Tamaqua lies in the midst of coal country in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.  Its historic district is centered at the intersection of Routes 209 and 309, locally know as Broad and Center Streets.   The streets of Tamaqua are narrow as are the building lots.  Nestled on the corner of one block is the Tamaqua Elks Lodge 592.  Built in the 1800's, this is one of the oldest buildings in Tamaqua.  A Colonial Revival structure, the architecture of this building includes stone quoins, classical cornice with modillion block, triglyphs, and circle motifs... but it is what is inside that attracted the CPPRA to its doors.

The building was purchased by the Elks Lodge in 1906 for use as a tavern, restaurant and meeting area.   The bar is located on the first floor with the dining and meeting hall on the second floor.  The third floor contained boarding rooms and a large ballroom. 

Following the 1906 purchase, decades went by without anything out of the norm occuring.  Then one day a female was found hanging by her neck from the 3rd floor banister....all available evidence indicated  her death was a suicide.  A few years later, the female suicide victim's brother also commited suicide in the same area....also by hanging.  It was after the second death that people began reporting paranormal phenomena - cold breezes,disembodied footsteps, and doors that would open and close on their own.

At some point in the history of this building it is stated that a female employee reported to work only to disappear while on the job, never again to be seen or heard from.  In 1970 a third person was found dead, again on the third floor of the premises.  Reports say he died supposedly of fright.  Later that year the third floor was closed to boarders and is now used for storage.

Reports of activity since that time persist and, in addition to previously reported phenomena include: dark human-like figures sighted on the third floor.....a figure cloaked in flames and a woman dressed in white.

The investigatory findings that follow are from August 22, 2009.  This is not the first time the CPPRA has investigated this haunted location, nor are we the only group to have done so.  A team of experienced CPPRA investigators spent several hours on the second and third floors of the Lodge.  Evidence was collected using regular and infrared videography and photography, temperature recording, EMF recording, and digital audio recording of 

Following are photos and tales of personal experiences from this investigation, which was conducted with the permission and support of the current leaders of the Tamaqua Elks.  The CPPRA would like to thank you for allowing us access to this amazing structure as well as for your time and support of the investigatory process.  We look forward to reinvestigating in the future!