Aerial survey · USDA NAIP · public domainA late 19th-century cemetery on Coulterville Road in White Oak, Allegheny County, adjacent to the former St. Patrick's Church and the site of a now-demolished boys orphanage, where decades of local legend describe children's voices and footsteps at night.
614 Coulterville Road, White Oak, PA 15131
Research updated May 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free and publicly accessible cemetery.
Access
Limited Access
Steep hillside cemetery with uneven terrain. Coulterville Road has 7+ bends descending toward the Youghiogheny River.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1880 · Former coal-mining community of Alpsville/Coulter in South Versailles Township, Allegheny County · Site of St. Patrick's Church and cemetery, and a boys orphanage later demolished · Connected to the Rooney family of Pittsburgh, who originated from Coulter · Subject of a 2011 CBS Pittsburgh investigation of paranormal claims
Coulterville Road descends through a series of seven bends (locally called 'thirteen bends' in folk tradition) toward the Youghiogheny River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The former community of Alpsville, later known as Coulter, developed as a coal-mining and railroad patch community during the late 19th century. St. Patrick's Church served the community adjacent to Coulterville Road, with a steep hillside cemetery on the grounds. An orphanage for boys was established in Alpsville at the far end of the community.
Contrary to the fire-disaster legend that became central to local folklore, historian and community researcher accounts documented by SWPenna.com confirm the orphanage was not destroyed by fire; it was demolished after becoming obsolete. A boys club connected to the community did burn — but this was intentional, set ablaze by the owner (cheaper than demolition) as part of a planned transition to a new facility known as Pressley Ridge Schools in Pittsburgh. The orphanage property is now private; the Elizabeth Township Historical Society maintains records and sells a book about the area's history.
Coulter Cemetery has 369 documented memorials on FindAGrave. A 2011 CBS Pittsburgh report documented paranormal investigators from the East Hills Paranormal group visiting the orphanage site area, capturing a photograph of a 'foggy haze' — though a photography expert attributed the image to moisture and flash reflection. The property owner requested that ghost hunters stay off the private property.
Sources
According to SWPenna.com, OnlyInYourState, and a 2011 CBS Pittsburgh news report, the paranormal tradition along Coulterville Road centers on the claim that an orphanage burned down and its child victims haunt the cemetery and church grounds. This fire narrative is specifically debunked: historical records confirm the orphanage was demolished without incident, and a boys club fire in the community was intentionally set for demolition purposes — no children died.
Despite the debunked origin story, visitor accounts consistently report the same phenomena along Coulterville Road and at Coulter Cemetery: voices that sound like children, small footsteps, a sense of being watched, and anomalous images appearing in rear-view mirrors while driving down the road. The CBS Pittsburgh report from October 2011 documented the East Hills Paranormal group capturing a photograph of a foggy haze at the site, though a photography expert attributed it to environmental conditions.
The Shadowlands submission for this candidate describes a route — turning at the bottom of Coulterville Road, up Eighth Street, then left to a church and small cemetery — consistent with the approach to St. Patrick's Church and Coulter Cemetery. The lore of figures seen in rear-view mirrors is documented across multiple independent sources and is the most consistent feature of the tradition. HauntBound presents this as a debunked-origin-story ghost tradition with genuine multi-source paranormal folklore around it.
Media Appearances
Coulter Cemetery on Coulterville Road in the former coal-mining community of Alpsville/Coulter. A small older cemetery (369 memorial records) on a steep hillside near the former St. Patrick's Church and the site of the demolished boys orphanage. The 'thirteen bends' drive down Coulterville Road is part of the local tradition.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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