost activist.
Their is also an episode of the team visiting the Jennie Wade House. It was amazing how these spirits communicate!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Rosa Carmichael
by: Anonymous

Am I confused or did Rosa Carmichael move to San Antonio, Texas. I do know some Carmichaels there and most show a connection with Rosa.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		??
by: Anonymous

if you watch Ghost Lab on the planet green chanell it is called "The Innocnt" it is about rosa carmichael and her ways and she is still hunting the orphanage...
Rating
starstarstarstar 		WEIRD
by: Anonymous

i RECCENTLY WENT TO YHE ORPHANGE I BROUGHT BACK A PICTURE OF A HUGE SHADOW WITH O FACE IN IT
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		D:
by: Anonymous

SAD!!!!!!!!
Rating
starstarstarstar 		kool
by: Anonymous

i didn't know of this place until i saw it on television. wow. sounds cool, like a lot of people have had experiences here. anyway i can't wait to come and see it for myself this summer!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		kool
by: Anonymous

WOW. i can't believe all these stories. i had an experience there too last summer. my girlfriend felt someone touch her in a naughty place and it wasn't me. we were all alone at the moment. so i called out, "Who did that to my woman?!" and i got an EVP saying, "it was me!" Anyway, my girlfriend and I broke up after that, cause she thought it was really me and i was lying to her. if i ever met that ghost when im dead, im going to get even with him/her. my girlfriend was perfect and now she's gone.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		woow ,i wnat to be a ghost hunter with the GA
by: andrea

i actually wnet there in the summer on 2010 in the first week of august, amd i went into that pit thingie and me and my sister had evp's and my dad worked in this invention stuff (NO JOKE),anyways my sis felt this cold whip or somthing hit her,it was all PPUURRRPPPLLLLEEE!!!!!!!!! she ran out to catch air and still wasn't afraid to stay and i asked "I command someone to answer who wiped my sister"?????!!!!! evp:"DO WE GET HER RRR..." 2ND EVP:"not now. 3RD EVP:no don't do that!!!!" .... i was scared to hellll !!!!!!!!!!!!! i ran right out of the pit and i left my evp. later in night i was slowly shaking and walking into the horrifying pit where rosa carmicheal will hurt,punish ,or kill those poor children. the evp had a lot of messages and i'll show you three .......... 1ST:"don't...leave...me.." 2ND:"stay there..you ugly...child" 3RD"i'm so hungry...let me out..........i.." since no one was there to make sound the evp's caught really good sentences from the pit of the children and what seemed to be rosa.i WOULD post these online but i don't know how to get it on here to show you guys but i'll neeevveerr forget this,we even had to leave the building cause of this frightning voices of the sick boys,kids,and that haggyy rosa c well hope you know there's ghosts evwy wer.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Nice Story
by: Anonymous

is it real? but it is really cool. it sounds so real!!and i know those facts are real, how did you come up with this story? but if it was real i understand. anyway, nice story!! Love, Joelie Riley
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		orphanage
by: sailor starlights

When did you go on the tour? My mom used to work there and she was one of the first tour guides to take a tour group in there.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Rosa
by: Anonymous

Rosa Carmicheal should've been burned at the stake, that witch!!!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Happy to see Elmo
by: Fred

Nov.14th,2010 Our paranormal group investigated the orphanage and it didn't let us down with all the claims we had read about. We brought along with us a Tickle Me Elmo for the kids to use as a trigger object. This is a talking,singing and dancing stuffed figure that we were sure would peak a child's interest. After playing it about a half a dozen times we asked if you would like us to make it sing again. I heard a high pitched noise that sounded like a child. We played back our audio on the spot to hear a child's voice saying "Yes". We also had flashlight and K-2 interaction on the table of toys... check it out..private time can be purchased through the Gettysburg Tourism Center as we did..you won't be disappointed!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I Had No Idea!
by: Rob (Semper fi)

Back in 1996, my wife and I stayed at this Orphanage - it was a make-shift hotel back then. We had absolutely no idea about all of these horror stories. We were aware that Gettysburg is full of ghosts...and that this was a very old house from back in the 1800s...but we never knew about the abuse. I have been back to Gettysburg several times over the last decade, I don't believe the Orphanage is a hotel anymore. I even have a picture of the orphanage from 1996, and it is definitely the house we are all talking about - it's right across the street from the visitor center. I wish we had known all this spooky stuff back then. Our stay at the Orphanage was a really great memory. I love Gettysburg!!!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Reality of Orphanages
by: Katie

In 1873, the ASPCA declared an 11 yr. old girl to be an abused animal as there was no law against child abuse, however, there was for animals. Orphanages were not meant to be abusive places. They were meant to be practical; to house, clothe and feed children until they could become a useful citizen, which could be considered age 9 or 10. They were supposed to get educated and work. Most orphanages were funded through religious and government organizations. However, there usually was not enough money to accomplish the goals they set out. So understaffed and overpopulated, many orphanages turned into places of abuse. For some reason, most Catholic orphanages I have heard of, including the one I was in, tended to be abusive despite having adequate finances and staff.
It was normal for children, with or without parents to work hard back in the mid-1800's. So working hard within an orphanage would not have been that different than being at home. Since parents also worked hard, there was less time to spend abusing children. Except for those whose job it was to oversee very many children. Then I suppose it was much easier to beat them or lock them up then anything else. It was occurring in my orphanage into the 1970's.

Rating
star 		people who make comments
by: Anonymous

I too believe in ghosts...and after seeing a television show about the orphange, made me Google it as I had never heard of this before. Then to come here to this page.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I just wanna know more!!!
by: Amanda

Oh my gosh i loved reading about your comments but i just wanted to know about the horror and scary stuff like one girl said about the dried bodies and by the way i read what you posted Ness, that was funny lol
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Not every child who was in a orphanage is a orphan
by: Kitty

My mother and my aunt where raised in a Pennsylvania orphanage and DID have parents. My mother was 3 and my aunt Sally was 5 when they were placed in a orphanage outside of Philadelphia. There parents, especially her mother did not want her. My mother is 76 now, but back when she was a child father's were not given custody of girls, so they allowed my mother's, mother (I refuse to call her my grandmother) in a orphanage instead "because no man wants to raise another man's children. My mother tells stories of other children who were in the orphanage with her who at least had one parent. My mother and my aunt stayed in the orphanage until they graduated High School.

Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		ITS REALLY HAUNTED
by: Maurie

I went there and it was absolutely terrible. It was sad and scary. I sat down on one of the benches and i felt something grab my back. I fell off and my acquaintances, Liam and Cherie, gave me weird looks. Cherie was freaking out and I was just lying there, stunned. i didn't know what to think! And then i got up and looked terrified. Liam explained the feeling he got when he saw my face as "pale-white and horrified." I knew that it wasn't my imagination of something grabbing me. I started to go up the steps because we wanted to get out of that place as SOON as possible when i heard something, an old womans voice, go "not until you eat your food," or something like that. I screamed and my tour guide hurried us out of there. That was the scariest thing that's ever happened to me in my 31 years of life.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Visit to the orphanage
by: Peggy

While on a visit to the Orphanage this summer, I tried to photograh the chains on the back wall in the basement. even close up the chains never appeared on my camera. After 5 times I finally got something that resembled two orbs. I also got a feeling of lots of saddness while I was in the basement. I also discovered when I developped a few more pictures, what I thought was just light or a glitch in my camera turned out to be a face.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Made Me A Believer!
by: ZachSmyth

I was very skeptical about if ghost or "spirits" actually existed but as we went down in to basement where the children were kept. we all sat down with our psychic medium and all of the sudden someone was running right above us. We were informed that we were the only ones in the entire building! I sat in the back corner of the room and kept hearing a womans voice. I couldnt make out what she was saying but her tone was scolding like a mother telling her kids to go to bed.

I would definatly go back!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		scary
by: brant

rosa is very scary she made a room like a room with shackles and she hang a boy on the shackles if he was bad and each boy had a nightmare about her and they dreamed like she'll open the door and she walked right to the bed and grab them but she even gave me nightmares!
Rating
starstarstar 		Ok Tour
by: Anonymous

Basement tour was nice, but didn't see or hear anything.I have done all the ghost tours in Gettysburg and have NEVER seen or heard anything....
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Intesnse
by: Anonymous

I went to the Ghostly Encounter Orphanage tour that they only have for this weekend. And they said all the facts were true. It was amazing. Down in the celler, the chains kept swinging. And then the tour guide (dressed up as Rosa, acting like her) got those sticks out that ghosts can move. And she was asking questions like, "If ur here cross the sticks then uncross them." She did. The whole tour was AMAZING!!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		i love this i will be back
by: Christy

Well me an my husband had went to gettysburg just to go ghost hunting on our own when we walked into that little gift shop when the lady there said about the ghost tours an of course me and my husband loving the ghost i said i wanted to go on the one at 12am this was on friday apirl 4th so we went an once we got to the pit as they called it back then we had a medium there an told us that there was a little boy who was running back an fourth an making the chan on the wall move and i got a chill then time for light out for 5 mins so i said ok i walked back into that little room as the pit an was doing a evp session...my husband asked it if he was upset of our presents an its reply back was JUST A LITTLE BIT...an i had asked it if it wanted to play a game an it replyed CHASE ME...i also said show me a sign if you want us to leave an then my neck started to burn after the light were turned back on there was scratch marks on my neck an our tour guide took a pic on her cell phone...i just love the ghosts i want to go back an get more evps
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		what happend
by: goatsil

poor children they were treated terrabley only if I were there I would knock some scence into thoses care takers, :(
Rating
starstarstarstar 		When i was here
by: Frightend

Me and my friends were just being stupid we dicited to go to this old orphange it was horrible, the walls were turing into a black miscolored color
the cellings were turing into fungis and my stomach felt like it was going to coil inside my body, My best friend Genee grabbed my hand and leed me twords a door go in it she wispered in my ear i shook my head you go in it i sputturd okay she said strighting herself out she grabed the door knob and twisted it the door squeeld and opend into a room full of beds we looked in it and screamed there we saw 3 bodies laying there they were all dried up we ran out the door out of the orpahnge when the rest of my friends came out they said that there was nothing in there but i knew what we had saw.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		more orphanage info!!
by: Anonymous

I just read this 5 part series in the NYT online - fantastic!

http://morris.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/whose-father-was-he-part-one/?scp=2-b&sq=series+amos&st=nyt
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I went there.
by: Anonymous

I also went to the orphanage and the mean ladys name as I recall was Patricia.
I hated the place. As soon as I got to the bottom of the steps I didn't want to be there. I didn't go back in the little rooms and dungeons as I was to scared to I hated it. My uncle was taking pictures with his cellphone and he caught a little girl dressed in a brown and white dress with blond hair looking at us. It is very clear she is not from our time zones. She looked dirty, and misstreated. As I said before I didn't want to be there. I felt a sence of some one mean there. As if Patricia was there.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Disappointed
by: Anonymous

I also was at the 10.10.09 Ghost Tour. My group of friends and I also left a little deflated with the poor background of this story. Although, there was enough to spark an interest and had all of us perusing the internet today for more of the story.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Orphanage Tour 10/10/09
by: greatfish

I went on the Orphanage tour on October 10, 2009 at 8 PM and was disappointed in the presentation because it was woefully short on the substantive facts about the orphanage and Carmichael. To me it seemed like an urban legend chain email. I couldn't wait to get on the internet to find out more about the underlying story. This is the first website I found, and the first summary I read is posted above by a 12 year old girl. It is much more factual than what I was given on the tour.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Did you...
by: Ness

Hi. I went on a ghost tour yesterday and the orphanage was my absolute favorite part. especially the pit. it was so scary. One man was very brave and crawled into a hole in the wall. he found a lollipop and some old candy cigarettes. he pulled out the lollipop and went "lollipop lollipop oooh lolli-lollipop" and then another guy said "can we keep this?" and someone else in the group hissed, in a deep scratchy voice "no! i want my lolly" its was funny. but, did you happen to see any kind-of-hidden-in-the-dark tunnels? because i saw two, one of which, was confirmed either a hole or a tunnel as someone crawled inside. but did you see a dark spot on the wall on the far side from the entrance? it was time to leave before i got a chance to investigate. i would love to go back again and look around more. please write back.

thanks,
Ness
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		no, it's not the wrong name
by: Anonymous

No Rosa wasn't the founder, and yes, she was the horrible woman who committed all of these atrocities. The found was Dr. J. Francis Bourns, who was responsible for uncovering the identity of Gettysburg's UNKNOWN SOLDIER. Dr. Bourns brought the soldier's wife and children to the orphanage and Mrs. Humiston was the house mother and when she remarried, that's when Mrs. Carmichael came in. I've read two demises for Mrs. Carmichael, one being that she was run out of town and the other being that she was tried and covicted of assault and battery. very good story, hon.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Wrong name?
by: Anonymous

I may be mistaken, but I read that Rosa was the founder of the orphanage..and a very kind lady.
The evil head-master was the next lady in, named Patricia.

Not that it really matters.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Re; You do realize that orphans' don't have parents
by: Anonymous

Regarding your note that "no body with a father who could or would care would be living there," I don't think the writer said that the boy who lived at the orphanage had the father who cared. A boy went to the orphanage to visit his friend only to find out the friend had died; he then went home and told his own father of the friend's death.

Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		You do realize that orphans' don't have parents
by: Anonymous

An orphan is, by definition, a person who's parents are dead. Even adults are orphans when their parents pass away. Some times people ended up in an "Orphan asylum" if they were abandoned, but mostly if a kid was old enough to do some kind of work and get payed they wouldn't go to the orphanage. Orphanages where someplace you avoided at all costs if you could. Back then the government or the religious charities did no provide loving care or any care at all for children whose parents couldn't care for them, and no one would dream of "taking away" someone's children for any reason at all. There was no concept of child abuse (or woman abuse either) -- the children where "your" children the same way your horse was "your" horse, or your watch was YOUR watch -- you owned them and you could do what ever you wanted with them.

The harsh reality is that back before government funding and government oversite, orphanages existed to provide a work force and an income for the owners. They were no better and not much worse than living with your own parents.

My point is that first Ms Charmichael was no worse than any other person who ran an orphanage, and second no body with a father who could or would care would be living there.

So while the place might be very haunted, (I think it is BTW), the tour guide was definitely telling a made up story to make the place sound more exciting. All tour guides do that -- if they don't have exciting stories, how are they going to get people to want to pay to see it.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Rosa in Gettysburg
by: Patricia

What a horrible person this Rosa was, I'm sure the time came for her to own up to the terrible tragedy she caused these poor children. I can't help but wonder what kind of people would put a woman like this in charge of children.

You sure have guts to go crawling through that pit. That was really interesting to read about the voices you caught on your tape recorder.

Sounds like you and your family had a great time visiting Gettysburg.

Patricia

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Pennsylvania Ghost Tales.