Ellicott City Maryland

Lilburn Mansion

Spirits are not afraid to show disapproval
and take matters into their own hands.

Paranormal activity stems from: Changes made,
childbirth gone bad, deadly illnesses and love of home.

DESCRIPTION

Lilburn Mansion is a completely restored, 9th century gothic and Romanesque revival style stone & granite, 7,000 sq. ft castle with 20 rooms; complete with a four story medieval tower, attached to the home. From the tower, one sees, I’m told, breathtaking views of nearly 7 acres. On the main floor, the ceilings are 12 foot high, and among the rooms there are 7 marble fireplaces. There is a circular driveway, screened in porch & a veranda. On the mansion’s property, there is “The Cottage” which is a three story carriage house and the only three level smoke house known to have ever been built in Howard County.

lilburn-paranormal

HISTORY

This handsome gothic mansion was built in 1857 by a successful entrepreneur, Henry Richard Hazelhurst, who went on and had even more financial success during the Civil War, making a fortune in the iron trade. The last of his family, Henry Richard Hazelhurst died in his mansion in 1900 at the age of 85!

John McGinnis and his family bought this mansion in 1923, survived a damaging fire and rebuilt the mansion as it was, but changing the design on the tower.

Throughout the years which followed the home was owned by several families, including the Baldwin Family, Dr. Eugenia King & her son. In 1983, another family bought this mansion and did some needed renovations and restored the mansion. In 1988, Lilburn Mansion was again sold and still remains as a private residence in great shape.

In 2005, the idea of opening a bed and breakfast was begun through the lengthy process of asking permission of governing authorities. The owners of Lilburn Mansion petitioned to open a bed and breakfast with rooms located in the cottage on the same property and will include rooms located in the mansion itself. Their proposal was conditionally approved in Feb. 2006 by Howard County but further approvals were needed. But for some reason, Lilburn Mansion is up for sale again as of October, 25th 2006 because the owners need to move across the country.

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS

In Ellicott City, Lilburn Mansion’s ghosts have been made public knowledge since the 1920s, with new stories being added to town lore throughout the years. In a small town, news travels fast.

The mansion was ruined in a fire around Christmas of 1923, though the new owner, John McGinnis, and his family got out safely. The mansion was completely redone, with the only structural change being the steepled gothic tower. The gothic peaks were taken off and stone battlements, similar to the top of a castle were put there instead. This change didn’t meet the approval of the discerning unseen presences, who before this took place were unnoticed residents. The active manifestations began in earnest during this time, as entities don’t like change of any kind.

Being rich in the 19th century didn’t guarantee that family members wouldn’t fall victim to circumstance or disease or dumb human accidents. The Hazelhurst family lost several children. One daughter died in childbirth in this home. Mrs. Hazelhurst died as well. In fact, most of the Hazelhurst family died before Henry Richard Hazelhurst finally received his eternal rest or is he still residing in this mansion? Perhaps members of his family stayed to keep him company.

MANIFESTATIONS

Entity of a small child

This little entity makes its presence known by crying in an upstairs bedroom.

One family who lived here reported that their dog was afraid to enter a second floor room off the hallway.

Entity of a young girl

Housekeepers have seen an apparition of a young girl wearing a chiffon dress, playing in various rooms of the mansion.

This entity of the same young girl was seen walking down one of the hallways with an entity of a man. Two ghosts seen together, sounds like a father-daughter duo!

Entity of a man

The form of a male apparition once materialized in a doorway right in front of a witness.

The aroma and sometimes the actual presence of cigar smoke drifting through the air is noticed in the library.

Manifestations in the dining room

The heavy chandelier in the dining room began to swing with vigor during a 1960 family event, which surely livened up the party. This chandelier did the same thing in front of a future owner who lived here several decades later.

A vase of flowers elevated off its stand and turned itself over, pouring the water and dumping the floral arrangement on the floor.

Manifestations in the tower area

The sound of heavy footsteps climbing the tower stairs is heard by the living.

The windows in the tower area open by themselves, sometimes refusing to close. One energetic resident even tied them down with rope. No sooner had he come outside to see the efforts of his labor, the windows were untied and open once more!

STILL HAUNTED?

Yes Indeed.

The entities who reside here coexist with the living, and get their chuckles on occasion but never hurt anyone.

Ellicott

LOCATION

College Avenue
Ellicott City, Maryland

This private residence is located on College Avenue, on the left side of a winding road which stays the course up a side of a hill in Ellicott City. Please respect the privacy and property rights of the people who live here and have taken such good care of this large granite stone home. Hopefully, in the future, Lilburn Mansion will become part of a bed and breakfast business, when new owners buy this property.