Me in front of the Avondale Hotel
I would love for you to convince me that ghosts exist. But you can’t. You can tell me stories, you can show me all of your evidence, but unless you show me a ghost I’m probably going to roll my eyes.
I’ve changed my mind.
The other day my wife and I decided to get some burning bushes for the front of our house. We ended up in Philipsburg. Philipsburg is the home of Philip of Philips head screwdrivers. You can even see the original building were Phil made his first screwdriver, rumor has it that it took him three additional years to come up with the screw. It was a difficult three years, so difficult Philip suffered from horrible chest pain so he came up with a type of milk that relieved heartburn.
Usually when we are entertaining guests and bring them to Philipsburg I start with the screwdriver story, I’ve actually had one or two people wondering. The problem is I never know when to shut up, by the time I get to either Philips Milk of Magnesia or sometimes Philip Magnavox people begin to realize I’m making things up as I go. Seriously though, this post is not about Philip or his town. In fact Philipsburg has nothing to do with this story, except that we could not find burning bushes in Philipsburg.
We ended up going to Black Bear Nursery which is in Winburn over by Kylertown. Let me tell you about Kylertown. Population 426, according to the census bureau four hundred and forty two of the people are white one person is Indian the other two are unaccounted for. As strange as it may seem, one of those 426 people is a co-worker of mine. Winburn Pa, according to the PA demographic Information has an estimated population is 105 people.
We found ourselves driving deep in the heart of Winburn and there was no sign of anything. We traveled down the deserted roads marveling at the beauty of the lush green forest that surrounded us. We turned a corner and came across a building badly in need of repair from the direction we were traveling we could only see the backside. Some of the windows on the first floor were cracked many on the second floor were boarded up. Just as we were passing the building my wife saw a sign, “Avondale Hotel, Open for business” “Turn in!” my wife said, “Let’s stop and check it out!” The front of the building was done up for Memorial Day complete with lit up neon beer signs in each of the windows. The first thing I said to my wife was “I hope it is haunted”. The door was wide open and there were two grizzly looking guys sitting out front talking, as we parked the car they got up and headed inside. My wife jumped out of the car and headed for the door. I thought it best to guard the car.
Except for the young girl tending bar the front of the hotel was empty. The girl explained to us that her father purchased the place a year ago and has slowly been restoring it. They just got their liquor license but the kitchen and upstairs were still closed. The ‘girl’ showed us a display case that held some of the treasures her father had found. The Avondale was built about 100 years ago and burned down in its early years, restored and closed in the early 80’s and only re-opened a few short months ago. The actual wooden bar was beautiful and was part of the original building. I had fun running my hand over the 100 year old wood and thought about what tales this piece of ‘furniture’ could tell. The girl showed us a ledger book along with some pictures. This is coal country and I could imagine the workers hooking up their horses to the hitching posts and sitting at the bar after a hard day’s work.
My wife asked the girl if the place was haunted. She told us that the contractors have told her that sometimes at night the 100yr old cowbell that hangs above the door will ring even when the door is closed.
I asked if I could meet her father, I just wanted to meet the man who would take on such a wonderful challenge. She told us he was working and wouldn’t be back until late that night. I apologized as I thought that one of the men that came inside must have been her father. She looked at me oddly and asked me, “What men?” I told her about the two grizzly guys sitting outside. I got a blank stare in return. My wife told her that they came inside just as we were parking the car. We got the same blank stare. As we turned to leave I noticed a picture above the bar, it was one of those pictures that was done in Sepia and made to look old. “That guy!” I said. “He was one of the men that came in here just as we pulled up.” She looked at me and said, “You guys are serious? You saw that man come into this building?”
“Yes” My wife and I answered together.
“That” the girl said is George Womer! He built this hotel 100 yrs ago!
Our first view of AvondaleAvondale front, nowMe in front of Avondale HotelAvondale now
Avondale Hotel, 100 yrs ago
PanningForGold 
Interesting. In a creepy sort of way. Am nt sure I believe in ghosts, though they do make for some great stories and movies…
Who you gonna call….?
Are you serious Brian?
Woo hoo! Take me there. I want to check out the hotel! That sounds totally cool.
I live in this area and a close friend bought the hotel a year and a half ago and has done more repairs. Its gorgeous for its age. I’ve spent alot of time in the hotel and have toured every nook and cranny normally off limits to customers and lookers. We have spent alot of time on the outter property camping and cooking out as well. I am very open minded to the thought of ghost or paranormal. I have never encountered anything strange unfortunetly. I have heard no direct reports of anyone else that frequents the hotel have experienced anything either. It is now a very nice local bar, food to come in near future. They have many events with a large turn out. There is tons of history here and who knows what can be found. Maybe whatever could be there has not revealed itself to us yet. Guess that means you have to stop in and see what you can see or feel for yourself. Speaking of feel, even after being upstairs in the rooms (some have some verrry old very original furniture and past belongings in them still) I have never had a creepy or bad feeling. Whatever may be there must be overall good in nature perhaps. Maybe those past contractors made the spirits angry….
We love the hotel and its history. since writing this story I have found that I have friends and co workers who go there on a regular basis. From what we saw the place is absolutely beautiful. Both my wife and I hope it does well and hope it has a long future.
winburne history
by Tim Moriarity NOT MINE COPIED on Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 8:59pm
BIO: George Dale WOMER, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 820 & 821. _____________________________________________________________ GEORGE DALE WOMER, the genial proprietor of the Avondale Park Hotel, which was the first public house erected at Winburne, Pa., was born in Blair county, Pa., January 3, 1868, and is a son of Emanuel and Ellen (Kennedy) Womer. Emanuel Womer was born in Blair county in 1838, a son of George Womer, of German descent. He was a forgeman and blacksmith, at which trade he worked for twenty-eight years. For thirty-nine years he has been a resident of Morrisdale, where he was one of the first settlers. In 1861 he enlisted for service in the Civil war and remained a soldier until its close, when he was honorably discharged in 1865, his whole period of service covering four years and three months. He was fortunate enough to escape serious injury, although he participated in many battles. He is a valued member of the G. A. R. Post at Philipsburg, Pa. For three years he has lived retired, his home continuing to be at Morrisdale. He married Ellen Kennedy, daughter of Alexander Kennedy, an early settler in Blair county. She died in 1903, at the age of sixty-four years. They had the following children: Alexander, an engineer, living at Philipsburg; George Dale; Charles, an engineer, who lives at Morrisdale; Agnes, who is the wife of William Hawkins, of Morrisdale; Myrtle, who died at the age of thirty-one years; Clark, who has charge of a shoe store at St. Mary’s, for the firm of Hall & Kaul; Margaret, who died unmarried at the age of twenty-eight years; and Ellen, who lives with her father. George Dale Womer was three years old when his parents came to Clearfield county and was reared and educated at Morrisdale. He conducted a butchering business at his first independent enterprise and was then elected constable and served eight years as constable in Morris township, and proved a very efficient officer. He first embarked in the hotel business in 1899, at Grass Flats, where he remained for two and one-half years, then sold and bought the Morrisdale Hotel, which he conducted for six years. After selling that property he went to Wilkesbarre, where he went into a wholesale whiskey business, which he sold eighteen months later and on November 1, 1909, bought the Avondale Park Hotel at Winburne, which he has conducted ever since. This hotel is beautifully situated in a park of pine, locust and hemlock trees. Mr. Womer had put it in the best of condition and has all modern comforts and appliances, including steam heat, hot and cold water and electric lights. He offers to his many satisfied patrons an excellent table, comfortable sleeping rooms and attentive service, all at a reasonable price. In 1895 Mr. Womer was married to Miss Janet Mason, a daughter of John and Jane Mason, of Morrisdale, where she was born and reared. They have one son, a bright, intelligent school boy of fourteen years. Mr. Womer is identified fraternally with the Red Men, the Knights of Pythias, the Jr. O. A. M. and the Elks. In politics he is a Democrat. In addition to his hotel property he owns thirty-eight acres of richly cultivated land, where he raises all his own vegetables and poultry and also keeps cows in order to supply his hotel with fresh cream and butter. Mr. Womer is a self-made man in the sense that through his own industry and good judgment he has brought about his present prosperity
great story keep up the blog thx
The previous owner lived in the hotel and did a lot of work to bring it back to life over a five year period. When he purchased it, it had 5 or 6 refridgerators screwed shut with rotten food in them. Needleess to say, they were the first thing to be carted out! We do not recall a cowbell over any doorways that would ring unless it was hung by the current owner. We never saw any ghosts but it was always in the back of our minds that it could be possible!
Thanks Tim and Rhonda. Seems like this post has taken on a life of its own. Thanks for your input and comments. It’s always nice to hear more of the history.
I am Brian’s wife and the day we stopped in I was so taken with the building. It exuded so much personality. I went inside and there was a young girl tending the bar that day. She said she was the owner’s daughter. I told her what an awesome building I thought it was and she started telling me about the renovations her father was doing. She showed me old photographs in the case there and I of course asked her if it was haunted because it just looked like it should be. She was the one who told me that there are times the bell above the door will ring on it’s own without the door being opened or closed. We really were taken with the place and plan on returning again someday to see the further renovations which have occured.
I did do some research online about hauntings in the Winburne area and came up with a few around the train tracks and such.
Denyce
Hey, its the bartender that talked to you guys that day. Although i had no clue or even knowing that this George Womer guy existed, the story is great. The bell above the door was hung by my fathers friend and like i told you that day i have never encountered any paranormal activty but i did say a former bartender did say once that she has witnessed the bell above the door ring even if the door had not been opened. The bell is rigged so you never know if it just gets stuck or if it actually is a ghost. My dads bar is beautiful, and the history of it is even more interesting then the thoughts of ghosts or anything like that. Hope to see you guys again. See ya!
Hi Hayley, glad you chimed it. Back in June when I wrote this I kept meaning to let you guys know that I had written it but time got away from me. It seems you guys found it as this post has recently recieved quite a bit of attention. First thank you for showing us all the stuff and telling us a little about what you guys have been doing. That prompted me to do an internet search on the history of the hotel. There was not much except except for the whole Geroge Wormer thing. My wife and I remembered your comment about the bell above the door and I thought what the heck and I’d incorperate a little bit of a ghost story into our finding your beautiful bar. The history really is amazing.
After I posted the story quite a few of my co-workers came forward who had visited the hotel both before and after your father took it over and they all had wonderful things to say. Many wanted to know if the ghost part was true because most of them do believe in ghosts.
In July I made another post not directly relating to the hotel but I did come clean about what part of the story I made up. That post can be found here: https://bmat10.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/162-posts-and-what-have-i-learned/
I will cut and paste the section about the Avondale I did make up.
“3) If you are going to write a fictional piece, it may be best to create another page for that purpose. The post generated a lot of questions. The bulk of the story is true. The only part I made up was the very end. Since writing that post I have learned that most of the locals do believe the Avondale is haunted, but I made the ghost part up. When we drove up to the Avondale there were two grizzly men, but one got in a pickup truck, the other got on a motorcycle and they both drove away. There was no picture of George on the wall.”
Again thanks for your hospitality during our visit. And best of luck to you, your father and all involved. My wife and I will make a point of heading up that way in the future, hope to see you then.
Brian.
You don’t need to cut anything. It was a good story. Although I didn’t see your other post. I will check it out!
A lot of this story is scewed. My grandfather, who passed in 2002, had this bar open for many years throughout my childhood. I was born in 1989 so it was open for many years during this time. My father and uncles could give u a better background on the property.
[…] it went. I hate to toot my own horn, but I’ve made up better ghost stories.(my beautiful ghost), Do You Believe? And The Barking […]
[…] written about Ghosts before including Do You Believe and Demons in the Trees along with a host of others (I will include additional links below.) Some […]