LUFKIN, Texas — The Atkinson Candy Company has been creating some of America's favorite candies in East Texas since 1932, but the factory known for it's chick-o-sticks, peanut butter bars and long boys caramels has one spooky secret.
"My great-grandparents started the company in 1932 at the height of the depression and we're still family owned and operated," said Sarah Atkinson.
Atkinson is the fourth-generation owner and executive vice president of marketing for her family's company. She's heard the stories of the Atkinson ghost that roams the factory late at night but she hasn't seen it with her own eyes yet.
"I think it's someone from our past that's keeping an eye on us making sure we're still doing the right things," Atkinson said.
However, some employees had stories to share of tools missing, lights turning on and off and even brief sightings.
Joshua Sheldon Jr. says during his late night shift, he's experienced some unexplainable phenomena.
"At night there's always a feeling of being watched maybe not necessarily in a bad way but creepy for sure," Sheldon said.
"We clean our tables off every night with scrapers, and one night I set it down. I'm the only one in the area cleaning up you know, and it was completely gone."
Another employee, Keishell Brooks said it only took a few weeks into her new job to experience an eerie encounter.
"I'm on the line and somebody walked past me," Bell said. "I turned my head and I looked and there was nobody there, and I could have sworn I felt a presence walk right past me."
But has anyone seen the ghostly figure? Jalreel Holman was riding a forklift down the warehouse aisles a few years back when something caught his eye.
"When you're riding down the aisles its space, space, space and one time I was riding and I could have sworn I saw somebody standing there," Holman said.
Timothy Carrell says most of the sightings he's heard of has taken place on the mezzine and described a story he heard from a coworker
"The guy was standing there in an Atkinson all white uniform," Carrell said "[The employee] looked down, looked up again and he was gone."
All of the employees we spoke to agreed on the same thing. They believe the ghost is an older gentleman, who many have been an employee at one time. And although none of the encounters have been threatening, everyone believes the Atkinson ghost is there to make sure things are run smoothly and the candy stays sweet.