There is a theory that bodies of water contribute to spectral activity.
Bays, lakes, and rivers act like conduits for the otherworldly, providing the energy needed to manifest as an intelligent apparition or residual haunt. It would certainly explain why coastal regions like Annapolis, Baltimore, and two of America’s most haunted cities, New Orleans and St. Augustine, are riddled with ghost stories.
Each of these locations, from the seven bays of Baltimore to Louisiana’s bayous, offers a glimpse of the other side. Spirits, apparitions, phantoms, and poltergeists cross the veil and remain bound to our realm, fueled by the natural energies of larger bodies of water. Skeptical of the mystical powers of lakes, swamps, and bays? Consider putting these historic port cities on your bucket list.
Baltimore
The Haunted Horse You Came In On saloon in Baltimore – Copyright US Ghost Adventures
Carved into by the Patapsco River and the Inner Harbor, Baltimore has a perpetual source of energy for its bounty of haunts. As one of the United States’ oldest cities, with roots in the bloodied battles of the War of 1812 and the Civil War, Baltimore’s history is a gold mine for spectral manifestations. After all, one of its most notable attractions is an old ship of war, the USS Constellation. Aboard the old sloop-of-war, curious travelers can hear the echoes of yesteryear. Residual memories of the lower deck’s sick bay and apparitions of soldiers still protecting the frigate circulate the aged vessel.
On land, the spirits of antique buildings like the Governor Calvert House and Fort McHenry benefit from the nearby harbor. Grieving wives and leering phantoms remain bound to spaces that played an important role in their lives. It’s the same reason why the infamous author, Edgar Allan Poe, still has a presence in Charm City.
The tragedy of Poe stretches from his old home, where he and his wife Victoria are said to linger, to the last place he was seen alive. The Horse You Came In On Saloon was a favored haunt of the tortured artist, and it remains as such today. Employees speak of strange happenings, from balls of light to a chandelier known to move without a gust of air. Even the Westminster Burial Grounds are said to be visited by Poe, along with notable names like Colonel James Henry and a young girl named Lucia
Hop on a Baltimore ghost tour to explore this city’s spooky side!
Annapolis
Reynold’s Tavern – Copyright US Ghost Adventures
Maryland’s capital city, Annapolis, is as close to water as a city can get. Sitting right on the Severn River, its haunts have a perpetual supply of energy that flows nearby, allowing the headless specter of Cornhill Street to manifest and roam free. The tale of the brothers of Cornhill is a tragic one that ended in bloodshed and a missing head. Today, an apparition wanders the street, hoping to find the missing body part.
Though not quite as much of a horrific vision, Mary’s spirit at Reynolds Tavern keeps guests in line. Those who disrespect the tavern she inherited from her husband, William, feel her wrath. Some rude customers have had drinks forcibly spilled while others have been hit with a sense of dread. The worst of the worst have even been locked in the bathroom and left to question their sanity as the lights flicker with purpose. That purpose? To warn of Mary’s presence.
From the phantom footsteps of the Shiplap House to the lingering inmates at Dock Street, the old jail-turned-bar and grill, Annapolis is a city brimming with residual and intelligent haunts. Stop by the Brooksby-Shaw House for a chance encounter with the restless haunt of butcher Cornelius Brooksby or stay a night at the very active Maryland Inn, all encompassed by the snaking tendrils of the Severn.
An Annapolis ghost tour is the best way to visit Annapolis’s haunted sites!
St. Augustine
Castillo de San Marcos – Copyright US Ghost Adventures
When it comes to old cities in the United States, none hold a candle to St. Augustine. The 460-year-old coastal city borders the Intracoastal Waterway, fed by the Matanzas River. Just west of the city, the San Sebastian River serves as another energy source for the ghosts and poltergeists that refuse to leave The Ancient City. With its roots in Spanish and English history, many of the city’s specters are older than even the oldest American colonies.
Locations like the Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest fort in the mainland United States, and the Old Jail are imbued with a centuries-old aura. Former Spanish soldiers charged with protecting St. Augustine and inmates who once threatened the sanctity of the local community still call the coastal city home. Their ethereal forms connect the present with the past, making St. Augustine’s important history accessible to the bravest travelers and locals.
The ghostly city’s claim to fame is its historic lighthouse and the attached Keeper’s House. Known for its appearances on several TV shows, the lighthouse echoes with the footsteps of a former lamplighter stomping his way up the metal spiral staircase. The Keepers House has its own phantoms, like the young girl with a penchant for watching over those who sleep in the home.
New Orleans
The LaLaurie Mansion – Copyright US Ghost Adventures
When someone asks, “What’s the most haunted city in the United States?” a few may come to mind. Among them is undoubtedly haunted New Orleans, a city surrounded by water. From the perimeter lakes to the Mississippi River that flows right through the city, the haunts of New Orleans have stagnant and flowing bodies of water to draw from. When you factor in the city’s ties to Voodoo, its tragic past, and historical controversies, it’s really no surprise that the Big Easy is a spectral playground.
One of the city’s most iconic haunts sits just west of the Mississippi, just blocks from the river’s rushing waters. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 intrigues with celebrity ghosts like the Voodoo Queen herself, Marie Laveau, but it’s also known to be patrolled by wandering Civil War soldiers and restless souls. Bordering the southern outskirts of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 lies New Orleans’ French Quarter, a mecca for those intrigued by what goes bump in the night.
Marie Laveau’s house of horrors offers a glimpse into the darkest side of New Orleans’ history. If you don’t mind a nearly two-hour drive, the infamous Myrtles Plantation expands on Louisiana’s more sinister stories. However, one doesn’t need to travel beyond NOLA to see how the nearby river and lakes provide the energy needed for ghosts of yesteryear to manifest – just hop on a local New Orleans ghost tour to start your haunted adventure.
The Boos of the American Bays and Bayous
Find a significant source of water, and it’s very likely there’s a ghost story somewhere nearby. Haunted American cities sit on the very source of their spectral energy, the flowing waters providing nearby haunts with the fuel needed to manifest. It’s why locations like New Orleans, Baltimore, St. Augustine, and Annapolis are well-known for the spirits that patrol the burial grounds they’re interred within and the historic homes they once inhabited.
