The last time Friday the 13th happened in 2009, we were in Savannah, Georgia (February) and we happened to wind up on a ghost walk. That one was totally unplanned to coincide with Friday the 13th as this one was (we were supposed to go on the 12th) but it just worked out that way.
The tour is called "Ye Haunted History of Olde Ellicott City Ghost Tour." They happen Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 or 8:30p.m. ET from April through November. They're hosted by the Howard County Department of Tourism, and there are three different tours (because there are a LOT of ghosts there). For more information, call 1-800-288-8747 to make reservations (I encourage calling ahead).
When we arrived Friday night, the rain that we've had for the last 4 1/2 days finally ended but it was cold and damp. Our tour guide named Tessi was wonderful and very animated. Here are a couple of pictures and stories from the walk.
(PHOTO: Tom doing his "poser" routine while our friends were unaware and listening to the ghost guide)
PHOTO 1 OF CAPLAN'S: A HAUNTED STORE FORMERLY KNOWN AS CAPLAN'S - This is a "before" photograph. I took 3 simultaneous photos as this store is reported to have a ghost child inside of it. Note that the sky is black, and there are no "spots" over the building.
PHOTO 2 OF CAPLAN'S: A GHOSTLY ORB OVER CAPLAN'S STORE - Notice an orb showed up over the roof of the building. I had to brighten the image using Photoshop, so the orb would be more clear. The way that you can tell an orb is in the photo is that it has different colors in it. Dust on the lens doesn't have colors in its center.
THE HAUNTING: Here's why I took multiple photos: One of the ghost tour guides inadvertently wound up taking home the child ghost in her car one night. She came to realize it when the electrical system was going crazy. One of her friends suggested after 2 days of her car's electrical system going haywire that she drive back to Caplan's and tell the ghost to get out. Apparently, the ghost-child did get out and went back to Caplan's, as the guide didn't have any more weird electrical issues afterward.
PHOTO: THE HAUNTED B&O RAILROAD MUSEUM -The B&O railroad museum is located adjacent to the Patapsco River at the foot of old Ellicott City. This building was the first passenger railroad station in the U.S.A. This is where passenger railroads started. It's a fascinating museum, and has a great history outlined, a cool working miniature railroad, and movie about the history. This building is reputed to have a friendly ghost named "Charlie" that inhabits it. I haven't encountered Charlie, however.
THE GHOSTS AT THE RIVER - The B&O Railroad Museum is built right next to the Patapsco River. On the railroad bridge the connects to the platform behind the museum/station, there's a large marker that shows where the record floods reached during various years. In 1888 flood waters from the river went about 30 feet above the river level, flooding the town and killing many. In 1972, Hurricane Agnes flooded the town again, killing more. There were about 6 markers representing floods. Our tour guide stopped and pointed out the markers, and as she did, I "heard" men, women and a few children behind me (there was no one there) telling me they died in a flood event. It was like they were standing behind me in flesh and blood.
GHOST AT "CACAO LANE RESTAURANT" - Our tour guide also stopped in front of a restaurant called "Cacao Lane." I then heard the name "Marcus, Marcus." The guide told us of a mirror being lifted up off the bar, over bottles of liquor, while a bartender and patrons looked on. The mirror was gently lowered to the floor. I believe the ghost's name that did it was "Marcus" and I informed our guide.
GHOSTLY BURIAL CARRIAGE - We proceeded down one of the alleyways, that still had a hand-laid brick "street." When we got there, I sensed a horse-drawn carriage waiting in the alley. The guide told us that one of the buildings we were standing near was a former funeral home and bodies would be loaded onto wagons in that alleyway. She said that one of the "funeral wagons" was still in the basement of one of the buildings, and there have been accounts of a man in 1800s period clothing sitting on the wagon with a deep look of sorrow in his eyes.
Rob--- I grew up very close to Ellicott City, and lived there for a couple of years just before we moved to the eastern shore in 1993. My great-uncle, Sherwood Balderson, lived in Lilburn Mansion which is on the hill above the railroad tracks...a gray, castle-like building which has a long reputation of being haunted. Situated as it is above the train station, we were always told that it was used as a hospital during the Civil War, for wounded being brought back from Antietam and Gettysburg. You have probably seen the book 'Ghosts and Haunted Houses of Maryland' by Trish Gallagher...there's a chapter within that describes my scientifically-minded uncle's attempts to 'test' the strange happenings in his house. My sisters got to stay there on the night I was born : ) Oh yes, and I have been meaning to meet up with some friends from high school and take this tour!
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