Lancaster’s “Lady in White”

Just in time for Halloween, and in reference to my recent Grandview post, there stands, in the Lancaster Cemetery (at the intersection of Lemon and Lime in Lancaster, PA) above the grave of one Augusta Harriet Bitner, a statue referred to by the locals as “The Lady in White.” The story is told that on New Year’s Eve, while in preparation for her wedding the following day, young, tragically hip Augusta tragically tripped over her nightgown, fell down the stairs, broke her neck and died. (If she was a horse, they’d have shot her.) But no, my friends, the story does not end there. The legend has grown that each New Year’s Eve since then, at midnight, the statue comes alive and walks down the steps at Harriet’s grave.

Having lived around the corner, I had the opportunity to spend many evenings with Augusta, (discretion prevents me from telling you exactly why I spent so much time there) and I can say that I have never seen the statue walk down the steps, up the steps, or over to Clipper Stadium to catch a Barnstormers’ game, but the statue does have it’s own haunting, if not supernatural, quality. As Augusta’s gravesite is “lovely, dark and deep” and the cemetery is final resting place for several minor historical figures, I would recommend a visit there if you happen to find yourself roaming around Amishland tiring of outlet shopping and Amish gazing.