As one of the thirteen original colonies, Maryland has had plenty of time to acquire creepy folklore and pervasive urban legends. Evil spirits and mythological creatures are believed to lurk in the deepest parts of creepy Maryland. Ghost stories from Maryland involve strange figures, haunted hospitals, and mysterious monsters. This mid-Atlantic state was home to the master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, and his spirit is said to still wander near the site of his grave.
Some of the tales seem quite outlandish, for sure. But, Maryland has a long and complex history filled with decades of violent battles, storms, and horrific murders. All of these events contribute to a spine-chilling oral history that's been passed down through many, many generations of Maryland locals. These creepy Maryland urban legends will send a chill down anyone's spine.
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The Goatman
For years, witnesses have reported seeing a bearded man with horns and cloven hooves skulking through the woods of Maryland. This Goatman stalks through the Old Line State, eating wild animals and breaking into homes to eat family pets. He also likes chopping up teenagers getting steamy at Lover's Lane. Clearly, he's a very original monster.
The first alleged sighting of this hybrid creature was in 1957, but by the 1970s the legend of the Goatman became a cautionary tale to warn kids about the dangers of premarital sex. Over the years, Goatman stopped popping up in random places and made a home in Prince George's County.
Where did the Goatman come from? The most common theory is he was the outcome of horrible human/animal hybrid experimentation. Another origin story claims that Goatman is one of the Devil's minions brought forth by dedicated Satanists. Some locals believe he is actually the pagan god Pan. While the true origin of Goatman remains cloudy, the terror his sightings invoke is all too real.
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Crybaby Bridge
The haunting tale of the "Crybaby Bridge" is a pretty widespread Maryland urban legend. Located in Prince George's County and crossing over the Patuxent River, this places Crybaby Bridge right in the middle of Goatman's territory.
A baby tragically died in the river back in the 1950s, and locals still argue about what really happened that day. Some say a young mother went out to the bridge to greet her husband with their baby. It was foggy and she dropped the child into the river after being hit by her husband's car. Another story claims the woman suffered from postpartum depression and threw the child into the water. A more recent theory focuses on the KKK and their ritual killing of African-American children being responsible for the haunting of the bridge.
