Revisiting old haunts

The Chesapeake region has a rich history full of great potential for ghost stories. The small, historic towns on Maryland’s Eastern Shore are particularly rife with tales of hauntings, from the floating ghost of a Revolutionary War soldier seen at the Josiah Bayly House to the spirit of the eccentric cat lady at the Bayly Orem House.

One of the most famous haunted buildings on the Eastern Shore is the Snow Hill Inn. The building is said to be haunted by the spirit of William Aydelotte, known as J.J. by many locals. In 1904 at the age of 22, Aydelotte, who was struggling in his pharmacy school, was found with his throat cut twice.

The death was officially ruled a suicide, but some believe he was murdered and still haunts the inn, which was his childhood home. There have been reports of ghostly reflections in mirrors, windows opening and closing on their own, and lights flickering off and on. Today, the building, which is no longer an inn, is a stop on one of the region’s many Chesapeake ghost walks.

Want to get your scary story fix? Read more spooky tales from around the Chesapeake.