The following was sent in by one of our readers in 2009:

I feel compelled to write you of an experience I had at the Carlu some years ago.

I stumbled upon your site tonight and was somewhat surprised to see the Carlu listed, but this has only served to confirm for me, that my experience there one night has, in fact, been shared by others.

When the Carlu was first opened (after the renovation) I was employed as an event bartender for approximately 2 years. I always found the rooms in that space to be beautiful and majestic and never once had a bad feeling when working there.

I distinctly remember, however, an odd thing that happened one night when I was working. It was just at the beginning of another event and I was walking very quickly from one room to another looking for a manager. I went to the backstage area of the auditorium and as I turned and walked quickly into the hallway  I was startled to see two women standing in the stairwell. (There are two small stairwells in the backstage area rarely used). I remember very distinctly that they were dressed in elegant 1930's dresses, with short 1930's hairstyles and both seemed equally surprised to see me. I said "hello" and very quickly turned and walked out of that area, more concerned with finding my manager. The encounter lasted maybe 5 seconds but they stayed on my mind all night as I worked.

Not all of the rooms were used during events and I know for a fact that the auditorium was not used that night. I know this, because as the night went on I began to think how odd it was to have seen these women in the backstage area dressed as they were. Many events had costumed themes (which had been my initial thought after I saw them) but the small event that night did not support my theory.
The strangest thing about this encounter was that as the night went on I kept questioning whether or not I had actually seen these women. I am a very observant person and never "question" whether I've seen someone or not. Either you have or haven't. I know I saw them, I even said "hello" and yet I questioned it for no apparent reason.

I only remember feeling "light headed" when I saw them, but did not at any moment feel that I had seen something otherworldly.

I never saw anything unusual at The Carlu after that, and must admit that towards the end of my employment there I did hear rumours from staff that it was haunted. My encounter happened long before any of these rumours began so I kept it to myself fearing judgment.

Reading the security guards story tonight however, I feel that it is safe to share my story now.

Our thanks to our reader for sharing this with us. If you believe that you have also had an experience at College Park please do consider sharing it with us.

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