ANNIE VAN DERLOT

Patapsco Female Institute in 1936

Location:Ellicott City, Maryland

Built ca. 1837

Architectural style Greek Revival

Governing body Local

BASED ON TRUE GHOST HAUNTING

In Ellicott City, Md one of the most well known haunts exists. At the Patapsco Female Institute the ghost of Annie Van Derlot is said to reside.

This institute was at one time in it's historic past an all girls' school. It was a school of etiquette. Girls learned how to stand straight, walk correctly and other manners deemed important.

It's said the school and it's training were very rigid. Girls weren't allowed to eat if they didn't sit straight. They were actually tied to their chairs and had to miss the next meal if they slouched. Needless to say many left for their school breaks much thinner.

The school was said to be very cold in the winter. The only source of heat was a single stove in the basement and the floors were made of stone. Heat never made it to the upstairs where the girls slept. Many of the girls got sick and even died from influenza there.

One girl, named Annie Van Derlot especially resented living there. She had many friends, being a people person, and was known to be well liked by her classmates. However, she never agreed with the schools methods. She sent letters to her parents begging to leave and complained about the harsh conditions. They refused to oblige her. Annie eventually died from pneumonia during her first winter there.

Now it's believed that her ghost lingers there, roaming the hallways. Many people have seen her over the years since. Keep in mind the school was officially closed in 1891. The building has since been used in various ways. In World War I it was an infirmary for soldiers. Possibly their souls may haunt this place. It then became a theater and was also owned as a private residence. It's no longer open to the public, except for special occasions.

So the haunting has gone on for years. Paranormal investigators (like TAPS) have visited the institute and verified that a haunting exists there. The only question that remains is what type of ghost it is. Most agree that it's Annie. Some however, say she's an intelligent type of ghost and will try to attract your attention. Others say that she's simply a residual type, that visitors happen to stumble upon.

Today you can tour the Patapsco Institute around Halloween by taking a Hauted House tour named "The Haunted Ruins". Some people that have taken the tour claim to have seen a girls face in the upstairs window. Some have felt a depressing feeling as soon as they approach the building. Others have refused to enter, due to extreme feelings of anxiety. Some have claimed to feel something brush by them inside, according to the tour guide.

The ghost of Annie still remains one of the most notorious hauntings in Maryland. The school itself has been mostly gutted, yet it's outward appearance at night is quite scary. The Haunted Ruins tour is also spooky, for those who like a frightful experience..