Columbia has gained a reputation for its spooky nature, here’s why

• Aniya Faulcon
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  Aniya Faulcon is The Spark Host/Producer for WITF. She has a passion for shining a light on unique people, experiences, and perspectives within the community.
  
  Previously she worked as the People and Social Trends Reporter/Video Anchor for LancasterOnline | LNPNews. During her time there, she created video packages, provided Facebook Live coverage at community events, and wrote data-driven stories with census data and feature stories on local leaders, non-profit organizations, events, and people with unique talents and experiences within Lancaster County.
  
  Aniya also worked at WMAR ABC 2 News as a Sales Assistant and at the AFRO American Newspapers as an Executive Assistant and Media correspondent. Aniya interned at WEAA Gospel Grace 88.9 and worked at her alma mater’s radio station, WWPJ at Point Park University, where she gained skills and a passion for radio.
  
  Aniya grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and attended the Baltimore School for the arts for high school with a concentration in acting. She continued to hone her skills and passion for storytelling and later graduated from Point Park University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and Broadcast Reporting. Aniya is eager to continue her journey with storytelling in her role with WITF, as she aims to shed a light on real people and real stories within Pennsylvania in a variety of mediums.

 VINCENT YU / AP

A boy dressed in Halloween costume walks on his way to ask for candies at the Halloween night in Hong Kong, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

Airdate: Friday, October 21, 2022

Columbia has gained a reputation for its haunted and spooky nature because of paranormal activity reports from residents, stories about the Albatwitch, and more.

According to the Lancaster County Magazine, Columbia secured its place of honor on the Halloween Happenings map in 2001 when its production of the Haunted Lantern Tour became the hottest ticket in town for nine years and when Mt. Bethel Cemetery began hosting a fundraiser that allows guests to dine amongst the gravestones.

Chris Vera, President of the Columbia Historic Preservation Society, said Columbia, which was founded founded in 1726, has a spooky reputation because of its history.

“Of course, being the home of the Underground Railroad, hiding people in tunnels, things like that, which I do a lot of tunnel research,” Vera said. “And then eventually we had a lot of bars and railroads, an industrial town. There’s a lot of light inside this ball that we had to watch, learn and build our town with. So I think the mystique of our town is pretty separated from everybody else.”

Vera also said the tunnels in Columbia may be a portal for ghosts.

Rick Fisher, author of Ghosts of the River Towns book and Mysterious Creature & Paranormal Investigator, who saw his first ghost when he was seven years old and what he thinks was an Albatwitch with yellow eyes in Columbia, said he’s always been curious about paranormal and mysterious activity.

“I was always curious about the ghost phenomenon. Are they real? You know, and I started studying and investigating,” Fisher said. “I was instrumental in using most of the (ghost detecting) equipment that’s used now.”

Chris said although Columbia is already known for its spooky and haunted nature, the river town is putting its trademark on Halloween to draw more visitors and revenue for the community; and so far its working, with many sold out Columbia halloween attractions ever year.