Haunted Places in Maryland: Meet the Ghosts of Savage Mill and See What’s Happening This October
Savage Mill has been around for more than a century. Apparently, some of its former occupants have been, too.
If you’re looking for haunted places in Maryland, Savage Mill has plenty of stories to tell. Today, more than 70 independent shops, studios and restaurants call the Mill home. But over the years, the people who work here have reported some unexpected company, from playful child spirits to mysterious voices, moving objects and things that are a little harder to explain.
This October, you can hear some of those stories for yourself on a Savage Mill Ghost Tour and check out everything else happening at the Mill. Here’s who you might meet and what we have planned this October.
Want to meet Savage Mill’s ghosts in person? Jump to Ghost Tour details and booking.
Why Savage Mill Belongs on Every List of Haunted Places in Maryland
For 125 years, Savage Mill was a working cotton mill, from its beginnings in 1822 until operations ceased in 1947. At its peak, about 200 people worked here, many of them women and children. They spent long hours working around spinning and cloth-finishing machinery, and accidents were an unfortunate reality of mill life.
Some of the Mill’s ghost stories have roots in that history. The Carding Building, the oldest structure at Savage Mill, is home to hallways and staircases generations of mill workers once walked. And according to some, not everyone left.
The Ghosts of Savage Mill
Every haunted place has its stories, and Savage Mill has collected quite a few over its long history. Among haunted places in Maryland, the Mill stands out because many of its ghost stories come directly from the people who have worked here. And like many haunted mills, some of the stories seem connected to the building’s industrial past.
So, who might still be hanging around? Meet a few of the spirits you may hear about on a Savage Mill Ghost Tour.
The Legend of Little Mary
Little Mary is one of Savage Mill’s best-known ghosts. According to the legend, she was a young girl who died at the Mill and now haunts one of its staircases. She’s said to be playful and mischievous, and has even been known to trip unsuspecting visitors.
Which staircase does Little Mary call home? We’re not telling. You’ll have to take the Ghost Tour to find out!
The Little Girl at Raven & Rose Studios
Apparently, Little Mary isn’t the only little girl ghost at Savage Mill. Over at Raven & Rose Studios, a tattoo shop at the Mill, another mysterious young visitor has been making herself known. She’s been known to move and hide objects, switch off the coffeemaker and even knock a picture off the wall.
The staff have gotten so used to their mischievous visitor that they’ve even left toys for her.
But who is she? That’s still a mystery. Savage Mill lore includes Rebecca, a woman who died falling down the Carding Building stairwell, as well as Francis, the paymaster’s daughter. So far, though, neither has been connected to the ghost at Raven & Rose.
So, how many spirits are frolicking around Savage Mill? Little Mary, Rebecca, Francis and the mysterious visitor at Raven & Rose give us a few possibilities. Whether they’re separate spirits or different stories about the same mischievous ghost is one mystery the Mill hasn’t solved.
Where it happened: Raven & Rose Studios’ tattoo space at the mill.
More Spirits You Might Meet
If all of that isn’t enough to put Savage Mill on your list of haunted places in Maryland, there are plenty more stories where those came from.
People around the Mill have reported hearing voices when no one else was there, catching glimpses of figures that disappear when approached and spotting things in photographs they definitely don’t remember seeing when the picture was taken.
One longtime tenant even reported hearing a family-only nickname called out while he was alone in a third-floor hallway. Years later, a new client reported hearing his name when he arrived. Elsewhere in the Mill, people have reported seeing two girls walking together, a woman dressed in black near a stairwell and mysterious figures appearing in doorways.
Who are they? And what else has happened here? We’re not giving away all the good stories. You’ll have to join a Savage Mill Ghost Tour to hear the rest.
Want to meet some of Savage Mill’s spirits yourself? Maryland History Tours brings these stories to life on Savage Mill’s Halloween Ghost Tours. If you’re searching for ghost tours in Baltimore or exploring ghost tours Maryland has to offer, Savage Mill puts you right in the middle of the stories. See Ghost Tour dates and booking details.
Savage Mill Among Maryland’s Haunted Places
Most lists of Maryland ghost stories name the same places: Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Point Lookout State Park and Lighthouse, and Jericho Covered Bridge in Kingsville.
For anyone exploring haunted places in Baltimore, Savage Mill offers a nearby change of setting. Once you’ve seen the haunted places Baltimore is known for, some of the most memorable haunted places Maryland has to offer sit just beyond the city. Here, the ghost stories come from the shopkeepers and artists who work in the building every day.
You can explore the mill, browse shops or the antique center, and plan food or drinks around a tour. Its roughly 175,000 square feet hold a present-day community as well as an industrial past.
Take a Ghost Tour at Savage Mill
Maryland History Tours runs Savage Mill’s Ghost Tours with trained storytellers. The tours pair the harsh realities of nineteenth-century mill life with encounters reported today, giving visitors historical context alongside the supernatural accounts.
Ghost Tours are happening throughout October, with tours on October 10, 17 and 24 at 8 p.m., plus two chances to get spooky on Halloween night: October 31 at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $20, tours are recommended for ages 12 and older, and reservations are required.
If you’re comparing ghost tours in Baltimore or looking for ghost tours across Maryland, Savage Mill offers a historic setting with free parking about 25 minutes from Baltimore. You can make the tour the centerpiece of your evening without having to plan downtown parking.
Book your Savage Mill Ghost Tour: mdhistorytours.com/tickets
For tour questions, contact Maryland History Tours at (410) 303-2959.
Other Halloween Happenings at Savage Mill
Ghost Tours may be our main Halloween attraction, but there are plenty of other reasons to visit the Mill throughout October. If you’re looking for Halloween events Maryland offers this fall, here are a few more ways to spend some time with us.
- Girls Night Out — Thursday, October 22, 4–8 p.m.; free. Gather the girls for an evening of shopping, wine, bingo, tarot readings and special activities around the Mill.
- Thursday Trivia in the Loft — October 15, 22 and 29, 7–9 p.m.
- Herbal Allies for Ancestral Connection Tea Blending Experience — Sunday, October 25, 10–11:30 a.m.; $60.
- Full Moon Guided Meditation — Monday, October 26, 6:30–8:30 p.m.; $45.
For anyone comparing Halloween events in Baltimore with things to do nearby, Savage Mill is an easy trip outside the city.
And among Halloween events in Maryland, you won’t find many settings quite like this one. If your search for Halloween activities in Maryland includes younger children, check the age guidance for individual events before making plans.
For more Halloween events Baltimore visitors can reach, check our events calendar, which also lists craft and jewelry workshops.
Make a Night of It: Where to Eat and Drink
Before the ghost tour, consider The Blind Pig Tavern, a speakeasy bar and restaurant whose atmosphere fits an evening of hidden stories, or Dive Bar and Grille. For a glass of wine, there’s Boyd Cru Wines; for zero-proof cocktails, there’s Mocktique by Stursi.
For treats, look to Sweet Cascades Chocolatier or ROGGENART European Bakery Bistro and Café. Planning a daytime visit instead? Start with coffee at Brewing Good Coffee Company or More Than Java.
Shop and restaurant hours vary, so check before planning dinner around a 7 or 8 p.m. tour.
You’ll find us at 8600 Foundry Street, Savage, MD 20763. It’s about 25 minutes from Baltimore, about eight minutes from Columbia, and on the Baltimore–Washington corridor. Admission to the mill and parking are free; tours and paid events have their own charges.
Freaky Frequently Asked Questions
Is Savage Mill really haunted?
We certainly have the stories. Over the years, people who work at the Mill have reported unexplained voices, moving objects, mysterious figures and other experiences they couldn’t quite explain. Some of our best-known stories include Little Mary, the child spirit reported at Raven & Rose Studios and many more. Our Ghost Tours share these stories alongside Savage Mill’s industrial history.
What are the most haunted places in Maryland?
Fort McHenry, Antietam National Battlefield, Point Lookout State Park and Lighthouse, and Jericho Covered Bridge are all known for their ghost stories. And, of course, we think Savage Mill deserves a spot on the list of haunted places in Maryland, with stories that stretch from our textile-mill past to the people who work here today.
Are there ghost tours near Baltimore?
Yes! We’re about 25 minutes from Baltimore, and you can take a Maryland History Tours Ghost Tour right here at Savage Mill. Tours are $20, reservations are required, and they’re recommended for ages 12 and older. Parking is free.
What Halloween events are in Baltimore and Howard County this year?
If you’re looking beyond Halloween events in Baltimore, come see what’s happening at Savage Mill in Howard County. Our October calendar includes Ghost Tours, Girls Night Out, Thursday Trivia in the Loft, a tea-blending experience and Full Moon Guided Meditation.
Is Savage Mill family-friendly for Halloween?
Absolutely. Families are always welcome to explore our shops, studios, restaurants and antique center, and admission and parking are free. Our Halloween Ghost Tours are recommended for ages 12 and older, and age recommendations vary for other events, so check individual event details when planning your visit.