Book Review: Maryland Legends by Trevor J. Blank and David J. Puglia

Maryland Legends: Folklore from the Old Line State by Trevor J. Blank and David J. Puglia

The stories about Maryland cover a wide range of history, from the colonial days right up to the 2000s. The authors are professional researchers and folklorists. They have combed a lot of archives and talked to many people to gather these legendary stories. The book is divided into three sections.

The first section looks at supernatural sites and sightings. Hell House is an abandoned seminary in Ellicott City. People assume some hidden scandal caused the closure in the 1950s and stories of Satanic rituals and shenanigans grew (both as the cause of the closure and as what happened on the grounds after the closure). The situation became worse with a groundskeeper who used violence to keep the curious (even teenagers) out. Other stories are more mundane, like the demise of the Enchanted Forest, an amusement park that went out of business. Its fairy tale buildings took on a sinister tone with their dilapidation, making it a popular spot for seekers of the weird. The section ends with a selection of superstitions from the University of Maryland in College Park, from rubbing a terrapin statue for good luck to hearing former resident bumping around in buildings dating back to the 1800s.

The second section covers various unnatural and undocumented animals (or are they human/animal hybrids?). The Snallygaster is a reptilian bird that attacked people (mostly African-Americans) in the early 1900s. A local newspaper printed the stories. The accounts are clearly fictitious but that did not stop the legend from popping up again and again in subsequent years. The Goatman is a more famous monster that harassed people (especially cars) crossing his country road bridge. There might be some basis in an old, grumpy guy, but the tale moved to other bridges and roads across the state. Some phantom dogs (one more like a werewolf) and a The College Park Cuddler (a normal human who harassed coeds while sleeping) round out the section.

The third section describes some historic stories. Most people think the nickname "Old Line State" refers to the Mason-Dixon Line that separates Maryland from Pennsylvania. The name actually derives from a militia unit in the American Revolution. On Long Island as part of General George Washington's army, they held the line as other units retreated from an overwhelming Redcoat advance. Another famous tale is the defiance of Barbara Fritchie. As the Confederate Army marched through Frederick in 1862, she flew the Union flag. General "Stonewall" Jackson allegedly order the troops to open fire on the flag. She took up the flag and shouted at the soldiers. Jackson then ordered his men to leave her alone. Historically, Jackson came through town at night and his route did not pass Fritchie's house. Nonetheless, the story was relayed by a cousin to John Greenleaf Whittier who wrote Barbara Frietchie as a tribute. The poem's story became the received wisdom. The final tale is of the Poe Toaster, a mysterious figure who came each year from 1949 to 2009 to the grave of Edgar Allan Poe on the anniversary of his death. The figure would drink some cognac, whisper a few words, and leave three red roses. The figure never identified himself though it is clear that a new person took up the task in the 1990s. The Toaster was left unmolested by the crowds that increased through the years. The odd and macabre action fits well with Poe's literary style. 

The book does a good job relating the stories. As scholarly folklorists, the authors do not embellish the tales. They provide some insights on how folklore develops and changes through oral and literary traditions and use these tales as examples. There's a wealth of pictures and a detailed bibliography for those who want to read more, either in general of about specific subjects.

Recommended--it's scholarly without being stuffy and detailed without being sensationalistic.