Urban Legends in Maryland

As one of the thirteen original colonies, Maryland has had plenty of time to acquire creepy folklore and pervasive urban legends. Evil spirits and mythological creatures are believed to lurk in the deepest parts of creepy Maryland. Ghost stories from Maryland involve strange figures, haunted hospitals, and mysterious monsters. This mid-Atlantic state was home to the master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, and his spirit is said to still wander near the site of his grave.

Some of the tales seem quite outlandish, for sure. But, Maryland has a long and complex history filled with decades of violent battles, storms, and horrific murders. All of these events contribute to a spine-chilling oral history that's been passed down through many, many generations of Maryland locals. These creepy Maryland urban legends will send a chill down anyone's spine. 

The Goatman

For years, witnesses have reported seeing a bearded man with horns and cloven hooves skulking through the woods of Maryland. This Goatman stalks through the Old Line State, eating wild animals and breaking into homes to eat family pets. His also likes chopping up teenagers getting steamy at Lover's Lane. Clearly, he's a very original monster.

The first alleged sighting of this hybrid creature was in 1957, but by the 1970s the legend of the Goatman became a cautionary tale to warn kids about the dangers of premarital sex. Over the years, Goatman stopped popping up in random places and made a home in Prince George's County.

Where did the Goatman come from? The most common theory is he was the outcome of horrible human/animal hybrid experimentation. Another origin story claims that Goatman is one of the Devil's minions brought forth by dedicated Satanists. Some locals believe he is the actually the pagan god Pan. While the true origin of Goatman remains cloudy, the terror his sightings invoke is all too real.

Crybaby Bridge

The haunting tale of the "Crybaby Bridge" is a pretty widespread Maryland urban legend. Located in Prince George's County and crossing over the Patuxent River, this places Crybaby Bridge right in the middle of Goatman's territory.

A baby tragically died in the river back in the 1950s, and locals still argue about what really happened that day. Some say a young mother went out to the bridge to greet her husband with their baby. It was foggy and she dropped the child into the river after being hit by her husband's car. Another story claims the woman suffered from postpartum depression and threw the child into the water. A more recent theory focuses on the KKK and their ritual killing of African-American children being responsible for the haunting of the bridge.

Chessie, the Chesapeake Bay Sea Monster

According to legend, the Chesapeake Bay is home to a sea monster that locals have dubbed Chessie. She’s an aquatic snake-like beast with flippers running anywhere from 25 to 40 feet in length. Chessie has been spotted in the bay sporadically since the early 1940s. There were a rash of Chessie sightings in 1977, but they have slowed to a trickle in recent years. The most recent sighting took place in 2014.

Speculation about what Chessie really is ranges from the mundane to the fantastic. Some say she's a manatee or a large river otter, and others think she might be a mutant eel or a huge anaconda that got lost. The craziest folks believe she is a prehistoric Zeuglodon! 

The Haunting At the Sotterley Plantation

The historic Sotterley Plantation was built along the Patuxent River back in the 18th Century, and is currently the oldest surviving plantation in southern Maryland. While it was a private residence for a number of wealthy families through the years, it's now a public space. Staff and visitors have all reported strange happenings on the grounds. Lights flicker on and off, strange noises can be heard throughout the house, and breakfast smells waft up from the kitchen when no one is cooking.

One of the more menacing ghosts that live on Sotterley Plantation is a former owner who still haunts the second-level hallway, staircase, and one of the bedrooms. His spirit is notorious for throwing people he doesn’t like down the staircase.

Snallygaster

When the German immigrants settled in western Maryland in the 1700s, they brought with them the terrifying lore of the Snallygaster. This half-bird, half-reptile swoops down from the skies to hunt livestock and small children. The carnivorous creature allegedly has a 25-foot wingspan and deadly talons that glow like hot metal.

Some have claimed to have seen a blazing red third eye in the middle of its forehead, razor sharp teeth, and octopus-like tentacles. Witnesses have claimed the Snallygaster cries like a baby and screams like a woman, implying that it may resort to mimicry to lure potential victims into its grasp.

The Jericho Covered Bridge

Constructed in 1865, the seemingly peaceful Jericho Covered Bridge has a plethora of disturbing stories surrounding it. The most common yarn spun involves the silhouettes of bodies hanging from the rafters. Some believe they're the ghosts of a horrific suicide pact and others claim they're the spirits of lynched slaves.

Many late night drivers have reported cars stalling on the bridge. Some have spotted powdery hand prints appearing on their vehicles after crossing the bridge. Others have seen a ghostly woman crossing the bridge with a basket of fresh flowers, or the spirit of a young woman with a badly burned face.

There are myths of strange and horrific creatures lurking around the bridge in addition to the ghost tales. One creature is described as a terrifying grey monkey with a massive tail. There have also been reports of a hideous red-eyed demon guarding the bridge. The presence of these creatures might explain the blood-curdling screams heard often near the bridge.

Point Lookout State Park

Scotland, MD, is home to Point Lookout State Park, what has what some consider the most haunted lighthouse in America. Federal forces occupied Point Lookout during the Civil War, and established a hospital for the wounded from the Battle of Gettysburg in addition to serving as a POW camp. Both of these factors contributed to the unusual amount of paranormal activity on this particular piece of land.

The ghost of a Confederate soldier can be seen running across the road on any given evening, and the voice of the old lighthouse keeper can be heard singing through the night. Ann Davis, the wife of a former keeper, has been seen wandering around in her blue dress, softly telling people “this is my house.”

In July 1864, the USS Tulip sank just off the coast of Point Lookout. There were 47 deaths as a result, and eight corpses washed up on shore. The Gale of 1978 killed 16 people on a ship named The Express, and violent waves brought the ship in just north of Point Lookout. The ghost of the second mate, Joseph Heaney, appears before and during major storms, knocking on the lighthouse door.

Westminster Graveyard In Baltimore

Edgar Allen Poe’s body is buried in the old Westminster Graveyard in Baltimore. Many claim to have seen his spirit roaming the grounds. While the Westminster Presbyterian Church (now Westminster Hall) was built over much of the cemetery, part of the old portion is still accessible above ground. Most of it can only be reached underground in the old catacombs where many spirits are said to walk. 

The cemetery also has a mysterious visitor: a man dressed in black with a black fedora and scarf has often been spotted in the graveyard. His face is always hidden from view and he carries a walking stick. He can be seen visiting the grave of Edgar Allen Poe each year on his birthday, January 19. He leaves the writer a bottle of cognac and three red roses. One year, a note accompanied the gifts. It read, “Edgar, I haven’t forgotten you.” There was no signature. The reported sightings of this mysterious man date back to 1949.

Glenn Dale Hospital

Glenn Dale Hospital was a massive tuberculosis sanatorium that later became an institution for the criminally insane. The building was shut down in 1981 due to concerns over asbestos. 

Today, Glenn Dale Hospital is condemned and allegedly haunted. Sightings have included patients wandering the grounds, apparitions of wild dogs, and smoke emanating from the crematorium. Strange moans, whispers, screams of agony, and violent banging sounds can all be heard deep inside the cavernous structure.

One of the most common spirit sightings is the apparition of a man in a straightjacket. It's said that when he was alive, he went insane after an intruder murdered his entire family as he cowered in a closet. He was so burdened with guilt he stockpiled his medication and eventually committed suicide by overdose.

Edgar Allan Poe’s Home in Baltimore, Maryland

This historic house was built in 1830 in Baltimore, and was once home to Edgar Allen Poe. It’s now open to the public as a museum. The house is known for heavy paranormal activity, almost none of which has to do with Poe himself.

Most sightings have been of an older, heavy set woman dressed in gray. She’s believed to be the residual energy of Poe’s wife. The staff at the Poe Museum believes she haunts the grounds, however, and this entity likes to stir up trouble.

Witch's Tree of Whaleyville

On Swamp Road in Whaleyville sits a gnarled cypress tree that's supposedly home to weird happenings and a Swamp Monster. Ghostly orbs and strange colored lights are seen around the tree and many claim to hear the sounds of a woman screaming and crying near the tree. Vehicles often break down near the tree, and there is no cellphone reception. Locals are quick to warn visitors not to go out in the area alone.

The legend of the Selbyville Swamp Monster originated after a fire in 1930. It was believed that the old shingle-maker who died in its flames still haunted the swamp. While sightings of the creature grew throughout the 1960s, eventually Ralph Grapperhaus, editor of the Delmarva News, and his friend Fred Stevens admitted they were behind the hoax.

Moll Dyer’s Curse

The legendary witch of Leonardtown was a woman named Moll Dyer. In the 17th Century, she was driven out of town after being accused of witchcraft. The townsfolk didn’t catch up to her after the exile, but her body was later found frozen rock solid.

It’s believed that her spirit still haunts the land. According to local lore, crops won’t grow in the area, an abnormally large number of lightning strikes have been recorded on her land, and a mysterious white dog has been spotted on Moll Dyer Road causing numerous car accidents.

Witch's Grave of Truxton Park

According to legend, a witch once lived and died in Truxton Park in Annapolis. She was buried in the woods, just past the third baseball field by a slanted tree back in the 1800s. Her body disappeared and has never been found. Even today, reports of bodies hanging from the tree continue to pop up around Halloween.

Dead Man’s Curve

Dead Man’s Curve is a common nickname for any road with a dangerous bend in it, especially if it has been the location of an accident resulting in a fatality. Just about every small town has one of these winding roadways. They often become fuel for urban legends.

According to local lore in Boonsboro, a headless ghost haunts the Dead Man’s Curve in their town. Allegedly, a terrible accident happened there, leaving a doctor decapitated in the mid-19th Century. Now his headless apparition can be seen wandering the street, a harbinger of vehicular doom.

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