Underrated Ghost Stories And Mythical Creatures All Over The World: One Hundred And Sixty-Fourth Stop – Baltimore, Maryland

Underrated Ghost Stories And Mythical Creatures All Over The World: One Hundred And Sixty-Third Stop – New Orleans, Louisiana
May 26, 2021
Underrated Ghost Stories And Mythical Creatures All Over The World: One Hundred And Sixty-Fifth Stop – Westland, Michigan
June 14, 2021

Underrated Ghost Stories And Mythical Creatures All Over The World: One Hundred And Sixty-Fourth Stop – Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore is a major city in Maryland and goes by many nicknames like Charm City, the City that Reads, the Monumental City, and the City that Believes. There are a lot of places to visit while in Baltimore like the National Aquarium, the Baltimore Museum of Art, Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, The Walters Art Museum, American Visionary Art Museum, B&O Railroad Museum, and more.

The skyline at Baltimore, Maryland. (Link: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/236579786650928061/)

In 2019, another famous spot was institutionalized as one of the places that Baltimore is proud of. This is The Horse You Came In On Saloon and it was coined as the most haunted restaurant in Maryland by the Food Network.

A photo showing the sign outside The Horse You Came In On Saloon. (Link: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/maryland/baltimore/oldest-restaurant-baltimore/)

The History Of The Horse You Came In On Saloon

The Horse You Came In On Saloon was established 244 years ago. Aside from being the most haunted restaurant in the area, it is likewise the oldest. Initially, it was built with a tin ceiling when there was still no electricity and did not have the same name as it had now.

An old photo of the area where the first bar was established before it became The Horse You Came In On Saloon. (Link: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-horse-you-came-in-on-saloon-baltimore-maryland)

The bar was built to quench the thirst of sailors, shipbuilders, and other workers. The bar was at the heart of the shipping center of Baltimore. There was so much traffic in the area that the bar had a lot of customers every day. It even had stables in the rear so the horses could stay there while customers drank.

In the year 1972, one Howard Gerber decided to buy the bar. It was known as Al and Ann’s when he purchased it. Later, he wanted it to have a more unique name. He came up with The Horse You Came In On as he wanted people to check the place out because of its unique designation.

Howard Gerber in an undated photo. (Link: https://www.baltimoresun.com/obituaries/bs-md-ob-howard-gerber-20200712-7zvrimhyffebhat5ltujwjvbz4-story.html)

On opening day, he even asked a friend to dress up like a cowboy and ride a horse into the bar to solidify the new name of the bar. The saloon is much bigger than it was before as the area where the stables were before was demolished and renovated to accommodate three more bars. One is a tequila bar and the other is a Tex-Mex kind of bar. The original bar from the original saloon remains part of The Horse You Came In On. 

Inside The Horse You Came In On today. (Link: https://www.studio343.com/the-horse-you-came-in-on-saloon/)

Because of such a unique name for the business, even best-selling mystery writer Martha Grimes was inspired to have a story set in Baltimore because of the saloon. Many more people heard about the saloon that in 1976, a columnist said of the atmosphere at the saloon as, “All of which is in keeping with the nature of the patrons, who are stylish but not slick, educated but not intellectual, and hip but not trend-setting.” The saloon continues to have such a vibe.

Aside from the homey and fun vibe it has, it is also visited by many because of the alleged famous ghost who remains here to this day. If you want to know who this ghost is, read more below.

The Ghost At The Horse You Came In On Saloon

The ghost at The Horse You Came In On Saloon is said to be writer Edgar Allan Poe. Many believe that he is the one who haunts this saloon because this was the last place he was seen alive. The manager of The Horse You Came In On Saloon shared, “Edgar Allan Poe was theorized to have had his last drink here — found him a couple blocks up the street and passed away on his way to the hospital.” Edgar Allan Poe was found wandering the streets after his last drink at the bar. Four days later, he passed away. It has never been confirmed if Edgar Allan Poe is really the spirit that continues to haunt the saloon, but many would like to believe it really is him.

An illustration at The Horse You Came In On Saloon talking about it as the last place where Edgar Allan Poe was seen alive. (Link: http://www.asparadventures.com/2019/07/26/the-horse-you-came-in-on-saloon/)

Although there isn’t any proof, many claimed that they saw his apparition on the streets walking towards the saloon. Because the staff believes Edgar Allan Poe’s spirit remains in the building, they always leave a cognac for him.

The Paranormal Activities At The Horse You Came In On Saloon

There are many paranormal activities that take place at The Horse You Came In On Saloon. The manager continued to share, “There’s a lot of people who don’t want to be in here by themselves if they’re closing the bar back or something like that. There’s a lot of lights turning on, turning off, TVs turning on and turning off. I walked by the bar and a glass is just sitting on the bar, and it just shatters out of nowhere. And I turned around to the guy who was behind me. His eyes were this big and he goes, ‘I was working last night, and the same exact thing happened, in the same exact spot.’”

A photo of one of the bars at The Horse You Came In On Saloon. (Link: https://ourcommunitynow.com/local-culture/marylands-most-haunted-restaurant-is)

Many patrons of The Horse You Came In On Saloon also shared that when they looked at themselves in the mirror, they don’t see just their reflection. They see someone else’s and they believe it is that of the writer’s.

Another staff said that they almost always see an image coming in The Horse You Came In On Saloon. The staff said, “I was in here one morning opening, and I was the only person in here. I had my head down doing something behind the rail, and I was so convinced that somebody walked by, I said, ‘You can’t be in here; we’re not open yet.’ I looked up and there was nothing.”

On the fourth floor of The Horse You Came In On Saloon has a drawer. The desk drawer in that floor reportedly opens on its own. The attic is likewise creepy. The manager also shared, “If that door is cracked at all, the hair on the back of your neck is way up.” It remains unclear if all these activities are caused by Edgar Allan Poe or if there are other spirits in the area, too.

The cash register drawer also pops open without anyone prompting it. The chandelier likewise swings even if there is no wind.

Do you have any paranormal experience at The Horse You Came In On Saloon? Share it below!

The Horse You Came In On at night. (Link: https://www.hauntedjourneys.com/haunted-eateries/3946-horse-you-came-in-on-saloon)

Leave a Reply