The Spirits of the Maryland Inn

Posted: 01.06.2025 | Updated: 01.06.2025

Many people visit Annapolis to see the actual locations where some of the most pivotal moments in American history occurred. Some want the full eighteenth-century experience, complete with a stay at a historically preserved hotel. For these people, the crème de la crème of authentic hotels is the Maryland Inn. 

The Maryland Inn has been operational since the late 1700s, making it one of the oldest hotels in the entire country. During its 250-year run, the establishment has seen plenty of drama, heartache, and tragedy. This has led to some of the hotel guests never leaving. 

If you want to see the history and ghost stories that are deeply engrained in Annapolis’s soul, book a ghost tour with Annapolis Ghosts tonight. 

Who Haunts the Maryland Inn?

Plenty of faces haunt the rooms and halls of the Maryland Inn. Most famously is a couple who were just on the precipice of happiness when disaster struck. Revolutionary War-era soldiers are also said to wander the halls — showing up regularly near the cellar where the wine used to be stored. 

Strange noises and scents can be experienced in all corners of the hotel, leading it to be a top destination for spectral-interested hotel guests. 

The Maryland Inn: 250 Years of Stories 

Annapolis was one of the most prominent cities in the colonies in its heyday. From the 1750s to 1780s, nearly all the famous figures you know from your history book — Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John & Samuel Adams, and Marquis de Lafayette — stayed in Annapolis. Most notably, George Washington was regularly seen out and about the town. 

The city was so important that it acted as one of the United States’ first capitals. In 1783, it was dubbed the official peacetime capital, a title it held until the following year. In 1784, Annapolis hosted the dignitaries to officially ratify the Treaty of Paris, which marked the end of the Revolutionary War and declared the United States of America a free country. 

During the days leading up to this momentous event, many of the people involved stayed just down the road from the Senate Chamber at the Maryland Inn. 

In fact, the Maryland Inn was often in close proximity to famous leaders and significant events in history. This included George Washington’s famous speech on December 23, 1783, which was just a few doors down from the hotel. 

After seven years of leading the American troops as the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, Washington announced in an elegant speech that he was stepping down as leader — effectively allowing the nation to elect their first leader. 

While the hotel has gone by many names throughout the decades, including the Maryland Hotel, McCollough’s Hotel, & Hotel St. George, the three-story building has long been a staple in the Annapolis downtown area.

Is the Maryland Inn Haunted?

White the Maryland Inn is well-known for several reasons, including being the only 18th-century hotel still open in Annapolis, it’s also famous for the strange and confounding experiences guests and staff have within the accommodations.

From objects disappearing to phantom footsteps being heard in empty halls, the hotel has its fair share of ghost tales. 

Smells and Sights of Ancient Soldiers 

At one time, the rooms of the Maryland Inn would have been filled with the smoke of tobacco being smoked in pipes (perhaps by some of our founding fathers). Today, however, getting a big whiff of pipe tobacco would seem rather out of place. 

However, many guests have reported just that: while in the hotel, they suddenly experience an intense scent of tobacco. Despite searching around for the culprit, they can’t find anyone who is smoking around them. Some believe these are the soldiers from the Revolutionary War — finally getting to relax in the afterlife. 

Others have actually seen these soldiers with their own eyes. Guests and staff have spotted shadowy men in old uniforms, walking from the wine cellar to the taproom. 

The Couple That Nearly Had Their Happy Ending

Back in the early 1800s, it was typical for men and women to be married in their early 20s. This was originally the plan for our couple in question: Navy Captain Charles Campbell and his beloved, who is now only known as “the bride.”

Campbell proposed around 1805, and his future wife happily accepted. However, he was eager to make some money before the wedding, so he set off to work on a ship. As luck would have it, he joined the industry at a time when it was rapidly growing. Before long, the United States had found itself in the middle of Great Britain’s and France’s wars. The U.S. recruited more men to ensure their ships got to and from Europe safely, and Campbell jumped on board to assist. 

Campbell made a good career for himself, rising to the rank of captain and controlling his own ship. This progression took time, however, and his fiancee patiently waited at home for her love to return to her. 

Finally, in 1817 — a full 12 years after their engagement — Campbell wrote that he was coming home for good. His bride traveled to Annapolis to greet her hero fiance, staying at the Maryland Inn. She was now in her mid-thirties, perhaps approaching forty. But by all accounts, she couldn’t be happier to finally settle down with the man she loved. 

The Tragedy on the Fourth Floor

As you may have guessed, that happy ending didn’t happen. The bride was looking out her fourth-story balcony window when she suddenly shrieked, according to a maid who was passing the time with her. The bride ran down the four flights of stairs and out the door to cradle the body of Campbell, who had been trampled by a stagecoach. 

Campbell died on the spot. Without hesitation, his bride walked the steps up to her room and jumped off her balcony — joining him in the afterlife. 

However, the couple decided not to go too far, as they’re both often seen in the hotel. Campbell can be seen standing with a beer by the fireplace on the first floor, while his bride is often seen pacing the fourth floor, likely waiting for him to finish up his drink. 

She can be so impatient that guests will hear her tapping foot next to them as they sleep, with some even feeling her body weight lean onto their bed. 

Haunted Annapolis

Haunted inns seem to be a commonality among the hotels in the historic district of Annapolis. While the Maryland Inn is famous for its starcrossed lovers, the nearby Shiplap House has an even more gruesome tale of a woman who was beaten to death and now wakes guests with the touch of her cold hands. 

Annapolis is also home to the Governor Calvert House, where one of the first governors of Maryland resided. Guests who stay in the home often experience horrifying, realistic nightmares. Even when they wake, they can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching them. 

If you want to experience what it’s like to walk amongst 200-year-old ghost tales and spirits, book a ghost tour with Annapolis Ghosts. 

If you want to learn about other hotels in the United States that have ties to historical figures and mysteries, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. To read about other haunted sites around Annapolis and Maryland, read our blog.

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