Maryland's Hauntings

to a few of

Point Lookout a beautiful bay setting formed by the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River in St. Mary�s County Maryland is well known for its historical tragedies over 350 years ago.
1) In the Confederate Cemetery stands an 85-foot monument in honor of the dead soldiers. During the Civil War Point Lookout was the largest Union�s Confederate prison camp.
2) In 1648 the massacre of the earlier settlers by the Virginia Indians.
3) Disaster at sea of deadly shipwrecks where the beach has became a grave for many sailors.
4) 1827 a lighthouse was ordered by Congress to light the way for many headed into the Chesapeake Bay. The first light keeper James Davis died while on watch as well as 2 others.
5) November 11,1862 the USS Tulip a Union gunboat exploded claiming 57 lives and 8 mutilated bodies washed ashore.
6) 1878 the tragic burning of the Fenwick Inn claiming 22 lives. It was a time when Point Lookout had become a popular vacation spot.

     Legends have it that the many that were murdered, died in shipwrecks and soldiers still keep vigil over this land even unto this day.

     The infamous lighthouse where doors open and shut mysteriously, the murmur of low human voices unseen, footsteps in stairways and unoccupied rooms with unseen objects crashing to the floor or odd smells filling the air. Could this be from the headless soldier that roams the lighthouse? Or maybe even the Civil War soldier ghost dressed in uniform that guards the steps to the lighthouse. Photographed pictures have been recorded of him leaning against the frame at the door as well as a photograph of the headless soldier.
     The campsite is said to be haunted as well. A lonely ghostly woman wondering for a grave that she cannot find, might ask help her to find it. And the many ghostly figures seen on the walkway surrounding the camp you can hear faint voices. And why is the general still roaming the campground? And why do some campers even the bravest feel a little uneasy or could it years ago this was once the area the hospital stood where many soldiers had perished? Maybe your visit to the campsite may give you a glimpse of the sailor ghost who was perhaps lost at sea or the many others whose grave became the sandy shore beach.

Port Tobacco Creek where on a cold winter�s night you can hear the barking of the phantom blue dog who was murdered from trying to save his long time faithful master who was also murdered for his gold. 200 years later this dog can be seen standing guard where his master died.

Leonardtown 1697 the people of the town drove out a woman named Molly Dryer and burned down her cabin on the coldest winter night of that year. A witch they claimed her to be was sent into the forest with ice covering the ground and not properly dressed for the weather. A few days later when her body was found her hand was frozen to a rock. In 1975 the 875 lb. boulder was moved and sits in front of the St. Mary�s Historical Society with her hand print still visible after 300 years and on Molly Dryer�s Run where her house was located Molly�s ghostly apparition has been seen floating over the land. Reports of camera malfunctioning, aches and pains or an uneasy uncomfortable feeling has over come people standing near the rock.

The Goatman of Bowie in Prince George�s County is a strange 6 foot tall hairy creature walking around on two feet with sounds of a high pitched squeal has haunted the dark lonely back country roads of this county for decades. Although not a ghost some people do believe the Goatman is a bigfoot that roams in the dark forest and has been seen in the area of Fletchertown Road in Old Bowie, Mitchellville on Lottsford Road and Tucker Road in Clinton. The head of a dog named Ginger was found and the body had been eaten. The Washington Post had ran an article on November 30, 1971 regarding the mutilated dog as well as other newspaper articles on this creature.

Baltimore at the Westminster Church where Edgar Allen Poe lays in rest beside his wife Virginia for decades every January the 19th on the poets birthday a mysterious male ghost dressed in a black overcoat, white scarf and a black hat visits the grave toasting the poet and upon his departure leaves behind 3 red roses and a bottle of cognac. What could be the meaning of this ritual and who is the mystery ghost?
The staff of Poe�s house also in Baltimore has reported seeing a heavyset woman ghost dressed in gray haunting and roaming the halls even for the visitors.

MORE TO COME