KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. - As the autumnal leaves fall from the trees and the air chills this October, a "howlin'good" half-dozen haunts happen in historic Valley Forge and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Best known as the pivotal encampment site of George Washington's troops in 1777-78, many lost their lives here. Yet some spirits still remain...

LuLu's House of Horrors in Plymouth Meeting was awarded the Victim's Choice for Best Haunted Houses in America by hauntedhouseratings.com. Its nightmarish wagon ride through the woods stops at the deadly haunted graveyard on the way to the zany horror house. A race through a bewildering corn maze follows.

The Pennsylvania Underground Paranormal Society (P.U.P.S.) detected activity recently at Selma Mansion in Norristown, built in the late 1700s. The public can face these ghosts during an October 24 Paranormal Overnight at the home built by Andrew Porter, a solider in the Revolution and the founder of the U.S. Marine Corps. His sons, also prominent politicians, lived there as did Col. Thomas P. Knox, president of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Society.

In the 1800s, Spring Mountain Adventures was a stone quarry - until a mysterious fire tragically wiped out the quarrymen and their families. They say their spirits still roam the mountain, especially when the site transforms into Scream Mountain. A chilling chairlift ride takes visitors up the dark side of the mountain and lets them grope their way down a windy, dimly lit trail. Desperate attempts to escape the tortured vengeful souls can also be frighteningly heightened with a Vertigo canopy tour or a haunted hayride.

The "Hellavator" only goes to the 13th floor at Scare World, inside Arnold's Family Fun Center in Oaks. The Toxic Waste Lab and the "Hexecution" Chamber provide plenty of chills and thrills, as creepy crawly creatures come out at every corner. The Vortex of Light laser show adds to the heart-pounding excitement.

The Friends of Graeme Park present ghostly Moonlight Tours of this Revolutionary War era estate on Fridays, October 21 and 28. Separated lovers Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson and Henry Hugh Fergusson supposedly still inhabit the grounds. Henry, a loyalist, left Elizabeth behind in deep despair during the war. A live theater performance illuminates their spirits and sheds light on subsequent encounters with the duo.

Harriton House, in Bryn Mawr, is said to be haunted by Tuggy, a household slave of tobacco plantation owner Richard Harrison. When her alleged plan to poison Harrison's morning chocolate was foiled, she died of fright while attempting to cast an evil spell on him in the graveyard. Discover the legend, and Tuggy's ghost, during a tour of the home, open Wednesdays through Saturdays throughout the year.

Most of these Valley Forge haunts are open Fridays through Sundays in October and require advance reservations. For information on how to make your visit a weekend excursion, visit www.valleyforge.org.

The Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ltd. is a nonprofit, membership-based sales and marketing organization that aggressively promotes the Valley Forge area and Montgomery County as a convention site and leisure visitor destination by encouraging patronage of its 500-plus member hotels, restaurants, attractions and services. The Bureau's Web site, at www.valleyforge.org, serves visitors, meeting planners, tour operators and residents.

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