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Campfire Ghosts at Gettysburg
When I was younger, my family took a camping trip near Gettysburg—one of those classic summer adventures filled with s'mores, bug spray, and the ever-present scent of campfire smoke. We spent the whole day around the fire, cooking, talking, and getting thoroughly marinated in that smoky aroma only a campfire can deliver.
That night, we had a special plan: a ghost tour at the Jennie Wade House, one of the most famously haunted spots in the area. The tour was held after dark, of course—because what’s a ghost tour without the creepy ambiance of night?
As we followed our guide through the dimly lit house, she explained the different ways spirits might try to reach out—sometimes they can be seen, sometimes heard, and, as she dramatically whispered, “Sometimes… you can even smell them.”
Right on cue, someone from the group gasped. “I smell smoke!”
The guide’s eyes widened, and a few others murmured in agreement. One woman clutched her husband’s arm. “It’s her,” she said, referring to Jennie Wade. “She’s here.”
Meanwhile, my family and I were standing there trying not to burst out laughing. The dramatic “ghost smell” was just us—still reeking of hours spent roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. Every step we took probably wafted another puff of woodsmoke into the group.
As the tour group got more convinced they were in the presence of the supernatural, we silently exchanged looks, barely keeping it together. To this day, we joke that we successfully haunted the Jennie Wade House that night—armed with nothing but the lingering smell of campfire.