The 10 Most Haunted Places in Maryland

Maryland, a state steeped in history and known for its scenic coastlines, is also a hub for paranormal activity. This article guides you through the most haunted places in Maryland, where historical events and supernatural tales intertwine, creating an eerie yet fascinating narrative.

From the infamous Goat Man of Fletchertown Road to the spectral soldiers of Antietam Battlefield, each location harbors its unique ghostly story. Whether you’re a thrill-seeker, a ghost hunter, or just curious about the paranormal, prepare to uncover the spectral secrets of the Old Line State.

In Scotland, Maryland is one of the most haunted locations in the state, Point Lookout Lighthouse. Point Lookout has been home to countless tragedies and disasters.

The area served as a prisoner of war camp, a hospital during the Civil War era, a hotel destroyed by a fire, and a lookout point during the Revolutionary War.

In 1830 construction on the Point Lookout Lighthouse was completed and it became a functional lighthouse.

In the years since its construction, the lighthouse has been home to an extraordinary amount of hauntings. A man in Civil War-era clothing is one of the most frequently seen ghosts.

He is said to be in horrible physical shape, smells of gunpowder and mildew, and it is believed he was attempting to free himself from the Smallpox unit that once stood in the area.

Another ghost is that of an elderly woman who appears to be looking for something on the beach. It is believed she is looking for a missing gravestone.

Within the lighthouse people have captured voices on their recorders, ghosts of wounded Union soldiers have been spotted and temperatures drop dramatically.

Fletchertown Road is the home of an urban legend. It is said that the Goat Man lurks in the area. According to stories, the Goat Man escaped from the Department of Agriculture Research Center.

As the name suggests he is supposedly half-human half-animal.  The urban legend goes on to say that for two decades, the 1950s and 60s, the Goat Man murdered people who traveled the road with an ax.

After murdering them he would eat his victims. To this day people claim to have seen the head of a goat, or a man in tattered clothing in the area.

Dr. Samuel A. Mudd was the doctor that treated John Wilks Booth for his broken leg after he assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. John Wilks Booth received treatment at Dr. Mudd’s home.

Believing he was a co-conspirator in the assassination of President Lincoln, Dr. Mudd was tried and ended up spending years in prison. Thanks to his wife’s tireless efforts, Dr. Mudd received a pardon from President Andrew Johnson and returned to his home.

Dr. Samuel A. Mudd’s house is now a museum and historical sight. Stories claim to see Dr. Mudd’s ghost wandering his property and the home.

Other claims have stated the bed where Booth slept will show the impression of a body in the bed.

The museum is open from spring – fall from the hours of 10am – 4pm. Admission is is $10 for adults, and $3 for children. Unfortunately, there are no ghost tours on offer, but there are guided tours of the home included in the admission fee.

When the Baltimore County Almhouse opened in 1874 it was to serve as a home for the elderly, the mentally unwell, the indigent, and children. An addition was made to the Almhouse which housed prisoners.

People who have spent any time at the Almhouse have made claims of assorted paranormal activity. Some people claim that if you visit the third floor you may hear the voices of women talking.

Other people have stated that they have heard the sound of children in the building playing.

Further claims state that it is possible to see the faces of children not only in the windows of the house when standing outside but throughout the interior.

You can visit the building as it’s the home of the Historical Society of Baltimore County. Run by volunteers, the entrance fee is $5, and it’s open Fridays 10 AM to 2 PM, and Saturdays 10 AM to 2 PM.

Learn more on the haunted Baltimore County Almshouse, Cockeysville, MD

The Glenn Dale Hospital in Maryland opened its doors in the 1930s to treat and house people who suffered from tuberculosis. Adults and children called the hospital home for decades.

The adults and children were located in different areas of the hospital. There are also narrow tunnels under the hospital.

Stories say that when Glenn Dale was a functioning facility the patients endured torture and experimental treatments.  Eventually, in 1984 the hospital was closed, and its lay abandoned ever since.

People brave enough to investigate the hospital have reported hearing strange noises, yelling, banging, and even laughter. Others have reported smelling burning flesh.

The ghosts of patients, as well as dogs, have been seen.

One of the saddest stories is attached to a man seen in a straightjacket in one of the rooms.

It is believed he killed himself after being unable to live with the guilt of not saving the family he watched get murdered.

Disclaimer: This story is for entertainment purposes only, we do not condone trespassing. 

In Chestertown, Maryland is the old St. Paul’s Cemetery. The cemetery dates back to the 1700s and is said to be the location of regular paranormal activity.

Some of the occurrences may be the results of the casualties buried in the cemetery following the battle of Caulk’s Field during the War of 1812. Graves belonging to Union and Confederate soldiers are also in the cemetery.

The ghost of Tench Tilghman is seen at the bridge of the edge of the cemetery. He was an officer during the Revolutionary War.

Sometimes when it is especially dark, people have claimed to see his lantern crossing the same bridge his ghost is believed to haunt.

The most famous grave at the cemetery with paranormal activity is that of actress Tallulah Bankhead. People claim you can hear her raspy voice if you lay on the slab that covers her grave.

Read more on the haunted St. Pauls Cemetery, Chestertown, MD

With a long history of politics, the Maryland State House is not devoid of paranormal activity. The most famous of all the hauntings and legends involves Thomas Dence.

Dence served as a plasterer on the structure’s dome. While working Thomas Dence apparently fell to his death.

People visit the State House annually to try to see his ghost wandering the grounds as well as the building.

It is also believed that a soldier from the revolutionary war era wanders the grounds as well.

A room in the structure that is famous for being the room where George Washington resigned is said to be haunted by an unknown spirit.

Could Washington be haunting the old Senate chamber or is someone else making their presence known in that room?

Other ghosts and spirits are believed to wander around the grounds and throughout the State House.

Read more on the haunted Maryland State House, Annapolis

Visitors to the hotel have reported countless encounters with ghosts as well as other paranormal activity. Some guests have claimed that they had nightmares while staying in the hotel because they are sensitive to the presence of the paranormal.

Others have claimed to feel as if they are being watched while asleep. People who have ridden in the elevator and been in the lobby say the sensation of being touched by a pair of hands has occurred.

See also: The Most Haunted Hotels in Maryland

The elevator also randomly visits the 19^th floor when no one pushes the button for that floor.  When on the 19th-floor people have claimed to see the ghost of a little girl with a red ball, black shoes, and a long, cream-colored dress.

Others have seen the girl crying, rocking back and forth, and screaming. In addition, the hotel’s supervisor has seen the ghosts of two adults on the 19^th floor.

Local legend states that a married couple committed suicide by jumping off the Lord Baltimore Hotel after the stock market crash of 1929, leaving behind a little girl.

Many, including some of the hotel staff, believe that those are the ghosts that guests see today.

More info on the haunted Lord Baltimore Hotel, Baltimore, MD

The Antietam Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Maryland, is a site that bears the scars of one of the bloodiest battles in American history.

On September 17, 1862, the Confederate Army under General Robert E. Lee clashed with the Union Army led by General George McClellan in a day-long battle that resulted in over 23,000 casualties. This gruesome event, known as the Battle of Antietam, is remembered as the bloodiest single-day battle in the Civil War and in U.S. history.

The battlefield is marked by several significant locations, such as Bloody Lane, the Cornfield, and a stone bridge over Antietam Creek, where some of the most intense fighting took place.

Visitors to the site often report eerie experiences, such as the sensation of being watched, hearing phantom gunshots and drumming, and even seeing apparitions of soldiers. The battlefield, now part of the National Park Service, serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of war and is considered one of the most haunted places in Maryland.

The Antietam Battlefield is not just a historical site; it’s a place where the past seems to bleed into the present. Visitors can explore the battlefield through a self-driving tour that includes key locations like the Dunker Church, West Woods, and the Final Attack site.

The site is open 7 Days a Week from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m, and admission is $10 per person or $20 per vehicle.

The Jonathan Hager House Museum, also known as “Hager’s Fancy,” is a historic landmark in Hagerstown, Maryland, with a history dating back to the mid-18th century.

The house was built by Jonathan Hager, the German immigrant who founded Hagerstown, and served as a residence, trading post, and frontier fort. Over the years, the house changed hands several times, eventually falling into disrepair before being restored and deeded to the city.

The house, which has been standing for nearly 300 years, is said to be home to at least 13 ghosts. Over the decades, curators and tour guides have reported a variety of paranormal experiences, including disembodied voices, objects moving on their own, and the sound of footsteps and heavy objects being dragged across the stone floor in the cellar.

The nursery is particularly active, with a rocking chair and cradle that move without any human intervention, and temperature fluctuations that have no apparent cause.

Visitors have reported seeing several apparitions, including a little girl who seems to be particularly drawn to women, a lady in green often seen looking out the window or as a flash of green in the hall, and a man in black who has been spotted both around the house and elsewhere in City Park.

The museum is open from April 7 – October on Fridays & Saturdays: 10AM – 4PM. Tours are on the hour, and no appointment necessary. Private tours are available if you call in advance.