Mindie Burgoyne is a travel writer, tour guide and tour operator living on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. She is the author of Haunted Eastern Shore: Ghostly Tales from East of the Chesapeake and operates Chesapeake Ghost Walks and Thin Places Mystical Tours.
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Windy Brow, the home of Orlando Harrison, Berlin, MD.
The old home-place of Orlando Harrison, built in 1899 sits near the railroad tracks in Berlin, Maryland. It’s not haunted, but if ever there was a house that held the spirit and charisma of a family it would be Windy Brow. It’s a stop on the Berlin Ghost Walk where we stand near the old railroad depot across from the house and tell the story about how a family made Berlin famous.
It’s the story of Orlando Harrison and peaches and rail cars and the people who worked for the Harrison Brothers Nurseries . Hundreds of Worcester County residents and thousands of their descendants have been impacted, and futures shaped by what Orlando Harrison began right from this location. Because it’s so significant to the the character of the Town of Berlin, and because many of the the ghosts that are still hanging around the town engaged with the Harrisons…it’s worth a stop and reflection.
Have you ever taken a night-time walk into a haunted forest? The Pocomoke Ghost Walk trail meanders 1/4 of a mile into this thick cypress swamp while the guide tells stories of the haunted forest and spirits that lurk there.
The Goat Man of the Pocomoke River
One such story is Goat Man of Pocomoke Forest. For years it’s been seen – a kind of Big Foot character who has a man’s body with the head of a goat – with horns. He runs through the swampy forest very light on his feet. He survives by eating small animals and fish he catches in the Pocomoke River. You hear the Goat Man as he steps on brush and twigs in the swamp. You know hear that noise and know that the area where it came from is nothing but marsh mud and quick sand. No man or heavy animal could walk there. But the Goat Man can. Continue reading Ghost Walk into the Pocomoke Forest→
The Hungry Ghost Moon is the name the Chinese gave to the full moon in the seventh month of the lunar year – which happens to occur today, July 12, 2014.
In the Chinese tradition, the time of the Hungry Ghost Moon is similar to how the ancient Irish perceived Samahain, a feast marking the beginning of the Irish Winter (October 31st – Halloween in North America). It was a time when spirits could move freely from this world into the Other world or the Eternal world. The veil separating the worlds was “thin.”
The Chinese believed that some spirits would return to where they were happiest, so it’s a time when you might see or feel the presence of your ancestors — or the people who formerly populated the landscape surrounding you. But it is also a time when mischievous spirits make trouble and people can be more susceptible to bad energy from the spirit world.
Probably one of the weirdest things about the Easton Ghost Walk is the elevator riding ghosts of Easton. Within two square blocks in the downtown there are five historic buildings whose occupants report strange occurrences with the elevators. Continue reading The Elevator Riding Ghosts of Easton→
The Trimper’s Carousel in Ocean City Maryland is believed to be haunted by the spirit of a lady who loved the carousel very much. Sometimes when you’re standing close to the carousel, be still and reach out in your mind to her. Ask her to let you know she’s there … and you might just get a whiff of her perfume.
The Trimper’s Carousel is the oldest continually operational carousel in America. It’s been operational – sitting in the same spot since Daniel Trimper purchased it in 1912 from the Herschell-Spillman Company in New York. It has 47 animals, 3 chariots and a rocking chair – all intricately carved by German artists over 100 years ago. Today Trimper’s employes a mechanic and artist who both specialize in antique rides and machinery. The Carousel is located in the “Carousel House” near the inlet on the Boardwalk along with Trimper’s other antique rides. Just checking out the artistry in these rides is worth a trip to Ocean City. Continue reading Spirit that Haunts Trimper’s Carousel→
The Snow Hill Inn was the first haunted building I ever wrote about. I became interested in the stories of unexplained events, candles lighting themselves, people getting locked in rooms, beds shaking in the middle of the night, strange reflections appearing in mirrors and windows opening and shutting at will shortly after I took a job working for the Town of Snow Hill in 2002.
The Snow Hill Inn was open for lunch and dinner and conveniently located in the historic downtown. I heard many of the haunted stories from people who had actually experienced something. Local people called this ghost “J.J.” and told about how the Inn was his childhood home and how he committed suicide by cutting his own throat. His daddy was a mean old town doctor and J.J. was failing out of Pharmacology school. So he ended it all in a bloody mess right after he penned a note to his father saying, “…it is useless to keep me at school…” Continue reading Snow Hill Inn – My First Ghost Story→
Easton and Berlin are two of the towns on the Chesapeake Ghost Walks that have lodges built by the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows (IOOF) and both are reportedly haunted. Maybe “haunted” is the wrong word. Mystical better describes these buildings.
Berlin Odd Fellows Hall
The Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a fraternal organization that was founded in England in the 1600s. At that time people in society were class conscious and few helped their neighbors. When people got sick or their loved ones died, they were left to fend for themselves. Many didn’t have enough money to bury their own dead. Continue reading The Odd Fellows (IOOF) – Skeletons in Their Closets→
The building that is now the Robert Morris Inn in Oxford – Talbot County, Maryland – dates back to 1710. It was always an inn or tavern. During the earliest part of Maryland’s Colonial period, Oxford was the state’s 2nd largest port city (2nd to Annapolis). It was a thriving and booming town for the time.
The Innkeepers at the Robert Morris Inn shared a letter with me that was written by a guest who left in a hurry without breakfast … and breakfast is a BIG perk at the Robert Morris Inn. A portion of the letter is shown below. Here’s what the lady wrote: Continue reading Robert Morris Inn – Guest Flees in the Night→
We want our guests to know what to expect on a Chesapeake Ghost Walk. On the walks, guests come together to hear the stories about a historic town and its people – with a focus on the usual, the paranormal, the unexplainable. These stories are shared by a personal group guide, who will not only relate stories of legendary characters, hauntings, and mysterious unexplained events. He or she will be able to weave a loose history of the town into the walk so that when guests leave, they’ll consider that town an old friend. Guides will also point out the actual locations mentioned in the stories that could include apparitions, strange noises, ghostly images in pictures, and much more.
THE WALKS – With each Chesapeake Ghost Walk guests traverse about 1.5 miles on foot while the certified guide points out properties associated with ghosts, hauntings or tales of the dead. The guide will refer to the property’s history, the unexplained “ghostly” events there, and what people say today about the site’s paranormal activity. Most walks have at least nine sites. By the end of the walk, each guest will have an up-close view of the town and some of its famous – or infamous residents which include doctors, farmers, congressmen, governors, African slaves, widows, and children.
Mindie Burgoyne
“When I craft each walk I try to do so in a way that tells the story of the whole town so that the characters I talk about are placed in a related setting” Burgoyne states. “All haunted stories begin to sound alike after a while. What differentiates one from the next are the ghostly characters, the setting, and how people are experiencing the presence of those ghosts in this world.”
Burgoyne collects her ghostly tales from various sources that include local libraries, regional books, newspaper articles, the folklore collection at the Nabb Research Center at Salisbury University, and through personal interviews. All the tours include an evening walk through a graveyard – except for Ocean City. It has no graveyard.
PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT GO INSIDE THE PROPERTIES. This is a ghost walk where stories of hauntings and unexplained events are shared while standing outside the property.
CERTIFIED GUIDES: Chesapeake Ghost Walks has a thorough training process for guides and tour leaders. Each guide is trained and tested in Eastern Shore history and the history and folklore of that particular town. Guides are also given training on presentation methods, public speaking skills, and story-telling.
“These are not spooky, scary walks where the guides dress up in period clothing and use theatrical techniques. This is the real deal” states Mindie Burgoyne. “We’ve researched and confirmed the actual ghost stories, and referenced mediums, psychics, and paranormal investigators on some properties. We figure the truth is scary enough.”
DISCOVER YOUR OWN PSYCHIC ABILITIES – The guides will also help guests discover their own psychic potential in sensing ghosts and share information on how to hone their sensing skills.
COST:
Guests pay $25 ($20 for kids) to attend a ghost walk, and each historic town has restaurants, lodging accommodations, and local sites of interest for those who want to travel in from out-of-town and perhaps stay over.
TIME & WEATHER: Ghost Walks begin on time (varies by season, check the list). We walk in all kinds of weather except heavy rain and snow. So bundle up if it’s cold, wear comfortable shoes, and bring your umbrella if it looks like rain.
BOOKS FOR SALE: Signed copies of Haunted Eastern Shore: Ghostly Tales from East of the Chesapeake may be for sale on the tours. Ask your guide, or you can pick up a copy from your local bookstore ahead of time and bring it to the tour for signing.
ADVANCED REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED – tours are limited to 25 and likely to sell out. Register by filling out a registration form and sending in your payment.
REFUNDS AND CANCELLATIONS: While payment must be made in advance in order to secure a place on the tour, a full refund will be given if cancellations are made at least 48 hours before the tour. Cancellations after that 48-hour window or no-shows will not receive a refund.
Plain Dealing Creek near the old Chamberlain plantation.
There have only ever been 5 witch trials recorded in Maryland’s history and two them were alleged witches who lived and practiced on Plain Dealing Creek in Talbot County. The creek was also the site of the Valliant brothers legend where one brother murdered the other over buried treasure. Continue reading The Witches of Plain Dealing Creek – Valliant Brothers Murder→
