No series about haunted places is complete without at least one haunted lighthouse.
Point Lookout Lighthouse, located in St. Mary's County in Maryland at the mouth of the Potomac River, is rumored to be haunted. It has been the subject of many paranormal investigations through the years.
In 1825, the government decided that a lighthouse needed to be built by the Potomac to show ships the entrance to it as well as warn them of the shoals in the area. After much deliberation over purchasing the land and who would be named its keeper, construction finally began in 1830. The lighthouse was officially opened on September 20 of that year.
The first keeper was James Davis, appointed by President Andrew Jackson. His time spent at the lighthouse did not last long as he died on December 3 that year. His daughter Ann Davis took over his duties. She was well praised for her work in caring for the lighthouse. She died in 1847.
William Wood took over as keeper of the lighthouse but was unable to live up to the former keeper's reputation. He caused several accidents at the lighthouse, including breaking several of the light's mirrors and having a cat fall into the lantern oil barrel, therefore contaminating the supply and necessitating its replacement.
The lighthouse saw many more keepers after that, as well as upgrades and improvements, having the lamp replaced with a Fresnel Lens. Later, a fog bell tower was added and a second floor was added to the building itself.
In 1964, the state of Maryland and the Navy took possession of Point Lookout Lighthouse. Two years later, the light was extinguished. Civilians continued to live in the house until 1981. The property is still owned by the Navy but they allow a few days every year for tours and paranormal investigations.
Ever since the light had been deactivated, there has been an inquiry as to whether the lighthouse was haunted. The person living there at the time was Gerald "Gerry" Sword. He wrote down notes of some events that he was unable to explain. Some of these events ranged from loud voices he heard in the night, especially during storms, to footsteps constantly being heard in the hallway, to hearing a sound that resembled snoring in the kitchen, and many other strange occurrences.
The last person to live in the house was Laura Berg who moved in in 1979. She made notes of her own of strange events that took place. She claimed that she heard footsteps in the hall, as well as smelling a strange odor in the kitchen. In 1980, the first paranormal investigation was conducted of the lighthouse led by Dr. Hans Holzer. The team experienced the same things Gerry and Berg experienced and concluded that it was indeed haunted.
After she moved out in 1981, the place was the subject of many investigations in which Berg or Gerry was there to assist. There were also many studies into the former keepers and history of the lighthouse. It was believed that one keeper, Pamelia Edwards, kept prisoners of war there during the Civil War. A prisoner of war camp had been in operation near Point Lookout at the time. If any ghosts are haunting the lighthouse, it could indeed be of these soldiers, or possibly of former keepers.
Paranormal investigations are still held at the Point Lookout Lighthouse. The Point Lookout Preservation Society has also been formed to preserve the lighthouse and have it placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Whether it is haunted or not, it is a place that has seen a great deal of history, including the Civil War. It is a truly historic building that should be preserved, and perhaps the mystery of this great lighthouse can be solved.
For more info, go to www.ptlookoutlighthouse.com.
Be the first to comment on this article!