Conversation around town is the King George Inn will be demolished to make way for a hotel and additional stores along Hamilton and Cedar Crest boulevards, South Whitehall Township.

The development would incorporate the King George Inn, the Burger King and the Carvel Ice Cream store sites.

South Whitehall Township Manager Jon Hammer confirmed the owner could demolish the building but no permit has been obtained.

If that were to occur, what would happen to the longtime residents of the King George Inn, such as those talked about in numerous books about ghosts in the Lehigh Valley and on the website hauntedhouses.com?

While traveling in western Pennsylvania many years ago, I purchased a book about haunted sites in the Lehigh Valley.

One site was the King George Inn.

The King George Inn was built in 1756 around the time of the French and Indian War. It is suggested during the Revolutionary War, George Washington's troops camped in the fields behind the building where they also drilled.

According to hauntedhouses.com, a male entity with a beard, dressed in Colonial tunic and a lacy shirt, has been seen throughout the building.

"One employee was going into the second floor stock room, when he came face-to-face with this translucent male entity, who looked at him. After seeing the young man's astonished face, this entity then threw back his head, and had a jolly laugh with no sound."

There is also a report of an entity named Charlie who hung himself and who now likes to play tricks on the staff by slamming doors and moving things around, bothering people working in the kitchen.

Eastern Pennsylvania Paranormal Society captured images of a woman and a child in pictures taken during an investigation at the King George Inn.

These can be found at http://eppsinvestigations.com/photos.html.

Hauntedhouses.com says a female entity and an entity of a little girl dressed in Colonial-style clothes have been seen walking from the entrance into the dining area on the first floor and in the basement.

For years, I heard rumors of a baby crying in the kitchen while staff prepared meals. Perhaps it is the little girl mentioned above.

In 1976, the King George Inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places. However, this does not prevent someone from demolishing the building, it only protects the property from eminent domain.

Listen, I'm all for progress.

Just look at SteelStacks and see how that developer successfully incorporated history into the present, celebrating the importance of Bethlelem Steel to the Lehigh Valley.

I do not understand why the developer of this location cannot incorporate the main building of the King George Inn into the design plans and maintain this historic treasure.

Supposedly, this inn offered a place of refuge during wars, offered a place to sleep for travelers and was a community center, town hall, meeting house, courthouse and all-around place of comfort.

And it is home to Charlie and friends.

Hauntedhouses.com says, "People of all ages who suffer a violent death sometimes find it hard to pass over, so shocked, dazed or angry they lost their lives, perhaps not realizing they are dead or ready to go on."

What will happen to Charlie and his friends if their long-standing haunt is demolished by the wrecking ball?

Will they find a new place to call home in the new hotel or will they be forced to move on in search of a new abode?

Let's rethink any plans to demolish the King George Inn before we have to say, "Sorry Charlie."

Debbie Galbraith

editor

East Penn Press

Salisbury Press