Oregon has many ghost stories, and one of the stories takes place at the base of the Cascade mountain range in the German found town of Mount Angel. The spirit of Sister Beatrice still haunts the theater of one of the local colleges. In life, Beatrice was an educator and loved her job. In death, the spirit of the nun will watch performances from the balcony of the auditorium.
Mount Angel is well known for its weeklong calibration of Oktoberfest, where local beer makers share their craft with the community. Unfortunately, the festivals were canceled this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak, but that did not stop beer consumers from trying the craft beer typically at the festive, with the beer to go choice.
One of Mount Angels local tap houses called St. Benedicts brewery sits at the base of Mount Angel Abbey, a monastery that sits on one of the many hills of Mount Angel. The head brewer is a priest who believes that drunkenness is a sin and would instead the monks drink to enjoy than to drink to get drunk. The brewery's mission statement is this, "We welcome all to enjoy our beer in gatherings of food and fellowship, nourishing both the body and spirit."
Asherah Smith is one of the patrons who often enjoy some of the local brews at the Benedictine Brewery. She lives in Stayton, Oregon, one of Mount Angel's neighboring town but grew up in the area. She recalls her father talking about the college where Beatrice is said to haunt, but she is unsure of the college's location or if it even still exists.
"I remember my dad talking about the college, but I never personally looked into where the college is located. There were a lot of buildings that have been removed in the area," said Smith as she took a sip from her glass.
The college now serves as a nursing home near the Benedict Sisters. Those who now inhabit the building have nothing to fear about the spirit of Beatrice. Some souls like to come back to the living realm and enjoy what they love most about life, and the same holds for Sister Beatrice.