Shadows of the Past
At the Hanoverville Roadhouse in Bethlehem, history and the paranormal seem to intersect.
Bucks County may be home base for my team, but our investigations often take us to some of the most historic and unusual places in Pennsylvania. In September of 2023, Eric Mintel Investigates found itself in Bethlehem, at a location steeped in both history and mystery: the Hanoverville Roadhouse.
This beautiful restaurant, owned by Mark Dennis, has been lovingly restored to its former glory. Walking in today, you’d never guess that it was once a raucous biker bar known for its wild nights, mud wrestling events, and even the occasional performance by the legendary Tiny Tim. Today, the Roadhouse is a destination for excellent dining and atmosphere, but as we soon discovered, its walls hold secrets far beyond its colorful past.
One night while upstairs in his office, Mark heard a huge bang coming from downstairs. He rushed down to investigate but found nothing out of place. Returning to his office, the sound nagged at him. He decided to check the security footage from that hour, and what he found was stunning.
On the video, a chair at one of the tables moves on its own, pulled sharply away as though by an unseen force. Seconds later, a glowing orb drifts toward the table, and a sugar packet container is flung to the floor. It’s the kind of evidence every paranormal investigator dreams of: spontaneous, unprovoked, and caught on camera.
When Mark invited my team to investigate, I knew this was a case where being on site would make all the difference. Joining me was Dominic Sattele, a gifted spirit medium who often works with Eric Mintel Investigates. Together we walked into the dining room, standing at the very table where the unexplained events had taken place.
On video, there had appeared to be a small wall near the table—something that, at first glance, might make you think a hidden person had kicked the chair. But standing there in person, it became clear there was no way someone could have been behind the table without being visible on camera. The layout simply didn’t allow it. This was one of those moments where on-site investigation separates speculation from reality.
Mark then told us about another focal point of activity, the attic mirror. This old mirror, tucked away upstairs, came with a warning. According to Mark, a previous paranormal group had once turned the mirror around during an investigation. Almost immediately, all kinds of poltergeist-like activity erupted in the building. Mark’s instructions were clear: “Whatever you do, don’t touch the mirror.”
We decided to take a careful approach. Rather than disturbing the mirror ourselves, we set up a camera on a tripod pointed directly at it. Then we went back downstairs to continue the investigation, leaving the attic completely empty.
Later, when we reviewed the footage, we were stunned. The video captured a shadow emerging from the lower part of the mirror, as if something inside it was stepping forward into our world. There were no people upstairs at the time, no tricks of light, just a dark form appearing and fading away. It was, without question, one of the most compelling pieces of evidence we have recorded.
The Hanoverville Roadhouse turned out to be alive with energy in more ways than one. Dominic reported picking up on strange sensations in the upstairs hallway and again in the main dining room, the very room where the chair had moved on camera. Using our equipment, we detected high energy readings near the table as well as in a dining room off to the side.
Mark explained that this room had once been a Prohibition-era speakeasy. The space beneath the floor still bears traces of its secret past. That combination of history and mystery, Dominic said, creates ideal conditions for residual or even intelligent paranormal activity.
From moving chairs and flying sugar containers to shadow figures in the attic mirror, the Hanoverville Roadhouse delivered one strange moment after another. As with every investigation, we left with more questions than answers. Was the shadow tied to the mirror, or was it a separate entity altogether? Who, or what, moved the chair in the dining room? Could the speakeasy below still be holding the memories and emotions of its hidden past?
For us, that’s the heart of this work. It’s not just about chasing ghosts; it’s about uncovering the stories that buildings like this hold, and showing how history and the paranormal can overlap.
The Hanoverville Roadhouse is a living time capsule of local history, layered with decades of energy, emotion, and mystery. Our night at the Roadhouse was one of the most compelling investigations we’ve had in recent memory. And one thing is certain: We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what this building has to tell us.
Watch the full investigation on the Eric Mintel Investigates YouTube Channel. Tune in to Eric Mintel Investigates on the Beyond Paranormal Channel, and follow Eric Mintel Investigates on Facebook, Instagram, and all social media platforms.
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, October 2025.
