Coe College is said to be haunted by Helen, a student who died of the 1918 flu pandemic. While stories of her late-night sightings in Voorhees Hall began shortly after her death in 1918, the haunting became a popular ghost story in the 1970s. Helen's alleged paranormal activities include unexplained cold spots, electrical disturbances, phone calls from an unknown girl's voice, and objects falling. Helen was a freshman at Coe College who died at age 18 in October 1918 during the flu epidemic. Most reported encounters occur in Voorhees Hall, a women's dormitory. Students report seeing a girl in white disappear down a hallway. There are reports of cold breezes and a weak unknown girl's voice on the phone. Electrical items may turn on or off, and pictures can fall from walls. Helen is described as a friendly ghost; her actions are not considered mean or vindictive. While students reported sightings shortly after her death in 1918, the legend gained significant traction and was widely shared by the 1970s.