Virginia’s Old House Woods, Part ll

Mathews

There are several legends connected to this 50-acre wood located in Mathews County near the Chesapeake Bay—the following is one of the oldest.

A fisherman by the name of Ben Feribee was fishing along Whites Creek in Old House Wood at night in the late 19^th century when he was shocked to see a large ship floating above the surface of the water.

Feribee saw what he described as a “full-fledged ship in the bay.” He saw this huge ship come right toward him, “with lights at every masthead and spar . . . “

“Just as I thought she would strike me the helmsman put her hard a port and she passed so close that I was almost swamped by the wash.”

Ghost pirate ship.

He later told a local newspaper reporter in 1926, “that after the ship passed, he heard beautiful music playing.”

Feribee continued, “I could see the ship hanging over Old House Woods, just as though she were anchored in the sea. And running down to the woods was a rope ladder, lined with forms of men carrying tools and other contraptions.”

Since several witnesses have stated, they saw this phantom ship. Here is just one recent eyewitness account.

Road leading into
Old House Woods.

I grew up in Mathews and the summer I turned 13 years old I saw Old House Wood’s phantom ship.

One night I was with my parents as we drove to a house just on the other side of the woods—in an area behind what the locals call Shagtail.

My parents went inside to check on an elderly couple my mother took care of, I remained in the car.

It had been about fifteen minutes when I looked to the right in an area near the woods. I saw an old ship coming in from the Chesapeake Bay.

I was stunned for it was floating fifty feet above the water. I watched as it hovered over Shagtail, which today is eroded away, and then up on the beach.

This ship came to a stop between the shore and the wood line. It was not close to me, but I still remember vivid details.

It was made of wood, with three masts. There were two short masts and one tall one. The ship was huge. I saw a lot of ropes, but the sails were not up.

A gray fog moved in with the ship. I was so scared I did not leave the car to join my parents inside. Instead, I locked all the doors.

As I watched for five to ten more minutes in disbelief, I saw the fog grow thicker and then the ship just faded away.

When my parents returned I told them what I had seen. They didn’t believe me. But I talked about this ship for years afterward—so my parents began to wonder if I did see something since it had such an impact on me.

When I was sixteen years old my mother showed me an old book with stories about Old House Woods being haunted.

On one page were several eyewitness accounts about seeing the phantom ship. The descriptions in these accounts were similar to what I had seen.

I am thirty-three years old now and no longer live in Mathews, but if I visit I will never return to those woods at night.

Old House Woods is privately owned today. Many thrill-seekers have damaged this property, so the owner requests people to show respect and do not trespass.

In Part l of Virginia’s Old House Woods, various legends about lost treasure in this forest are shared.

Virginia’s Old House Woods, Part l

Town of Mathews

One of Virginia’s most haunted places is in Mathews County. Old House Woods is a 50-acre pine forest with marshlands, located in the Tidewater area of Chesapeake Bay.

Old House Woods got its name from an old house that once stood in the center of this forest—it has since burned to the ground.

This area was an active port before and during the Revolutionary War. There are many stories and legends connected to this area, including lost treasure, and an unusual phantom ship.

This forest lends itself to these kinds of tales because it is densely wooded, which does not allow much light at night. The trees are so tall the moon and stars can not be seen.

Old House Woods

For over 200 years tales of pirate and British lost treasures have been told.

Pirate's Loot

One early legend is about a band of pirates who buried their treasure on the banks of Whites Creek intending to return. But when they left to acquire more loot, their ship was lost in a storm.

This legend is connected to the phantom ship that is seen around Whites Creek, which is in Part ll of this post.

Another legend about buried treasure involves England’s King Charles ll. It is said he sent chests of treasure to Jamestown following the battle of Worcester in 1651.

He wanted a treasure in safekeeping in case he had to flee the country and go into exile.

Unfortunately, the crew in charge of this treasure encountered a storm, and they headed up the wrong creek—they ended up at Whites Creek. As they unloaded this treasure, bandits attacked them.

These robbers got away with some of the treasure, and the rest was buried in the woods. 

These besieged men intended to return to retrieve the buried treasure, but their ship capsized in a storm.

When they returned to England to give the King the news of what happened, they were put to death.

Yet another treasure story told about Old House Woods happened in 1781. It is said a large amount of gold and silver coins and jewelry were buried in large canons near a graveyard near Willow Creek.

This treasure was said to be patriot plunder left by soldiers, under the command of General Cornwallis, they were eventually captured and not allowed to return to the area.

In Part ll of Virginia’s Old House Woods, a popular tale about a phantom ship seen above this forest is told. 

Haunted Holland Island

This is a tale of a once-beloved town that is now underwater and the haunting that inspired a minister to try and save it.

Holland Island 1800s

Along the Chesapeake Bay lies a 400-year old island town that once was a vibrant fishing community. Now it is abandoned marshland that’s rapidly eroding.

Holland Island is Maryland’s haunted underwater ghost town.

Settled in the 1600s Holland Island was originally a Dutch colony of fishers and farmers. The island saw a resurgence of life in 1850, and in 1910 it was the largest inhabited island on the Chesapeake Bay, boasting 360 residents.

There were 70 homes and stores, a post office, church, baseball team, and medical offices.

In 1914 the climate took a turn for the worse, and the wind and tide started to quickly erode the western part of the island. This is where most of the island’s resident’s lived.

They were forced to move to the mainland. Some residents even removed their homes—board by board. The last family left the island in 1918. The island was abandoned with one exception.

The only person that remained on the island was Stephen White, a minister who established, “The Holland Island Preservation Foundation.” White sold the island to the Concorde Foundation in 2010.

This was the year the last remaining house collapsed. This house was built in 1888 and was the final reminder that the island was once home to a town.

Like most of the Chesapeake Bay islands, Holland Island is made up of clay and silt, not rock. Its western ridges were exposed to waves in the bay, making it prone to erosion.

The island’s size has been reduced by half, from 160 acres in 1915 to 80 acres in 2005.

Today the island is marshland and at high tide is completely submerged underwater.

So how is this story connected to a haunting?

Stephen White, a waterman, and former minister, first visited Holland Island as a young boy. Years later, he was inspired to save the island after visiting one of the island’s three cemeteries.

At this cemetery he spotted a gravestone that read:

“Forget me not, is all I ask.”

While he was taking a picture of this gravestone, he noticed a ghostly girl standing nearby.

Inspired to honor the gravestone inscription, and to not let the world forget this little girl or her home, White launched a massive campaign to save the island.

He hoped a wealthy donor or the government would assist him, but neither of these two things happened.

White and his wife did not give up, they made it their personal mission to save the island. They spend hours placing sandbags to stop the erosion along the island’s edges.

But despite their efforts in October of 2010, the island’s last house fell into the Bay.

Today two of Holland Island’s three cemeteries are underwater.

Here a link to the ballad of Holland Island House.

The Ghosts of Fells Point

Sitting on a picturesque peninsula in the Chesapeake Bay is a small community called Fells Point that still embraces its roots.

Baltimore's Fells Point

Fells Point today is lined with quaint 18^th and 19^th century homes and storefronts. This area hosts several trendy bars and restaurants.

An Englishman, William Fell who originally owned this land, founded a shipbuilding business in 1726. His ships became the famous “Baltimore Schooners.”

Fells Point made an excellent port because its deep waters almost reach the shoreline. It was Baltimore’s main port for over 100 years.

Its original residents were the rowdy seamen that visited the Point along with the working-class citizens of Baltimore. They frequented the pubs and brothels that were located near this port.

This rich history is why many believe this area is haunted today. Most of the ghostly activity occurs in the pubs and along the streets in this small port community.

Red Light District

The Cats Eye Pub was also a brothel in the early days. It used a “red light switching system” that was common in establishments that provided its customers with prostitutes.

This system was a board with several red light bulbs. When a Lady of the Evening would flip her switch off, it signaled she was not available. When she was ready for her next client, she would flip her red light bulb on.

This switching system is where the term Red Light District comes from.

Today the renovated Cats Eye Pub is still used as a bar. A recent employee, Paige McClain states this old switching system was covered up by drywall when the building was renovated.

She and several other employees believe the spirits of these prostitutes haunt this pub.

The old switching system is located just below the ceiling near the front of the bar. Both employees and patrons have heard these switches engaging and disengaging.

The Whistling Oyster

This pub is located in a building that once was a row house. At one time it had a second floor.

In the early days, the owner decided he had no use for the second floor, so he had the staircase removed.

Today, patrons at the Whistling Oyster report seeing an apparition ascending this staircase, which no longer exists.

William Fell’s Ghost

The original owner of Fell’s Point is also said to haunt this peninsula. A man dressed in 18^th century clothing has been seen by several recent residents.

Coby Kay Callahan and her boyfriend Christopher Carter were heading home at 2:30 a.m. when they spotted a strangely dressed man walking into an alley up ahead.

When they reached the entrance to this alley, no one was in it. This sighting is not unusual. Several other witnessed have reported seeing this ghost.

He is seen late at night--normally after the bars have closed--walking along various streets in Fell’s Point.

It is said that this was probably his habit while alive.

Edgar Allan Poe

Another haunted pub located at Fells Point is The Horse You Come In On.

This pub is located on the last street before you reach the dock. It is believed this was one of Poe’s favorite places to drink.

I talk about this pub and several other places Poe’s ghost is said to haunt here.

Employees of this pub blame Poe’s ghost for several strange occurrences that happen.

One female bartender while preparing to open for business states that when she walked up to the cash register, it opened on its own. She closed the drawer and went about her business.

When she returned to the area, she was surprised to see the drawer open once more. She again closed it. After this, it opened several more times.

At the end of her shift when the next bartender arrived, she told him what had happened. He was not surprised. He informed her that it was just Edgar, their ghost. He told her the cash register drawer opening on its own was a common occurrence.

This female bartender found out quickly that if she talked to Poe, and acknowledged his presence, the activity slowed down for a while.

The Ghosts of Point Lookout Part l

“Death opens unknown doors.”

                                --John Masefield

Point Lookout has made more than one witness a believer in the paranormal. 

Today, Point Lookout is a Maryland State Park. It is located on a gloomy isolated peninsula that looks out on the Chesapeake Bay to the east and the Potomac River to the west. 

This patch of ground has seen over 350 years of human suffering. It is here that people were massacred, imprisoned, shot, tortured, and starved to death. Add to these tragedies shipwrecks, fire, famine, disease, and war, and it is no wonder this peninsula is considered very haunted.

For thousands of years, the native Yaocominco Indians lived in this area. The first Europeans colonized the area in 1612. In 1648, the local natives massacred many of these early settlers. 

This settlement, established in 1630, was called St. Mary City and became Maryland’s capital. Catholics seeking religion freedom initially populated this area. However, later Protestants moving in turned against the Catholics--eventually banning the Catholic mass. The original families were then driven out of the area, and the capital was moved to Annapolis.

So many shipwrecks occurred that in 1827 Congress ordered a small beacon light built on the peninsula’s point. Seamen also drowned off the Point, its beaches becoming makeshift graves. 

This lighthouse’s history and hauntings will be discussed in Part ll of this post. 

The early history of Washington D.C.’s is tied to Point Lookout. In the early 19^th century the point became a popular tourist destination. Hundreds visited and stayed in its beach cottages in the summertime. 

For the Washington elite who came to escape the heat, they stayed in an elegant resort hotel called the Fenwick Inn. This inn tragically caught fire and burned down in 1878.

During the War of 1812 is when Point Lookout earned its name. The peninsula was used to spot British Ships.

During the Civil War, Point Lookout experienced the most human suffering. At this time there was a Union hospital located on the Point called Hammond. Today its buildings shaped like a spoke of a wheel are long gone. 

For every one soldier that died here because of war wounds, another two or more died of diseases, such as, dysentery, smallpox, typhoid fever, and Malaria. It is stated the casualty toll rose from 200,000 to 600,000 because of these illnesses. This hospital closed in 1864. 

Before the war, this the peninsula was used as a refuge for runaway slaves.

Point Lookout also housed the largest Confederate prisoner of war camp. Camp Hoffman was built initially for 10,000 prisoners but it is said 50,000 plus soldiers were actually kept here. 

They were placed in open air tattered tents--left to mosquito infestations in the summer and the freezing cold of winter. An imaginary line or trench surrounded this 24 acre camp with the orders that if any prisoners crossed this line, they were to be shot. Many were shot. But the camp’s isolation made escape virtually impossible.

The Confederate prisoners at this camp called it “ Lee’s Miserables.”  They were packed in like sardines. Starvation and disease ran rampant through the area. So many prisoners died--an estimated 4,000-- they were initially all buried in a mass grave. 

Later these bodies were disturbed when they were placed in the “Confederate Cemetery” on the peninsula. 

Today, many witnesses as they drive past this cemetery are startled to see a still, silent Confederate soldier sitting in the backseat of their cars.

A smallpox outbreak on the Point forced the Federalists to establish a separate area for infectious disease. It is in this area that another frequent ghost sighting occurs. 

A man is seen wearing Civil War era clothing moving across the road at dusk away from where the smallpox unit was located. This gaunt ghost is seen moving very quickly--almost leaping.

Witnesses state he reeks of a distinct odor of mildew and gunpowder. His clothes are homespun and ragged. 

Most feel he is a Confederate prisoner who feigned illness, hoping to escape. But his plan appears not to have succeeded for he is repeatedly seen crossing this road. He is not aware of the people who see him, so this haunting is probably residual in nature.

Photo: Dolores Monet

Yet another ghost that has been seen many times is that of an elderly woman. This woman is known to have conversations with the living. She is always seen looking for something. 

In 1977, Donnie Hammett a ranger on the island reported an encounter with this female ghost. It was early spring, and there were not many people visiting the island yet. Hammett was working on the Potomac River side of the peninsula.

He spotted an elderly woman looking for something near the beach. Hammett approached her and asked if she needed help. Immediately he noticed his presence seemed to annoy her. 

She told him gruffly that she was looking for a gravestone. He said to her that the nearby Taylor Cemetery had all but disappeared--swallowed up by nature. She shrugged her shoulders and walked on. 

When Hammett left shortly after this, he was surprised to see that his car was the only one in the parking lot. Later, he discovered that many others had seen this female ghost. She is spotted always looking for her own grave. 

Hammett has also seen the residual leaping ghost mentioned above.

EVP’s picked recorded the peninsula include-- the sounds of an Indian massacre, shipwrecked seaman shouting and the sounds of captive soldiers. 

Campers, including rangers on the peninsula, have seen a variety of ghosts in the woods at night. One witness, a Civil War re-enactor, bent down to pick up something when he heard glass shatter and a bullet whiz by his head. When he inspected the area, the windowpane was intact, and there was no sign of a bullet.

In my next post entitled, The Ghosts of Point Lookout Part ll I share information about the haunted lighthouse on this peninsula. It, by far, is the most haunted spot on the Point.