Entry No. 9 — the Baltimore file — filed under: haunted
Westminster Burying Ground & Catacombs
Built in 1852 on brick piers directly over an existing 18th-century graveyard, this historic church features eerie, low-ceilinged catacombs where you can walk among the tombs of early Baltimoreans.
The story
In 1786, Baltimore’s First Presbyterian Church bought a plot at Fayette and Greene streets for a graveyard. By 1852, the surrounding city had hemmed the site in, but the congregation needed a proper church. Rather than disturb hundreds of prominent dead—including Revolutionary War heroes like James McHenry and General Samuel Smith—the builders came up with an unusual workaround: they erected Westminster Presbyterian Church on heavy brick piers directly over the existing headstones and burial vaults.
That structural compromise created a dark, low-ceilinged network of brick-arched vaults beneath the sanctuary floorboards. Edgar Allan Poe was buried in the yard in 1849 in a modest, unmarked plot. Twenty-six years later, his remains were exhumed and moved to a marble monument by the street entrance, giving him two distinct grave markers on the same property.
Active church services ended in 1977, when the site was acquired and preserved under the University of Maryland School of Law. Today, Westminster Hall hosts private events and lectures directly above the subterranean crypts of four early Baltimore mayors and centuries of local history.
What it's like
When you reach the corner of Fayette and Greene, step through the Egyptian Revival iron gates into a tight churchyard overshadowed by modern university buildings. You can wander among the outdoor headstones daily for free, but getting beneath the floorboards requires booking a guided tour. Inside the low, earth-scented catacombs, dirt floors and vaulted brick arches shelter original church pews set up beside sealed family crypts. If you visit during daylight hours and find the main gates locked, you can call University of Maryland campus security to have an officer come open them.
The move: Book a Saturday morning tour to explore the dusty, brick-arched catacombs beneath the floorboards, then pay your respects at Edgar Allan Poe’s nearby monument.
- 📍 Downtown Baltimore
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 519 W Fayette St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry — Located just a minute's walk away on the same campus, pairing subterranean 18th-century vaults with thousands of bizarre historical dental artifacts.
- The Lord Baltimore Hotel — Head four blocks east to transition from 1800s church catacombs to a grand 1920s hotel with its own downtown ghost lore.
- Irish Railroad Workers Museum — Walk six blocks south to complement high-profile early American burials with the preserved 1840s alley homes of B&O Railroad laborers.
- The Coral Wig — Swap subterranean brick crypts for a drink down a nearby candlelit Mount Vernon alleyway.
Good to know
Is Edgar Allan Poe actually buried here?
Yes. Poe was buried in an unmarked plot in the cemetery after his death in 1849, and in 1875 his remains were moved to the large marble monument near the street entrance, leaving two markers for him on the property.
Can you enter the catacombs anytime?
No. The outdoor burying ground is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm for self-guided visits, but the underground catacombs are kept locked and are only accessible during scheduled guided tours or special events.
Who else is buried at Westminster?
The cemetery holds nearly 300 veterans of the Revolutionary War and War of 1812—including James McHenry, namesake of Fort McHenry, and General Samuel Smith—alongside four early Baltimore mayors and prominent 18th-century families.
What should I do if the front gate is locked during open hours?
If you arrive between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm and the exterior gates are locked, call University of Maryland, Baltimore campus security at 410-706-6882 to request an unlock.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: visitmaryland.org · baltimoreheritage.org · Official site
last checked: 2026-07-21