Paranormal Road Trip: Baltimore with Rachel Rawlings

Come on boys and ghouls!  It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip.

This week's stop is Baltimore, Maryland and our special guide is Rachel Rawlings author of PAYABLE ON DEATH.

Baltimore's Top 5 Spooky Places

Baltimore is a city in turmoil. Its violent past and present made it the perfect place to hide a few portals to Hell. But long before it became the Devil’s personal playground, Charm City was home to a different sort of otherworldly creatures—spirits.

Baltimore’s Best Known Haunts

203 N. Amity Street – The Poe House, like all of Baltimore’s Edgar Allan Poe historical sites is home to numerous mysterious tales. However, the home on Amity Street is said to be haunted by the author himself. On the anniversary of the master or murder and mystery’s birth, an unidentified man donning a cloak similar to those worn by men of Poe’s era, left three roses and a bottle of cognac for Mr. Poe from 1949 to 2009.

Fort McHenry National Monument

Featured on the History Channels “haunted History”, the fort best known for inspiring Francis Scott Key’s penning of the national anthem is more locally well known for its ghostly inhabitants. Tourists often report strange feelings while walking the grounds and numerous reports of soldiers marching on duty have been reported to the park rangers.

The Admiral Fell Inn

Fells Point may have changed since its brothel and shipyard days but that doesn’t mean the sailors and saloon girls all went by the wayside. Rated one of the top haunted hotels in America, The Admiral is no stranger to ghostly tales. Once a theater where seamen and ladies of the night were known to frequent, it’s no surprise a hotel manager reported hearing roaring parties inside after all the rooms had been evacuated during a hurricane. From disappearing butlers to floating sailors, guests have also seen spirits roaming the rooms. Certainly give a new mean to a double occupancy room rate!

USS Constellation

Houses aren’t the only thing haunted in Baltimore. The USS Constellation has seen its share of adventure, from helping to break up slavery, delivering food during the Irish famine, the Civil War and later as a training vessel for the U.S. Navy, it’s no wonder there are spirits aboard the ship. Tourists walking above and below deck have reported seeing sailors who couldn’t possibly be part of the crew as well as electronic device failure from cell phones to tablets.

Westminster Church Cemetery

Made famous as the burial grounds for Edgar Allan Poe—we love our gothic writers in Charm City, just look at our football team, Westminster Church’s cemetery is also the final resting place for Col. James McHenry (yes, that name should be ringing a bell the fort above is his namesake) as well as Gen. Samuel Smith, both prominent figures in the War of 1812. Completed almost 60 years after the burial ground was established the church is built on bricks in a unique way so as not to disturb the tombs that existed prior to its completion. Not unlike other cemeteries, tourist report feeling chills, ill at ease and cold spots on the grounds.

Thank you Rachel for giving us such a haunting tour of Baltimore! 

Learn more about Rachel Rawlings and her books by visiting her website.  You can add Payable On Death here on Goodreads.

What did you think of Rachel's picks for spooky places?

On our last Paranormal Road Trip we visited Savannah, Georgia with Elaine Calloway.  Next time we will be visiting Houma, Louisiana with Madison Granger.

Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!