If you’re looking for a weekend get a way or even a Day trip..

If you’re looking for a weekend get a way or even a day trip that’s historical or considered by others to be haunted, then you may want to look into Windber, PA.

This Historic District of Windber Pennsylvania is part of the Outer Johnstown area, that has been a little over looked and almost a forgotten dot on the map. It was founded in 1897 by Charles and Edward Berwind, coal barons of Berwind Corporation. It was a company owned booming coal mine town in its day. The Berwind Coal company was huge for importing workers, offering boarding and a more promising life for the worker and their families in exchange for work, in the booming coal mines. Unfortunately for some of those workers, they would come to the town, run their tabs up with the hotel bars and other means of entertainment and then have to settle their debt collected by working it off right away for the Coal Company. Catch 22 now some would say, but it was a brilliant tactic back in the day for the coal company.

One Hotel in particular that was involved in the bartering deals with the Berwind Coal Company was the Grand Midway Hotel. We had the privilege and unique pleasure to stay at the Grand Midway Hotel where we meet its owner Blair Murphy. He gave us a wonderful insight on the Hotel and the town history. Blair Murphy was a film maker living in Los Angeles in 2001, when he saw the for-sale ad of the hotel on eBay calling his name. After winning the bid, shortly after he became the owner of the Hotel, he spent the last several years of fixing up, maintaining and even creating his own ideas for the hotel.

By doing this, Blair has kept a piece of history of the town from disappearing. Since his ownership, the hotel has been recognized for having the largest Ouija Board on its roof by the Guinness World Records on October 28, 2016. If that isn’t fascinating enough, the next year On September 11, 2017, the hotel was once again recognized for having the largest Tarot Card by the Guinness World Records. Blair is a man on a mission of bringing the little almost forgotten town of Windber back on the Map! The hotel has different themed rooms you can stay in, we stayed in the Shakespeare room. It has a Vampire room that has coffins, a Mermaid room with all different sea creatures hanging from the ceilings and even the canopy room which has been said that some get such an eerie feeling or have some strange happenings, that the occupants change rooms before their stay is over. Each room even has its own collection of movies relating to the theme of the rooms.

We feel the beauty of the place, along with the amazing and quite odd items throughout the hotel is what makes the hotel have a haunted or eerie vibe to it. Never the less, if you’re looking for historic or something totally out of your comfort zone, then the Grand Midway Hotel has it all. Blair goes above and beyond making sure you have a great taste of history and a memberable visit. If the hotel leaves you wanting more, he also has an old church that was to be torn down but he was able to purchase the building to save more of the town’s history. The church building now houses an awesome display of dolls from Anne Rice herself.

Well, we can’t spoil it all for you! There’s so much more to see and even learn about for yourselves that we will save for you to find out on your visit here.

Happy Travels!! Kristian and Ashley