7/12/2009 - Hawk Mountain (Eck) Berks County, Pa.
 

My wife and I made a trip to Hawk Mountain, or the Eck if you prefer, on July 12th. My primary reason for the trip was an attempt to locate and identify several key locations pointed out in Charles Adam’s book “Ghost Stories of Berks County – Book One, Second Edition”. Of the stories told in Mr. Adams book, I was primarily interested in trying to identify the following:

• Hawk Mountain Sanctuary complex
• former sanctuary headquarters building
• Matthias Schambacher home
• Lenni Lenape Indian Ceremonial Ring
• New Bethel Church road
• New Bethel Church and the adjoining cemetery

Hawk Mountain – Getting the lay of the land

With the assistance of Google maps and my trusty GPS I was able to find Hawk Mountain and the sanctuary. I have included a map that shows some of the locations mentioned above.

Topographic Map of Hawk Mountain Area

The Hawk Mountain road, which takes you to the sanctuary complex, is the location of several accounts in “Ghosts of Berks County – Book One”. During our trip we also had a personal experience, which was totally unexpected. Our last stop was the New Bethel Union Church, which we spent about an hour touring the grave yard in an attempt to get a general idea of where Matthias Schambacker might be buried. On our way home we were traveling along Hawk Mountain road headed toward the sanctuary complex. We had just passed the old Sanctuary Headquarters when my wife looked over at me and jumped. I asked her what was wrong and she stated that she had just seen someone next to me just outside the drivers side window. I was a little taken back by her comment since she had not read Mr. Adams book prior to our trip. I didn’t say anything to her other than ask her what this person looked like. She couldn’t give me any details other then she could tell it was a scruffy looking man. He was there one second and gone the next. When we arrived home I promptly retrieved Mr. Adams book and asked her to read the last few paragraphs one page 17 – 18. Once she finished she shuddered and said that was very creepy. I only wish we could have caught it on film.

Old Sanctuary Headquarters – aka Matthias Schambacher Homestead:

It was not hard to locate old sanctuary headquarters, which is now a private residence. During our stop at the sanctuary complex I learned that the current residents hold open house events several times a year to give people an opportunity to tour the location. We are planning to attend the open house there on September 11th in hopes of gathering more data on the location. This site is part of the original Gerhardt homestead as I understand it. Although it is not the original dwelling or located on the same spot, the headquarters building fairly close to the original building site where the Gerhardt family was slaughtered.

Lenni Lenape Indian Ceremonial Ring:

Unfortunately, I was unable to locate the Ceremonial Ring. Based on the information in Mr. Adams book I am under the impression that the ring is located on the grounds of the old sanctuary headquarters building. As I did not have permission from the current resident, I did not feel comfortable attempting to find the ring. I’m hoping to see the ring during our visit in September.

New Bethel Church Road:

I was also able to locate New Bethel Church Road and the grave yard, mentioned in Mr. Adams book, where Matthias Schambacker is buried. Unfortunately, for all, his grave marker was stolen so I was not able to identify the exact location of his grave. I did carry a digital voice recorder with me while I was surveying the cemetery. The effort did not yield anything out of the ordinary. I will need to do a bit more research in order to locate his final resting place. The Church name has changed slightly from its mention in Mr. Adams book, it’s now called the New Bethel Union Church. If you plan on visiting the church or cemetery, please be considerate and respectful. If you know who may have taken Schambacher’s head stone… the right thing to do would be convince them to return it.

New Bethel Church and Cemetery:

The New Bethel Church and Cemetery is beautifully situated on a hillside along New Bethel Church Road. This picturesque house of worship is not only the finial resting place for many area locals, it is also the final resting place for Matthias Schambacher and Ben Austrian. Each man famous for very different reasons. Ben Austrian was a well know artist who gained international recognition for his paintings, and most notably, the famed Bon Ami Chicken.

Here are some various photos of the area. A great deal more research is needed prior to considering this location for investigation.
 

I will update this report once I have more information. - Lowell