Westminster Hall and Burying Ground – Haunted Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland

Westminster Hall and Burying Ground stands as one of Baltimore’s most historically significant and supernaturally active locations. This Gothic Revival church rises dramatically above a cemetery that predates it by nearly seven decades.

The burial ground welcomed its first interment in 1786. The church wasn’t constructed until 1852, built directly over existing graves on brick piers.

This unusual architectural decision created a series of catacombs beneath the church floor. These underground passages wind between brick pillars and past dozens of tombs.

Edgar Allan Poe rests here alongside his wife Virginia and her mother Maria Clemm. The master of macabre literature draws thousands of visitors annually to his final resting place.

Beyond Poe’s grave, over 1,000 souls lie buried throughout the grounds. Many were prominent Baltimore citizens, military heroes, and Revolutionary War veterans.

Historical Background

The Westminster Burying Ground opened in 1786 on the western edge of Baltimore. The land was chosen as the city expanded beyond its original colonial boundaries.

The burial ground served Baltimore’s elite families for decades before the church was built. Wealthy merchants, politicians, and military officers filled the cemetery throughout the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Westminster Presbyterian Church was constructed in 1852 using an innovative but controversial design. Architect Robert Cary Long Jr. proposed building the church on brick piers above existing graves.

This decision created a network of catacombs beneath the sanctuary floor. The underground passages allowed continued access to family burial plots without disturbing the church above.

Edgar Allan Poe died mysteriously in Baltimore on October 7, 1849. He was initially buried in an unmarked grave in the cemetery’s rear section.

His remains were moved to the current prominent monument in 1875. The reinterment ceremony drew national attention and sparked supernatural reports almost immediately.

The church served its congregation until 1977 when it was deconsecrated. Westminster Hall now operates as a historic site managed by the University of Maryland School of Law.

During the Civil War, the cemetery became a gathering place for both Union and Confederate sympathizers. Several documented confrontations occurred among mourners visiting graves of soldiers from opposing sides.

The catacombs suffered significant water damage throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Restoration efforts in the 1980s uncovered disturbed graves and displaced remains throughout the underground chambers.

Paranormal Activity Summary

Visitors consistently report shadow figures moving between the gravestones after dark. These dark silhouettes appear to walk purposefully through the cemetery before vanishing near specific monuments.

The catacombs beneath Westminster Hall generate the most intense supernatural activity. People describe overwhelming feelings of being watched while walking the narrow underground passages.

Cold spots manifest suddenly throughout both the cemetery grounds and church interior. Temperature drops of 15 to 20 degrees occur even during summer months.

Disembodied voices echo through the catacombs when no living person is present. Security footage has captured unexplained sounds resembling conversations in the underground chambers.

Electronic equipment frequently malfunctions near Edgar Allan Poe’s grave. Cameras, phones, and recording devices drain completely or shut down without explanation.

Phantom funeral processions appear in the cemetery on foggy evenings. Multiple witnesses have described seeing groups of mourners in period clothing that disappear when approached.

A spectral woman in white walks among the graves searching for something she never finds. She appears most frequently near the cemetery’s western wall between midnight and 3 AM.

Heavy footsteps pound across the wooden floors of Westminster Hall when the building stands empty. Security personnel have investigated these sounds countless times without finding a source.

Ghost Stories & Reports

Edgar Allan Poe’s ghost manifests in multiple locations throughout Westminster. Witnesses describe a thin man in dark 19th-century clothing standing near the author’s monument.

The apparition appears to be writing in a small notebook or journal. When observers approach, the figure looks up with hollow, sorrowful eyes before fading away.

For over 60 years, a mysterious figure known as the Poe Toaster visited the grave annually. This cloaked individual left three roses and a bottle of cognac every January 19th until 2009.

Many believe supernatural forces compelled different individuals to continue this tradition. The ritual stopped abruptly with no explanation from the final Toaster.

General James McHenry’s spirit walks the cemetery grounds in full Revolutionary War regalia. He served as Secretary of War under Presidents Washington and Adams before his death in 1816.

His ghost appears most frequently near his family plot in the cemetery’s northeast corner. Visitors report feeling an overwhelming sense of patriotic duty when his apparition is present.

A young girl in a blue dress runs playfully between gravestones during daylight hours. She appears to be around eight years old and seems unaware of living observers.

Research suggests she may be Mary Elizabeth Scarlett, who died in 1794 at age seven. Her grave lies near the church’s eastern wall beneath a weathered cherub monument.

The catacombs harbor the spirit of a man who died during the church’s construction in 1852. Workers discovered his body weeks after a collapse sealed him in the underground passages.

His angry presence manifests as aggressive pushing, scratching sounds on brick walls, and hostile energy. Visitors describe feeling physically threatened when encountering this entity in the narrow catacombs.

A Revolutionary War soldier appears near the cemetery entrance gates. He stands at attention as if guarding the burial ground from unseen threats.

Witnesses identify him by his Continental Army uniform and musket. He never speaks but nods solemnly at visitors who acknowledge his presence.

Virginia Clemm Poe, Edgar’s young wife and cousin, haunts the area near her grave. She died of tuberculosis at age 24 in 1847, two years before Edgar’s mysterious death.

Her ghost appears as a frail young woman coughing into a handkerchief. Visitors report hearing her labored breathing and soft weeping near the Poe family plot.

Most Haunted Spot

The catacombs beneath Westminster Hall generate the most intense and disturbing paranormal activity. These underground passages wind between brick piers that support the church above.

The southeastern section of the catacombs, near vault number 47, produces the strongest phenomena. Multiple investigators have captured electronic voice phenomena and unexplained temperature fluctuations in this specific area.

Visitors describe feeling hands touching their shoulders and backs while walking through this section. The presence feels malevolent and territorial, as if something resents intrusion into its domain.

Edgar Allan Poe’s grave monument serves as the second most active supernatural location. The area within a 15-foot radius of his headstone consistently shows anomalies on electromagnetic field detectors.

Cameras malfunction specifically when pointed at Poe’s monument. Fully charged batteries die instantly, and digital cameras display error messages despite functioning normally elsewhere.

Can You Visit?

Westminster Hall and Burying Ground is open to the public for tours and self-guided visits. The site operates as a historic landmark managed by the University of Maryland School of Law.

Regular daytime tours run April through November on the first and third Saturday of each month. Tours begin at 10 AM and last approximately 90 minutes including the catacombs.

Special evening ghost tours occur throughout October leading up to Halloween. These extended tours focus specifically on supernatural history and paranormal encounters reported at the site.

Admission fees vary by tour type, with standard tours costing $10 for adults and $5 for children. Special event tours and private group bookings have different pricing structures available through advance reservation.

Photography is permitted throughout the cemetery grounds and inside Westminster Hall. Flash photography is restricted in the catacombs to preserve aging monuments and deteriorating brickwork.

The cemetery gates remain open during daylight hours for visitors wishing to pay respects at graves. The church interior and catacombs are accessible only during scheduled tour times for safety and preservation.

Private paranormal investigation bookings are available through the Westminster Preservation Trust. These sessions occur after hours and must be arranged weeks in advance with liability waivers required.

Best Time to Visit

October brings peak paranormal activity coinciding with the anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s death. Manifestations increase dramatically during the first two weeks of the month.

Evening tours between 7 PM and 10 PM generate the most supernatural encounters. Darkness amplifies the cemetery’s unsettling atmosphere and spirits appear more frequently after sunset.

January 19th, Poe’s birthday, draws enormous crowds hoping to witness supernatural phenomena. Despite the cold, this date consistently produces unexplained occurrences near his monument.

Foggy autumn mornings create ideal conditions for witnessing the phantom funeral processions. The combination of low visibility and morning stillness seems to blur boundaries between past and present.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

Tour guide Sarah Mitchell documented her 2019 experience in the catacombs beneath Westminster Hall. She clearly heard a male voice say “Get out” when no visitors were present in that section.

Her audio recorder captured the same phrase along with unexplained whispers in the background. Analysis confirmed no natural explanation for the voices on the recording.

Baltimore resident Marcus Thompson photographed what appears to be a full-body apparition in 2017. His image shows a translucent figure standing near Poe’s grave in period clothing.

The photograph was analyzed by multiple paranormal researchers who found no evidence of manipulation. The figure appears in only one frame of a rapid sequence despite Thompson taking five photos within seconds.

University of Maryland student Jennifer Chen wrote about her 2020 visit for a journalism assignment. She experienced sudden nausea and dizziness while walking through the eastern section of catacombs.

Her smartwatch recorded her heart rate spiking from 72 to 134 beats per minute without physical exertion. The sensation passed immediately upon exiting that particular underground passage.

Paranormal investigator Robert Davenport led a team investigation in 2018 documented on his podcast. The group recorded multiple EVP responses to direct questions asked in the catacombs.

One recording clearly captures a voice stating a name matching a person buried in vault 52. The investigative team had no prior knowledge of who was interred in that specific location.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The television series “Ghost Hunters” filmed an episode at Westminster in 2008. The TAPS team captured unexplained footsteps and detected electromagnetic field spikes throughout the catacombs.

Their thermal imaging cameras recorded a human-shaped cold spot moving independently through the underground passages. The anomaly measured 15 degrees cooler than surrounding air and maintained its shape for several minutes.

The Maryland Paranormal Research Group conducts annual investigations at Westminster Hall every October. Their 2021 report documented 47 separate unexplained occurrences during a single overnight investigation.

Equipment malfunctions accounted for 12 incidents including three cameras simultaneously shutting down. The remaining events included shadow figures, disembodied voices, and physical sensations of being touched.

Baltimore Ghost Tours brings groups to Westminster twice weekly during peak season. Their guides maintain logs of supernatural encounters reported by tour participants over the past 15 years.

Analysis of these logs reveals patterns correlating with lunar phases and seasonal changes. Activity increases during full moons and reaches annual peaks in October and January.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

The catacombs contain uneven surfaces, low clearances, and poor lighting requiring careful navigation. Visitors must follow guides and stay with their groups to avoid injury in the underground passages.

The cemetery remains private property with posted hours and trespassing laws strictly enforced. Baltimore Police regularly patrol the grounds after closing, and violators face criminal charges.

Some individuals experience anxiety, claustrophobia, or psychological distress in the confined catacomb spaces. Tour operators require participants to acknowledge these risks before entering underground areas.

The cemetery contains fragile historic monuments that must not be touched or leaned against. Damage to monuments results in substantial fines and potential criminal charges for vandalism.

Local Legends & Myths

Local legend claims Edgar Allan Poe’s ghost curses anyone who disturbs his monument. Several people who vandalized or defaced the grave allegedly experienced terrible luck immediately afterward.

One persistent story tells of a teenager who urinated on Poe’s monument in 2003. According to the tale, he died in a car accident exactly one week later on October 7th, the anniversary of Poe’s death.

Another legend describes a hidden tunnel connecting Westminster’s catacombs to nearby buildings. Some claim the passage allowed Poe to enter the cemetery secretly to write among the dead.

No archaeological evidence supports this tunnel’s existence. The story likely originated from misunderstandings about the catacomb layout and Victorian-era cemetery architecture.

A popular myth suggests that Poe’s original burial location is cursed ground. Plants refuse to grow within a five-foot radius of where his unmarked grave once stood in the cemetery’s rear section.

Groundskeepers confirm this bare patch of earth exists exactly where historical records place Poe’s first grave. Multiple attempts to seed or sod the area have failed without explanation.