DOUGLASSVILLE PA – Guided ghost tours at historic Brinton Lodge, 1808 Schuylkill Rd., are scheduled to resume weekly during September (2026), and likely will be expanded as the Halloween season nears.
The lodge has been an eastern Berks County landmark for more than 300 years. Its representatives say the tour offers 90-minute journey through a mansion that some people believe is haunted by ghosts. Others claim it is prime ground for “unexplained phenomena.”
Its website currently displays tours scheduled during Saturdays in September: Sept. 5, 12, 19, and 26. Each starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase online, and are non-refundable.
Top photo by Tom Frances Palattao on Unsplash, used under license
Feel Free to Hunt for Ghosts
Above photo provided by Brinton Lodge
As might be expected, its tours attract lovers of the fun and spooky. In its time, though, Brinton Lodge also has been the focus of legitimate spirit hunters.
Ghosts in the house have been documented by paranormal investigators since the 1970s, 6ABC (WPVI-TV) in Philadelphia adds. In fact, visitors are welcome to “enjoy using ghost hunting apps on their smart phones during the tour,” the lodge website explains.
The lodge is named for former Reading hotelier Caleb Brinton, according to Berks County Living magazine. He acquired the lodge in 1927, and founded an exclusive gentlemen’s club there during Prohibition. Brinton reportedly “handpicked his clientèle from only the most rich and famous, who visited from far and wide.”
Historic records show radio, television, and movie stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Eddie Fisher, Frank Sinatra, and Benny Goodman once were among guests who stayed at the lodge. They also spent time at after-parties there following performances in Pottstown’s famed Sunnybrook Ballroom, 6ABC reports.
Past adventures in the lodge have been praised by Secret Philadelphia: “This colonial-era estate carries an eerie charm and a backstory full of intrigue, scandal, and spirits,” it says.
Architecturally Surprising
Located directly across from the Schuylkill River on Route 724 between Reading and Pottstown, Brinton Lodge features 18th- and 19th-century architecture. During tours, visitors can wander the centuries-old stucco mansion. They explore its pillared parlor, grand master staircase, and elaborately decorated bedrooms.
Equally surprising: the lodge also is home to the Hidden River Brewing Company brewery and pub. It offers “a light menu for dining inside or outside,” as well as “a constant rotation of creative and unusual beers.” Pennsylvania wine and cider also are available.
Hidden River is open Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.
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