The old York Prison in York, PA, is described as a creepy, abandoned building where people report feeling watched, experiencing spectral activity like being followed by spirits, and smelling cigarette smoke when no one is present. Some legends also mention a possible electric chair in the basement or an existing hanging trapdoor, though this is disputed. The building, which was used from the 1850s until its closure in 1979, is associated with the difficult lives and harsh punishments of its former inmates. Many visitors feel a sense of being observed or followed by unseen presences within the prison's empty halls and cell blocks. Some witnesses have reported seeing figures, while others have smelled the distinct scent of a lit cigarette, even when no one else is around. There are claims that the spirits of former prisoners still roam the building, sometimes following visitors. One account describes a psychic feeling a strong force, possibly from a burly jailer, holding her down in a cell.