Since it was one of the original thirteen colonies, Maryland’s history is steeped in the colonial times of the 1700’s and the Civil War era of the 1800’s.  Subsequently, many of the supposedly haunted sites in Maryland date back to previous centuries.  If you want to experience an adrenaline rush and real chill down your spine, consider visiting one of these spooky haunted sites.

The Edgar Allen Poe Home
Your first stop should be none other than the home of Edgar Allan Poe, the famed writer of mystery and the macabre.  Open to the public during limited times on the weekends, the home (located in Baltimore) is where Poe spent the majority of his time and wrote his first horror story.  Poe eventually died of “congestion of the brain” in 1849 in Baltimore.  Right before his death, Poe was found delirious wandering the streets and wearing clothes that were not his own.  He was not coherent long enough to explain how he got in that condition.

The USS Constellation
Now open for public tours, the USS Constellation was in service from 1854 (through the Civil War) until the end of World War II.  The ship not only helped break up the slave trade but also helped deliver food to famine victims in Europe.  Legend has it the ship is now haunted by the ghosts and spirits of old sailors.  A photograph taken in 1955 by a Naval lieutenant that was published in the local paper seems to show a ghostly figure standing on the deck.  There’s also the story of a priest who went aboard the ship and was guided around by an older man with intimate knowledge of the ship.  After inquiring about him later, the priest learned there was no such man who worked as a guide. 

Westminster Church Cemetery
This graveyard is where Edgar Allan Poe is buried along with a handful of other well-known Baltimore citizens – General Samuel Smith (who organized the defense of Baltimore during the War of 1812) and Colonel James McHenry (the Secretary of War under George Washington and John Adams).  The cemetery is open from dusk to dawn and on Halloween, fans of Edgar Allan Poe gather for readings and tours of the catacombs beneath the old church.

Fort McHenry
In the War of 1812, ill-equipped American forces at Fort McHenry held out against the British and Army Navy.  The fort is also where many people were detained during the Civil War in dark dungeons.  It’s believed some of those who died there still haunt the fort (which is open today to the public.  Rangers at the fort report hearing strange and unexplainable things such as footsteps, doors slamming, and windows being opened.

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