Tamaqua's Haven for Spectres

The Tamaqua Elks Lodge No. 592 may stand as a proud community landmark, but behind its brick walls lingers a chilling reputation. Since the Elks first claimed the building on August 23, 1905—transforming what was once an apartment house into a tavern, restaurant, meeting place, and even a bowling alley—the lodge has carried with it whispers of the supernatural.

From early days, members reported unnerving phenomena: lights flickering to life on their own, appliances buzzing in empty rooms, and voices echoing through vacant halls. Misty figures have been seen drifting down staircases, and the third floor—long abandoned—remains the most feared. Here, shadows dance where no light falls, and phantom footsteps seem to stalk the living.

The stories all circle back to two tragic deaths within the lodge. One tale tells of a troubled member who, in the 1930s, ended his life by hanging from the banister upstairs. The other speaks of a man struck by a fatal heart attack in the front room, his body left undiscovered for three long days. Many believe it is their restless spirits that roam the building still—forever tied to the lodge where they drew their last breaths.

Over the years, countless encounters have deepened the legend. Members have witnessed doors slam shut without cause, strange orbs dart through the air, and cold touches from unseen hands. In one chilling episode, a psychic fled the building in panic after claiming to feel a phantom tap on her shoulder. Paranormal investigators, including a team in 2001, recorded eerie activity in the very rooms where these deaths occurred.

To this day, the Tamaqua Elks Lodge is more than a gathering place—it is a place where history and the haunted intertwine, where the past refuses to stay buried, and where shadows whisper of those who never truly left.