Hidden In Allenwood Is Pennsylvania's Under-The-Radar Ghost Town Full Of Abandoned WWII-Era Bunkers

There's a cemetery in Central Pennsylvania's town of Allenwood where the headstones tell a story the government would rather forget. They date back to the early 1800s — graves of families who farmed this land for generations, who built schools and churches and raised children in a community that seemed as permanent as the surrounding hills themselves. Then came Pearl Harbor, and everything changed.

One fateful day in March 1942, all 400 residents of Alvira gathered in Christ's Lutheran Church, the stone building where generations had been baptized, married, and mourned. They were told they had 6 weeks to pack up their lives that stretched back to 1825, when their community was nothing more than a cluster of farms called Wisetown. The government promised they could buy their land back after the war ended. The promise never materialized.

What did materialize were 149 concrete bunkers scattered across what became State Game Lands 252. These dome-shaped structures were built to store explosives for a war that ended before most of them were ever used, designed with thick walls that would direct any accidental blast skyward instead of sideways. Today, they sit in various states of decay throughout the forest, some a short drive from Williamsport's "millionaire row" and its wild Victorian mansions, others requiring a hike through underbrush to reach. These bunkers, along with the church, are all that remain of a community that vanished overnight.

The bunkers emerge from the forest floor like artifacts from another world. They weren't designed to be mysterious, but time has a way of making even the most utilitarian architecture feel otherworldly. Some squat practically roadside along Alvira Road itself, close enough that you can examine them without leaving the comfort of your car. But you can reach more of them on foot, though some do require you to hike through thorny Pennsylvania undergrowth. The Pennsylvania Game Commission map of State Game Lands 252 shows all 149 bunker locations. As this operates as active hunting territory year-round, it's highly advised to wear orange.

The bunkers closest to the main roads, predictably, are vandalized with graffiti and accumulated debris. But the deeper you go into the woods, the more pristine the shelters tend to be. Some are even still sealed with steel doors that were welded shut and haven't budged since. You're free to enter any unlocked bunkers you find, which are igloo-like with their domed chambers and acoustics. Voices and even small sounds like jingling keys create echoes that bounce off the walls for what feels like minutes.

As you explore the area, it goes without saying that respect is the bare minimum, especially around the three cemeteries scattered throughout the game lands. Game wardens also patrol regularly and will absolutely cite anyone attempting to damage sealed bunkers. That said, these structures are well worth the pitstop. Central Pennsylvania, in general, is pretty rewarding, with lesser-known gems like nearby Mifflinburg, a charming borough with a magical German market and unique shops, and Benton, which offers a perfect outdoor escape with uncrowded trails.