ViraScoop
Stories of haunted houses are often laughable at best. Like, “The window flew open in that deserted home late one night!” or “We heard a scary moan!” It was likely caused by a strong gust of wind, if anything, and these tales aren’t all that believable to begin with, huh?
So, when former Pennsylvania politician Bob Cranmer purchased a house just outside of Pittsburgh, he wasn’t concerned when the faucet would turn on randomly in the night. Probably old plumbing, right? Eventually, though, the creepy happenings occurred more frequently—so much so that living in the enormous house became a waking nightmare.
What ensued was an 11-year battle with a demon that left everyone terrified…
Stories of haunted houses usually stop short of anything truly frightening. Maybe the windows rattle and doors slam, or someone thinks they see the shadow of a Victorian woman. In the case of former Pennsylvania councilman Bob Cranmer, however, the stories were a bit more unsettling…
Sitting on the corner of Sceneridge and Brownsville Road just outside of Pittsburgh was a quaint home that Bob had been mesmerized by as a kid. After a long career of public service, he made an offer to purchase the home. Strangely, it was accepted without any questions, even though it was for a price below market value.
Looking at the house from the outside, you’d think Bob and his wife, Lisa, had pulled off quite the steal. With a well-kept lawn, fresh red paint, and huge front porch, this three-story home seemed like the perfect place to settle down and entertain their family and friends. But it would soon become the worst purchase Bob ever made…
As its new owner would soon learn, the house had a violent history. In the 1700s, a tribe of Native Americans massacred a group of white settlers on the property, at least according to Bob’s future speculations. Later, in 1909, a disgruntled builder allegedly cursed the house. Yet these weren’t even the strangest parts of the house’s history.
Another theory was that an early 20th-century doctor allegedly rented a room in the house and performed over 100 then-illegal abortions. Put simply, some felt this house had a history of bad juju—and Bob and his family would eventually feel the brunt of it.
