Spine-tingling adventures in Maryland aren't limited to staged Halloween attractions; ghost hunters consider the state to be one of the most haunted in the U.S. Maryland is home to Edgar Allan Poe’s grave, Ford’s Theater, where Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot, and a number of historic homes that paranormal societies have labeled as “haunted.” While many of the houses are private residences not open to the public, there are several that can be toured, giving guests the opportunity to decide for themselves if ghosts are real.
A colonial German Stone house built in 1758, this museum, run by the Fredrick County Landmarks Foundation, focuses on preserving the pre-revolutionary era. Guest interested in its paranormal history might hear voices speaking German, as it’s rumored that the original owners, Joseph and Elias Brunner, began haunting the house when renovations began.
Schifferstadt Architectural Museum
1110 Rosemont Ave.
Frederick, MD 21701
301-663-3885
http://www.frederickcountylandmarksfoundation.org/fclf_schiffgen.html
The farmhouse at the Hampton National Historical Site, known as Hampton House, is a Georgian mansion built in 1790. Reputed to be one of the best preserved 19th century slave estates, ghost-hunting guests report sightings of past residents and former slaves. Legend has it that during the past 150 years, the Haunted Chandeliers predicted the deaths of the owners' wives. Officially, the National Park Service declares their site ghost free, but many visitors, psychics and individual employees tell a different story.
Hampton National Historic Site
535 Hampton Ln.
Towson Maryland 21286
410-823-1309
http://www.nps.gov/archive/hamp/history.htm#intro
As one of the houses that housed Poe while he penned some of his famous works, this little house on Amity street saw the death of Elizabeth Cairnes Poe, Edgar’s aunt. A short walk from the cemetery where Poe is buried, rumor has it both Eilzabeth and Edgar show up around the house from time to time.
Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum
203 South Amity St.
Baltimore, MD 21223-2501
410-396-7932
http://www.eapoe.org/balt/poehse.htm
