Paranormal in Pennsylvania! Historic Charming Forge Mansion Up for Sale

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Thrill-seekers with a love for old homes can now live in the residence of a historical master craftsman and perhaps meet a few ghosts. The Charming Forge Mansion in Womelsdorf, PA, is available for $825,000.

The Georgian mansion has seven bedrooms, four bathrooms, seven working fireplaces, and original Colonial-era woodwork.

“It’s a little imposing in that it is museum-quality,” says listing agent Matt Barnhart. “It’s big and it’s stylish and it’s formal—some folks find it a little bit daunting.”

The craftsmanship is evident in such details as the fluted columns and crown molding, and even the effort to replicate the original paint colors.

The earliest section of the house started life in 1749 as tulpehocken eisenhammer, or Pennsylvania German for “iron forge.”

Front exterior

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Aerial view

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Self-styled industrialist “Baron” William Henry Stiegel moved into the home in 1763 and renamed it Charming Forge. Stiegel’s nephew added the larger section of the home between 1780 and 1784, after Stiegel went bankrupt and was forced to sell the home at auction.

The home was extensively restored in 1994, and modern amenities designed to blend in with the historic home were added.

The owner “did a masterful job of doing the restoration and retrofit,” says Barnhart.

The mansion sits on 48.5 acres, which also include a carriage barn that can fit four cars, a former summer kitchen, bake oven, and additional stone dwelling.

Fireplace

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Cooking fireplace

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The property is located roughly an hour outside of Harrisburg and just two hours from Philadelphia.

It would be an ideal property for either a family needing a large home or someone interested in the property’s history, Barnhart says. “It should really be a museum.”

As a “bonus” for buyers, this place is also home to a few ghost stories. The Reading Eagle reports such tales go back centuries.

Plaque

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The tales include a woman crying in the halls, awaiting her lover who fell from his horse approaching the house; sightings of her deceased paramour in the yard; and sounds of the German prisoners of war during the American Revolution. Stiegel himself is believed to have died in the house under his nephew’s care, and some claim to have heard him stomping around.

The current homeowner, who’s lived there for 15 years, hasn’t had any paranormal experiences, but some guests have sensed the presence of outside visitors.

“Some people have the antenna and can sense that, most people don’t,” says Barnhart. “There’s all kinds of stories.” It’ll be up to a new buyer to write the home’s next chapters.

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