As one of the oldest neighborhoods in Baltimore, Maryland, haunted Fells Point has more than its share of ghosts. We at Baltimore Ghost Tours have often been asked why is Fells Point so haunted? One reason is that Fells Point was not destroyed in Baltimore’s Great Fire of 1904. This fire destroyed over a hundred acres of buildings in Baltimore’s downtown area. As a result, there are buildings from the 1800’s and even a few from the 1700’s still standing in Fells Point. And many of those historic buildings are also home to resident ghosts.
A Brief History of Fells Point (Excerpt from our book Baltimore’s Harbor Haunts: True Ghost Stories Copyright 2005, Schiffer Publishing)
In 1730 William Fell, a Quaker carpenter from Lancashire England, came to America and bought a large lot of land in the area that was then known as “Copus Harbor”. He settled in a large home that he built in the vicinity of modern day Lancaster Street and constructed a small shipyard nearby. The area in time became known as “Fell’s Point”. Fell envisioned Fells Point becoming a shipbuilding center, and in time his dream was realized.
The early to mid 1800’s saw Fells Point become a thriving center for the shipbuilding industry. The neighborhood’s main claim to fame was its multitude of shipyards dedicated to the production of the famous Baltimore Clipper ship. This new ship design enabled the boats to be very light and fast, which led them to be able to outrun and outmaneuver British ships. This was especially important during the war of 1812, with the advent of Baltimore’s famous privateers. These ships were legally allowed to loot British ships. In fact, during the war of 1812, the British were gunning for Fells Point in order to wipe out “that nest of pirates”. Fortunately, they never got past Fort McHenry.
As Fells Point grew, buildings cropped up along the water’s edge in the Point catering to the needs of the sailors that came through the port. We like to refer to this as “The Three B’s”: Bars, brothels, and boarding houses. It seems that some of the former residents loved the area so much that they have remained behind.
As time progressed, the shipbuilding era came to an end, and the fortunes of Fells Point changed. Fell’s Point suffered a decline during the early to mid 1900’s after the Great Fire that leveled much of Baltimore. In 1966 the city proposed that the neighborhood be condemned and a large highway built in its place. Several neighborhood activists banded together to fight this proposal. They succeeded, and secured the future of Fell’s Point as a historically significant- and significantly haunted- neighborhood.
Ghost Stories of Fells Point
Here are a few excerpts of ghost stories from our tours and our book, Baltimore’s Harbor Haunts: True Ghost Stories by Melissa Rowell and Amy Lynwander. To hear the full stories (and many more) go on one of our tours! Baltimore Ghost Tours holds all ages walking ghost tours and haunted pub crawl tours on Friday and Saturday nights March- November. In October we also add additional week night dates. Also, you can book a private tour with us any night of the week.
Doc, the Ghost of Duda’s Tavern (Excerpt from our book Baltimore’s Harbor Haunts: True Ghost Stories Copyright 2005, Schiffer Publishing)
(Excerpt from our book, Baltimore’s Harbor Haunts: True Ghost Stories. Copyright 2005, Schiffer Publishing)
Duda’s Tavern is the oldest family run bar in Fells Point- a true local tradition. When the Duda family bought the bar in 1949, they inherited a retired seaman named Doc who boarded upstairs from 1947 until his death in 1980. Doc was friendly and well known in the neighborhood. He would hang out with anyone who came into the bar- from factory workers to college students.
Doc had a favorite polka on the jukebox that he’d play all the time. In fact, it used to drive some of the regulars nuts. However, every time the jukebox would be updated, Doc’s polka remained out of respect for him. Thirty three years of the same song couldn’t have been too easy to take.
Doc died in 1980. The next time the jukebox was updated, Doc’s polka was finally taken off the machine. A few months went by and one slow night, some regulars were sitting around the bar. No one had fed the jukebox, so it started up automatically and was playing random selections. Suddenly, a familiar noise blasted out of the machine. It was Doc’s polka. While the regulars stared at each other in amazed silence, that polka filled the bar. It played all the way through and then the music turned off. Afterward, the group of regulars searched the jukebox for Doc’s polka, but it was not in the machine. Everyone thought it was Doc, coming back one more time to say goodbye. And probably also asking them to put the polka back on the jukebox – which did not happen. But you can’t blame a guy for trying!
The Horse You Came in On Saloon (Excerpt from our book Baltimore’s Harbor Haunts: True Ghost Stories Copyright 2005, Schiffer Publishing)
In 1831 Edgar Allen Poe moved to Baltimore after he left West Point Academy. At that time, he lived with his aunt, cousin, and his brother at 62 Wilkes Street, now known as Eastern Avenue. This location is just a few blocks from Fells Point, in what is now known a Little Italy. Poe was known to frequent Fells Point. It is said that he visited The Horse You Came in On many times.
The Horse You Came in On Saloon states that it is the oldest drinking establishment in continuous operation in Fell’s Point, dating itself as a tavern from 1775. A mischievous ghost, whom the staff all refers to as “Edgar”, inhabits the tavern. Bar staff have reported many ghostly visitations in the building.
A bartender who had just started working at The Horse described to us an experience that he’d just had in the bar. He was preparing to close for the night and he had placed all of the bar stools on the countertop so that he could sweep and mop the floor beneath them. One stool in particular kept falling to the floor, no matter how many times the bartender placed it on the counter.
“Is someone playing a joke on me?” he asked a co-worker, “Because if they are, it’s not funny.”
The co-worker denied all wrongdoing, and told the bartender, “Haven’t you heard about our ghost, Edgar? That was just Edgar having a little bit of fun with you!”
The new bartender stoically replied that he ABSOLUTELY DID NOT BELIEVE IN GHOSTS. No sooner had those words left his mouth than every stool in the bar went flying from the countertop, hitting the walls and floor, making a believer out of the man who had just professed not to believe in ghosts!
Rye (formerly Leadbetter’s) Excerpt from our book, Baltimore’s Harbor Haunts: True Ghost Stories, Copyright 2005, Schiffer Publishing
According the bar manager that we interviewed at Leadbetters (now known as Rye of Baltimore in Fells Point), three spirits haunt the bar. We are going to talk about only one of these here (and you can hear more on our Fells Point ghost tours!). Back in the 1800’s and beyond press ganging was a popular way to gain deck hands when a ship arrived in Fells Point short staffed. The ship would send an agent out to drug or assault an inebriated sailor at one of Fells Point’s taverns, then drag him back to the ship. By the time the poor man awoke, he was miles out to sea and had no other option than to work his way back.
Over 100 years ago a sailor was accidentally murdered during an attempted press ganging in the alleyway behind the bar. When the building was expanded, the area where the sailor was killed was incorporated into the back bar area. Now the ghost of a young man in a white ruffled shirt with long brown hair, is now often seen in restroom area of the bar. Several patrons and bartenders have seen him in the vicinity of the woman’s restroom late at night. He seems unaware that he is dead and wanders to and fro, searching the area as if looking for someone that he is meeting there. So, be aware that he may find YOU in the restrooms at Rye!
About the Authors
Amy Lynwander and Melissa Rowell started Baltimore Ghost Tours in 2001 after many years of interviewing Fells Point residents and business owners, and many hours in The Maryland Room at the Pratt Library. All stories in this article are available in our book, and on our tours! Baltimore Ghost Tours is Baltimore’s only locally owned and operated haunted tour- since 2001. We are 100% women owned and all of our tour guides are local actors. Join us on Friday and Saturday nights for a haunting experience.