The Doss House

The Doss House

278 St Mary St

Loretto, PA 15940

 

Nestled within the quiet mountain town of Loretto, The Doss House stands as one of the community’s oldest surviving structures and among its most intriguing. Surrounded by the deep religious history, historic architecture, and rolling landscapes of Cambria County, the house appears at first glance to be another preserved remnant of early Pennsylvania settlement. Yet behind its aged walls and weathered history lies a location that has steadily gained attention for reports of unexplained activity, unsettling encounters, and stories that continue to grow with each new visitor.

 

Like many buildings that have stood for more than two centuries, The Doss House has witnessed generations of lives pass through its rooms. The property has existed through periods of expansion, illness, death, economic change, and the gradual transformation of Loretto from a frontier settlement into the quiet borough it is today. Over time, the building served multiple purposes within the community, functioning not only as a residence but also at various points as a barber shop, doctor’s office, dental office, and undertaker’s location. With each chapter of its history, new stories became attached to the property, some documented and others passed quietly through local memory.

 

Today, The Doss House has become known not only for its historical significance but also for the growing number of paranormal claims connected to it. Visitors and investigators have reported strange voices, shadow figures, unexplained equipment malfunctions, and encounters that many believe cannot be easily explained. Yet beyond the stories of hauntings and unexplained phenomena lies another layer to the location: a deeply personal effort to preserve both the house itself and the memory of a loved one through the paranormal community that has formed around it.

 

Past

 

The history of The Doss House is closely tied to the origins of Loretto itself. Prior to European settlement, the surrounding region was associated with several Native American tribes, including the Shawnee, Lenape (Delaware), and Mingo peoples, who traveled and lived throughout western Pennsylvania long before permanent towns emerged in the area.

 

 

The settlement that would eventually become Loretto began to take shape near the end of the eighteenth century under the influence of Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin, the Russian-born Catholic missionary often credited with founding the town in 1799. Gallitzin established the community as one of the earliest Catholic settlements west of the Allegheny Mountains, and his influence remains deeply embedded throughout the borough today. His tomb rests within the grounds of Saint Michael’s Basilica, which continues to dominate the landscape of the small mountain town.

 

As the community slowly expanded during the early nineteenth century, The Doss House was reportedly constructed around 1810, making it one of the earliest surviving homes in the borough. Through the decades that followed, the structure became closely woven into everyday life within Loretto. According to local history and accounts shared by current owners, the building housed several important professions over the years, including the town’s doctor, dentist, undertaker, and eventually its only barber.

 

The nickname “Doss House” itself is believed to originate from Adolf “Doss” Stich, a barber who operated from the building during the twentieth century and became closely associated with the property within the community. As with many older structures that remain continuously occupied for generations, the house gradually accumulated layers of history tied not only to the building itself but to the people who lived and worked inside it.

 

 

The surrounding region also carries a long and complex history of hardship and mortality. Illness, industrial accidents, and early frontier conditions shaped life throughout Cambria County during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Nearby landmarks connected to figures such as Charles M. Schwab further transformed the region during Pennsylvania’s industrial era, while religious institutions and historic properties gave Loretto an atmosphere unlike many neighboring towns.

 

Over time, stories surrounding The Doss House began to move beyond ordinary local history. As ownership changed hands and interest in the paranormal grew, accounts of unexplained activity inside the home became increasingly common, eventually transforming the property into one of the more talked-about paranormal locations in the region.

 

Paranormal Experiences

 

While the historical significance of The Doss House alone makes it notable, the location’s growing reputation stems largely from the experiences reported by visitors, investigators, and current owners in recent years.

 

Among the most frequently discussed claims is the reported apparition of a little girl in a green dress, who has allegedly been seen moving quietly through parts of the house before disappearing moments later. Multiple visitors have described the figure similarly, contributing to the story’s persistence among those familiar with the property.

 

The basement has become another focal point for reports of paranormal activity. Visitors have described sensing an oppressive atmosphere below the main floor, accompanied at times by sightings of shadow-like figures moving through the darkness. Some have also reported hearing a low growl emanating from the basement area despite no identifiable source being found during investigations. The presence of an isolated mantle located within the basement has also drawn attention from guests, many of whom describe the object itself as strangely unsettling despite its otherwise ordinary appearance.

 

 

Activity has reportedly extended throughout the upper floors of the home as well. Several individuals have claimed to hear footsteps moving through upstairs bedrooms while rooms stood empty. Others have described feelings of being watched or sudden changes in atmosphere while near the staircase. One account shared by visitors involved a person allegedly feeling an unseen force shove them near the stairs, leading some to speculate about the possibility of residual activity connected to former occupants of the home.

 

In addition to personal experiences, investigators have documented repeated technological malfunctions during visits to the property. Security cameras and electronic devices have reportedly experienced unexplained failures, including instances where systems reset themselves to December 31, 1969, and January 1, 1970, dates commonly associated with electronic time defaults. Phones entering emergency SOS mode, batteries draining unexpectedly, and intermittent equipment failure have also been reported during investigations.

 

 

Current owner Shauna Rigsby and her wife Danielle have spoken openly about their experiences within the home and their decision to preserve the property following the passing of Shauna’s mother, Holley Cataldo, in 2023. Originally inspired by Holley’s dream of owning an Airbnb, the couple instead found themselves caretakers of a location that quickly became intertwined with both personal healing and paranormal exploration.

 

Through their paranormal group, Unique Paranormal 1.5, the owners have encouraged a more community-focused approach to investigation, welcoming newcomers and experienced investigators alike to explore the location respectfully. What began as a deeply personal project has since evolved into a gathering place for paranormal enthusiasts throughout the region, with events such as the “Creep It Real” festival helping to further establish The Doss House as an emerging destination within Pennsylvania’s paranormal community.

 

As with many allegedly haunted locations, environmental conditions, suggestion, historical atmosphere, and personal interpretation all remain important considerations when evaluating claims connected to the house. Nevertheless, the consistency of reports, combined with the building’s long history and emotional atmosphere, continues to draw curiosity from those interested in the unexplained.

 

 

With more than two centuries of history tied to the home and a growing number of reports involving shadow figures, unexplained voices, and unsettling encounters throughout the building, the location presents a unique opportunity to examine the intersection of local history and paranormal folklore.