In mid-May I was a speaker and vendor, selling and signing books at the Pennhurst Asylum Paracon in Spring City, PA in May 2026. This blog is about my experience walking through the Devon Building on the campus of the former Asylum.
ABOUT THE PENNHURST ASYLUM - Pennhurst Asylum (originally the Pennhurst State School and Hospital) in Spring City, Pennsylvania, was a state-run institution for individuals with disabilities. Opened as a "progressive" model facility, Pennhurst was intended to house, educate, and care for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. However, the institution quickly devolved into a human warehouse plagued by chronic overcrowding, underfunding, and systemic abuse.
Operating from 1908 to 1987, it became the subject of a landmark 1970s civil rights lawsuit that exposed horrific abuse and neglect, ultimately triggering a major shift in U.S. disability law.
WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE DEVON BUILDING - The Devon Building is a highly active and historically significant location on the former Pennhurst State School and Hospital campus. As one of the largest residential buildings on the lower campus, it is a primary hub for paranormal investigations and speaker workshops.
MY EXPERIENCE - The paracon assigned me a full-time helper named Nikki, and she was awesome. She led me through the Devon building to get to the speaker's tent and that's when things got crazy.
As soon as I walked through the front door of the building, I felt my legs get very shaky. Instantly I developed my tell-tale headache which tells me when earthbound ghosts (and spirits who crossed over) are around. The building was loaded with Earthbound ghosts who died there and wandered too long, losing their energy and getting stuck (that's how I account for the fact that ghosts can't cross themselves over after a while).
The Headache was Crushing. In fact, there were so many ghosts who came out as I walked through the main corridor, their energy was like a massive, tight vise on my head. It almost felt like a migraine, because their negative emotional energy began to affect my vision, so I knew I needed to get out of the building ASAP.
In the previous year when I took part in the paracon and I had to go through the building, I managed to go up to the second floor, where I heard children shouting.
I learned that the second floor of the Devon building was where the children's ward was located, so it made sense that I heard the shouting of ghostly children, screaming for attention.
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Key Features of the Devon Building
- Candyland: The basement area of the Devon Building is notoriously referred to as "Candyland". It is one of the most popular and actively investigated spots during the event.
- Paranormal Hotspot: Devon is widely known in the paranormal community for high levels of residual energy, shadow figures, and unexplained audio phenomena.
Visiting & Planning -Location: 250 Commonwealth Drive, Spring City, PA. Access to the Devon Building is typically included with VIP passes and general admission tickets.
ABOUT THE PARACON - Paracon & Oddities Expo – May 16th & 17th was held at the famous former Pennhurst State School campus for a 2 day Paranormal Enthusiast & Oddities Expo event. It featured vendors, psychics, special Guests, historical tours, & Paranormal Investigations.