Last in a series about purported haunted locations in the Star's territory.

Deep in the heart of Fairmount Park sits a site that is likely unfamiliar to some Philadelphians.

It's the spot where, in the late 17th century, a band of mystics from Europe set up shop to live a simple, undisturbed life.

They were known by various names - "Hermits of the Wissahickon," "The Society of the Woman in the Wilderness" and the "Mystic Brotherhood," just to name a few.

Their leader, Johannes Kelpius, was looking for a serene place where his followers could live in peace without fear of religious persecution. Known as the Rosicrucians, (which translates to Rose and Cross), the worldwide brotherhood claimed to have secret wisdom dating to ancient Egypt.

Today, a lone plaque marks the spot where Kelpius and his followers once held court. But others feel the German mystic, musician and writer may have left something else behind in the Wissahickon Valley. Something less tangible.

"It's one of those places on our list, but we haven't been there yet," Steve Sarachman said of the spot that has come to be known as the Cave of Kelpius. The hard-to-find cave, which sits on a hillside above the Wissahickon Creek near Hermit Lane, reportedly has been the site of paranormal activity throughout the years.

Sarachman, the founder/director of the Philadelphia Area Paranormal Society, has heard his share of tales involving ghostly sightings in the vicinity of the cave, but has not been relayed any firsthand accounts.

Nevertheless, Sarachman, whose organization investigates claims of the supernatural in the tri-state area, hopes to one day visit the site, not too far off of Henry Avenue in Roxborough.

One person who is intimately familiar with the location is Nick Bucci, who has been the "trail ambassador" for the Friends of the Wissahickon, an advocacy group, for two years. Bucci, of Downingtown, has led scheduled tours of the area comprising the cave since he became involved with the Friends. Tours typically take place between June 21, the summer solstice, and June 24, St. John the Baptist's Feast Day, an occasion Bucci said was meaningful to Kelpius and his followers.

During the most recent June 24 midnight tour, Bucci said some young ladies got out their cell phones to take photos of the cave when they discovered something interesting - images of orbs, or small balls of light thought to have supernatural significance, had showed up on their screens.

During another incident, Bucci said, a local electrician who decided to take the scheduled tour got out his camera to take photos of the Hermitage Mansion, a historic building that sits on the plot of land once occupied by Kelpius follower. What he captured was something else entirely.

"When he printed his photos, there were orbs all over the images," Bucci said.

Bucci said he never had any unexplainable personal experiences at the site, but that doesn't mean supernatural activity has not, and does not, occur.

Bucci, a student of all things esoteric, spiritual, and archeological, does not doubt that the Cave of Kelpius, and the grounds on which the Rosicrucians' tabernacle once existed, have otherworldly significance. Part of his belief stems from the fact that the area lies at 40 degrees latitude, a unique figure in its own right. The Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years, the great flood that made Noah famous consisted of 40 days and 40 nights of rain. The list goes on.

"Forty degrees latitude is a very esoteric latitude around the world," Bucci said.

In fact, Bucci believes Kelpius and his followers chose this area of the Wissahickon in which to settle for that very reason.

"That's why they came here," Bucci said. "Forty degrees."

That said, Bucci wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the area of the Cave of Kelpius and the Hermitage Mansion - a nearby historic building - were a haven for paranormal activity. But admitting to a firsthand experience is a whole different story.

"Visually, I can't say that I've seen anything, and if I said that I saw something, nobody would believe me anyway, because truth is stranger than fiction," he said with a laugh.

While he hasn't witnessed anything with his own eyes, or at least isn't willing to admit it, Bucci did concede that the area gives off a certain vibe.

"It's not visual as much as it is a feeling," he said.

For others, however, visual evidence is plentiful. Take Nik Stamps, a photographer and amateur filmmaker from Northwest Philadelphia. While filming a historical piece about Roxborough and Manayunk in 2002, Stamps photographed the entrance to the Cave of Kelpius. According to Stamps' Web site, it was a clear, sunny day when he took hundreds of photos of the cave and vicinity. It wasn't until later that night, when Stamps was going through the images he shot on his computer, that he came across one that appears to depict a demon-like or ghost-like face emerging from the cave's entranceway. The face seems to appear out of a foggy, cloudy haze.

On his site, Stamps states that while photographing the site earlier in the day, there didn't appear to be any fog or smoke emitting from the cave.

A phone number for Stamps could not be located, and an e-mail sent to an address listed on his site bounced back.

While Bucci wasn't prepared to guess what Stamps' image might have been, he's not surprised something apparently otherworldly was caught on camera.

"It's one of the oldest geological formations in North America, and one of the more sacred sites," he said about the Wissahickon Valley.

Because of its age and significance, the purported supernatural activity in the region might not be directly linked to Kelpius and his followers, but rather to Native Americans or others who occupied the land throughout the centuries.

While earthly evidence may be sparse, supernatural tales, ironically, are not that hard to come by. Aside from the photographic evidence captured by Stamps, Bucci said he knows his share of local lore.

"There are stories, and more than one ... where mill workers would report that on moonlit or ghostly nights, that they would see six hooded figures walking slowly and single-file up the carriage road, which today would be Forbidden Drive," Bucci said.

Given the Wissahickon Valley's storied past, it's no stretch to say they could have been Kelpius and his people, returning to reclaim their land.

To Bucci, supernatural or not, the area, with its historical significance, earthly importance and natural beauty, is worth recognizing.

"That's part of the supernatural, how special and how sacred the Wissahickon is," Bucci said. "This is all in front of you and in our own back yard."

Reporter Jon Campisi can be reached at 215-354-3038 or jcampisi@phillynews.com