"Haunted" Fairmount Prison Brings Full Nights Of Terror To A Few

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Eastern State Penitentiary, in the Fairmount section of the city, is holding an "Alone" contest to coincide with its haunted-house fundraiser, "Terror Behind The Walls."

To mark the final 13 days of this year's "Terror Behind The Walls" presentation, the public can enter the "Alone" contest by going to the new EasternState.com web site.

One winner will be selected each night to go through the haunted attraction...by themselves!

Then, one of the thirteen will win a rare opportunity to spend the entire night with five of their friends inside the prison that many believe is really haunted.

Mike Samalonis of Glendora, NJ was one of the first to enter the contest:

"I'm a huge Halloween fan. It's one of my favorite holidays."

Listen to a ghost hunt at Eastern State Penitentiary:

Sean Kelley is Eastern State's program director:

"We have never done this.  People have always asked.  And we are going to do it!"

I recently got a taste of what it's like to be in the former prison alone at night, as a part of  a private ghost hunt.

Unexplained voices -- so-called "electronic voice phenomena" --  were captured on a digital recorder, among them an order of "GO!"

Then something that sounded like, "He left!"

A camera captured what some paranormal enthusiasts called "orbs" and "mists."

Listen to some of the other spooky sounds at Eastern State Penitentiary:

Reported by John McDevitt, KYW Newsradio.
Top photo by Bob Hornsby.  Photo #2 by John McDevitt