Nemacolin Castle
Is one of North America’s oldest castles haunted by the family that once called it home?
Paranormal Activity at
Nemacolin Castle
- Vivid apparitions are captured in photos
- Visitors reporting hearing doors slam in the castle
- Disembodied voices are heard at times
- Heavy footsteps can be heard
- Objects in the library are said to be moved by unseen forces
- Shadow figures are often seen around the home
- Visiting ghost hunters sometimes record potential EVPs inside
History of Nemacolin Castle
The blocks of Front Street in Brownsville, Pennsylvania will take you on a trip through local history.
You can find historic tenement houses and townhomes on the road’s close-knit lots. But go further, and you’ll soon find the homes getting larger. And where Front Street ends, sits the largest estate in the neighborhood: Nemacolin Castle.
While it was never a royal home or fortress, Nemacolin Castle does well to live up to its name. The brick mansion sports several towers and turrets that sell the quintessential castle look. While it may not be as old as many European castles, Nemacolin proudly identifies itself as the third oldest castle in the US.
And it’s got the history, and the hauntings, to prove it.
Timeline of Nemacolin Castle's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Nemacolin Castle through the years
1789
The Nemacolin property took a long path before settling into its life as a castle. In 1789, the first structures took shape on the property. That year, trader Jacob Bowman built a small, two-room trading post on the property to serve as both his business and his family home.
The town of Brownsville was a rapidly expanding trading town, with many travelers passing through on the main roads. Bowman’s small trading post quickly became a booming success.
1815
After decades of success in Brownsville, Jacob Bowman sought to expand his little home in 1815. Rather than tear down the two-room trading post, Bowman simply added onto it. He expanded the cabin-like structure into a full-fledged home, and soon after into a stately manor. Bowman continued making slow but steady expansions and updates to his home throughout the 1800s.
After Jacob’s death in 1847, his son, Nelson, took over the family business and continued building onto the treasured family mansion.
1892
Inspired by the castles of Germany, Nelson Bowman built new wings to the home with castle-like appearances. The mansion’s tell-tale turret and tower were added in the 1870s as part of Nelson’s pursuit of the castle aesthetic. Just like his father, Nelson continually built onto and updated the mansion until his death in 1892. That year, his son, Charles, took ownership of the now expansive Bowman castle.
While Charles didn’t have the drive for expansion that his father and grandfather did, he still made his mark on the mansion.
1959
Charles led another expansion and renovation to the castle in 1915. He brought some much-needed modern amenities into the home for the first time. After Charles’ death, his wife Leila continued living in the castle and managing the spacious grounds. Leila lived in the castle until her death in 1959. But, her will did not leave the castle to other family members or friends.
Instead, Leila willed the property to the county, for use as a museum. Her bequeathment ended 170 years of Bowman family ownership of the castle.
1975
Under the guidance of the Brownsville Historical Society, the Bowman family castle was reopened. As a historic house museum, it became known as Nemacolin Castle. Nemacolin Castle put the Bowman family’s spaces on display, using a large number of actual familial artifacts to furnish the exhibits. The mansion quickly became one of the town’s most well-known museums, and a cornerstone of local historic preservation.
The museum’s work was recognized in 1975, when Nemacolin Castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
2025
Today, Nemacolin Castle remains a public museum dedicated to the history of Brownsville. Countless visitors traverse the castle’s corridors each year. They learn about local history and experience the historic opulence of old world wealth. But more than that, some experience hair-raising, spine-chilling encounters with ghosts at Nemacolin Castle.
Stories have spread that several Bowman family members still haunt the place they spent generations calling home.
Is Nemacolin Castle Haunted?
Lore says there could be as many as ten ghosts haunting Nemacolin Castle. But the activity they conjure within can vary quite widely.
Vivid apparitions are some of the most common reports around the castle today. Visitors claim to see the specter of Jacob Bowman lingering through the halls, most often around the home’s library. Additionally, a woman in a flowing white dress is spotted passing through hallways and disappearing into rooms. Some figure this specter is Elizabeth Bowman, Nelson’s wife.
The Castle’s Countless Apparitions
Many apparitions seen in Nemacolin Castle are said to be members of the Bowman family. However, other spirits have more uncertain origins.
Visitors also claim to see a young girl, around seven years old, with a head of dark, curly hair. Despite her vivid appearance, no one can confirm just who this little girl ghost is.
Other child-sized shadow figures are also seen in the castle. Though they are nothing more than silhouettes with no identifiable characteristics.
In the castle’s basement, other adult-sized shadow figures are said to roam. Upstairs, Elizabeth’s white-clad form may be closely followed by an unknown woman in a plain black dress. Could this be a spectral servant, tending to the needs of the Bowman family phantoms?
Anomalies in the Library
Along with numerous apparitions and mysterious shifting shadows, objects in the castle are said to move on their own. While this activity is reported throughout the expansive home, it is said to be most common in the library.
As the library is where Jacob Bowman’s ghost is most often seen, many figure it is him moving and tossing objects around. Books have been moved and knocked off of shelves by unseen forces. Additionally, an antique cane kept in the room is purportedly a common focus of Jacob’s activity. Apparently, he will often toss it to the ground, sometimes multiple times a day.
Listen for the Castle Spirits
If you don’t happen to witness the hauntings of Nemacolin Castle with your eyes, you might still hear the spirits going about their daily business. Strange and unexplainable sounds are another common happening at the castle.
Many visitors and workers alike note heavy, almost stomping footsteps wandering through the house at odd hours. Some staff purportedly hear the footsteps even when they’re all alone in the mansion. At times, these heavy footsteps are paired with the sudden sound of slamming doors somewhere in the castle. But, whenever anyone goes investigating, no mysteriously closed doors are ever found.
Brownsville’s Most Haunted
Over recent years, Nemacolin Castle’s ghost stories have made it a popular location with Pennsylvania ghost hunting teams.
Visiting ghost hunters claim to encounter even more unexplained events in the house. Some even report recording the castle’s paranormal oddities.
Disembodied voices from certain rooms are often reported by paranormal teams. Many claim to capture these mysterious voices on audio recordings taken during investigations.
Along with that, several ghost hunters say they have captured images and videos of the castle’s ghostly figures. Some figures appear in mirrors, with others peeking through the castle’s windows.
See Ghosts at Nemacolin Castle
Nemacolin Castle today pursues the missions it has since the 1960s: education and preservation. The museum remains a popular stop for tourists and locals alike. Along with regular tours, the castle offers special events throughout the year.
Visitors can attend a Victorian-themed tea party, a farmers market, or a ‘Brews and Spirits’ live music event. But, the castle also hosts other kinds of spiritual events as well, hosting ghost tours and ghost walks every autumn.
The operators of Nemacolin Castle keep space for their ghost stories to grow and expand, much like the mansion did throughout the 1800s. And through regular ghost tours and private ghost hunts, more ghost stories materialize.
So, if you ever reach the end of Brownsville’s Front Street, a few Bowman ghosts may be there waiting for you, ready to make their dead end street come alive.
