Frederick County is famous for its crucial role in the Civil War and many eras of American history. However, beyond the battlefields, a lesser-known world of legends and ghostly stories awaits. 

Read along to uncover surprising secrets that linger in the shadows of Frederick's rich history, and how to experience them for yourself!


 

 

Maryland’s Mythical Monster: The Snallygaster

Frederick County is home to a monstrous, bird-like creature known as the Snallygaster,  Maryland’s native cryptid.

It is believed that the name originated from German immigrants who brought the legend of the reptilian bird called the “schnelle geist” (“fast ghost”) with them. The earliest sighting occurred in 1909 in Middletown, MD and continued for roughly three decades. Descriptions of the beastly figure varied; however there was a common thread of features.

“Dragonlike, long pointed tail, sometimes with a horn, one eye in the middle of its forehead, octopus-like tentacles that trailed behind like streamers, retractable claws.,” is one description of the monster found in James Rada, Jr’s Secrets of Catoctin Mountain: Little-Known Stories & Hidden History of Frederick & Loudoun Counties.

Fear-inducing reports flooded local newspapers with alleged Snallygaster attacks and killings in the early 20th century. Stories portrayed a hungry monster prowling for local residents .

The folk story has a darker underbelly, as many tales from folklore do. Historians and journalists have documented the use of the Snallygaster as a tale targeted specifically to induce fear and panic in the Black communities of western Maryland in a time of segregation and political turmoil in the early 20th century.

 

Catoctin Mountain Park - Still

Blue Blazes Whiskey Still image courtesy of Emily Griffin, Visit Frederick    

 

Stories of the monster appeared occasionally until 1932, when the Middletown Valley Register announced that the Snallygaster had died in the mountains of Catoctin Mountain Park, laying to rest the reign of terror to local townspeople.

Visit the final resting place of the mythical creature by hiking the Blue Blazes Whiskey Still Trail in Catoctin Mountain Park.

There, you’ll find the remnants of a vast moonshiners’ whiskey still that allegedly attracted the monster into the boiling lye-filled mash, dissolving its bones. This is a short, easy hike along a stream near the park’s Visitor Center but don’t go too far off the trail…some still report seeing its birdlike shadow through the trees.

 

Read more tales of the Snallygaster:

Secrets of Catoctin Mountain: Little-Known Stories & Hidden History of Frederick & Loudoun Counties by James Rada Jr. Located for purchase at the Catoctin Mountain Park Park Store.

The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters by J. W. Ocker.


 

Ghastly Ghosts of Historic Frederick

 

Today, visits to Downtown Frederick are often filled with exuberant walks along bustling streets to specialty shops and restaurants, live music, festivals, and art galleries. Yet, on these historic streets you can also find a story of a sometimes gruesome past, with plenty of spite and revenge.

Take a Maryland Ghost Tour in Historic Downtown Frederick and hear the stories of phantoms and spirits in what is known as “Maryland’s Most Haunted City.”

This guided, candlelight ghost tour is bound to send shivers up your spine!

Looking for more? Dare to traverse through a labyrinth of graves, crypts, and monuments in the historic Mount Olivet Cemetery – one of Maryland’s largest and most beautiful cemeteries. This Cemetery and Mystery Tour will take you to the gravesites of some of Frederick’s most influential historical figures, highlighting the bizarre stories of graverobbing and unforgettable mysteries. You’ll find plenty of haunting history in Frederick’s “City of the Dead.” 

 

Mount Olivet Cemetery Dark

 

Read more stories on ghoulish haunts:

Ghosts and Legends of Frederick County by Timothy L. Cannon and Nancy F. Whitmore. Available for purchase at the Frederick Visitor Center.


 

The Blair Witch Project and the Historic Village of Burkittsville

 

Nestled at the foot of South Mountain in western Frederick County, Maryland is a small village called Burkittsville, home to roughly 200 people. It is a quiet town of charming cobblestone streets, rich history, and proximity to Gathland State Park and the Appalachian Trail. However, in 1999, the once tranquil home for local residents received a rude awakening.

That year marked the release of the highly successful, micro-budget horror film, from local Fredericktonian and co-director, Eduardo Sánchez. The Blair Witch Project film follows three student documentarians investigating a frightening urban legend in the Maryland woods. Their project takes a dark turn when the three get lost in the woods, leading to terrifying events, and ultimately, their disappearance. According to the film’s marketing, the only item left behind was the camera with footage they captured before their demise.

Thanks to revolutionary marketing and advertising, the film surged at the box office, grossing nearly $250 million and haunting pop culture for months. The Blair Witch story was so impactful that many fans truly believed that the movie was real and began to “haunt” the residents of Burkittsville.

The movie’s influence brought fans from across the nation to the small town. Some had curiosity, while others felt outrage. Uproar broke out against locals who seemingly posed a risk to themselves and their children by staying. One woman recounted that a tourist felt they even “brainwashed the kids”. Burkittsville’s town welcome sign had to be redesigned due to “souvenir seekers repeatedly [stealing] the older-style signs, even after the town replaced the wooden versions with heavy metal ones.”

The film’s craze has died down since the early 2000s, and the town of Burkittsville is “finally proud to be theBlair Witchtown,”even screening the film in 2023 to celebrate the anniversary of The Blair Witch Project’s production. 

So, how can you experience the lure of The Blair Witch? Take a self-guided walking tour through the picturesque village of Burkittsville and discover why the directors recognized “that [it was] the town,” to set the film.

Be sure to make a stop at the South Mountain Heritage Society to learn more about the town’s history.

 

Burkittsville CemeteryBurkittsville's Union Cemetery - Visit Frederick

On your way out, take a scenic drive to the War Correspondents Memorial Arch in Gathland State Park and enjoy walking paths connected to The Appalachian Trail. Sightings of the Snallygaster were reportedly “seen flying over mountains between Gapland and Burkittsville, where it was reported to have laid [an] eggbig enough to hatch an elephant!”

Looking for a bite to eat? Take your pick from numerous restaurants in the nearby area Main Street Middletown or Brunswick Main Street.