Haunted America: The Ghosts of Tullytown Lake, Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Once upon a time there was a beautiful teenaged girl named Gertrude Spring, who on a warm evening in 1935 dressed in her fanciest pink floor length finery in preparation for the high school prom that night. Her date Bobby arrived just in time, looking quite dapper himself, and fully mesmerized by the appearance of the lovely Gertrude as she entered the room. He ushered Gertrude along so that they would not be late for such a memorable event.......

The smitten Bobby was unable to take his eyes off of Gertrude for one minute, all the while the young couple chattered endlessly about life, college, friends, and the dance as they cruised along Bordentown Road toward Tulleytown, Pennsylvania; located on nearby Old Bristol Pike Road. Unfortunately multi-tasking was not something that the young inexperienced driver was great at, and at some point he lost control of his father's brand new Studebaker. The young couple plunged over the muddy embankment and straight into Tullytown Lake.

A passerby just happened to catch a glimpse of the top of the sinking vehicle as he drove by the scene of the accident and stopped to help. Unfortunately the car sunk like a 10-ton lead weight, and pulling the young couple out of the murky water was more then he could handle. The stranger drove into nearby Bristol, Pennsylvania to get help for the drowning teenagers, but they returned to the scene much too late to save anyone from the watery grave.

Divers later skimmed the lake and recovered the young man's body, but Gertrude's remains were never found. The legend handed down through time states that her family held a service for the missing girl at the local St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Bristol, Pennsylvania, but no record shows that a body is buried within the plot that lies under the cement headstone that reads "Gertrude Spring" 1935. According to local folklore, the cemetery is also reportedly haunted; not only by Gertrude Spring aka Midnight Mary, but by several lively active spirits that refuse to permanently rest in peace.

Sightings of the deceased girl dressed in her fancy pink finery began coming in from various sources not long after that fatal night as drivers cruised along Bordentown Road. The floating apparition appears to be drenched and always dressed in her pink gown, and midnight is her favorite hour for visiting the living. Due to her late night ghostly visits she has been dubbed "Midnight Mary" by the many witnesses that have been graced by her appearance.

She has often been reported as not being a shy ghost as hitchhiking is a favorite pass-time of the dead teenager. Truck drivers traveling along Bordentown Road late at night have seen a strange girl dressed in a long pink dress walking along the road with a dazed look, and obviously soaked to the bone as she appears drenched. Quite often when people stop for her, she simply vanishes in mid-air or she appears to melt into a puddle of water. The teenaged ghost has also been spotted by passer-bys as what looks to be like she is dancing on top of Penn Warner Lake.

Midnight Mary is often seen lounging on the boat docks at nearby Manor Lake in what appears to be a far away look while peering out across the water as if watching for someone or something. She has also been known by only a few as climbing into stopped vehicles as if she needs a ride. The only evidence that she was ever there is a puddle of water left behind on the car seat, and only a few have reported seeing her corsage that later disappears along with her.

More often then not, Midnight Mary has been spotted calling out Bobby's name in a pained voice that is both soulful and chilling. The fast moving apparition has also flown towards cars and people when she has spotted them staring at her as she floats along Manor Lake in Bucks County PA. It would seem to most that she will forever spend eternity looking for Bobby; that is until some brave soul reminds her that he is already with her in spirit.