if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'urbexunderground_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_14',196,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0');If youre looking for an abandoned place in Maryland to hike, look no further than the Old Stone Fort Ruins located in Maryland Heights. An urban legend tells the tale of a mad scientist who turned himself into an evil half-man, half-goat at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Coming across a ghost town with an abandoned cemetery is a horrifying bonus. 2 hours of sleep? What are the most popular ghost stories in Maryland? What is now a private museum was once the place where John Wilkes Booth hid out after assassinating President Lincoln. The island was eventually abandoned in 1921, leaving all their military equipment behind. In the generations since enslavement, many Black burial sites have been neglected by local officials or re-buried by development, leaving descendants unable to locate or visit their ancestors resting places. With the use of the canal massive amounts of sandstone could be transported hundreds of miles through the waterways. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission These ships were used as houseboats during the Great Depression. Patients worked the grounds in the early years as therapy, while in the later years psychotropic drugs, lobotomies, and shock therapy slowed the labor down. This cemetery is the final resting spot of many local soldiers. Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, Preserving Grave Markers in Historic Cemeteries Cemeteries face resource specific threats including lack of funding for maintenance and conservation as well as pressure to use the land for development. The people who were buried there, their lives have value as well., Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Over time the schools attendance decreased until eventually closing in the 1970s. The area showcases many different abandoned storefronts and a look at some early 1800s architecture. It started under the name State Colony for the Feeble-Minded and gradually expanded to a massive complex of 1,800 residents. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. The ships were ill-built and ill-suited to the task ahead of them, and not one ever made the journey across the Atlantic. Or do you love strolling through the tombstones? America's first nuclear-powered merchant ship is now a time warp to the atomic age. When he returned to claim the treasure, he was confronted by the ghost of Blue Dog and soon suffered a fatal illness. If youre nearby this place is still worth shooting. They were simply unused and unwantedand nothing was more economical than unceremoniously dumping them along the shore. If you have a canoe or Kayak you can get up close to the ships.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'urbexunderground_com-leader-3','ezslot_9',614,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-leader-3-0'); 39.0120, -77.0565Photo Credit: @Jack Parrot Flickr.com. Because no official database exists, its impossible to track how many historic Black gravesites dot the American landscape. From Google Maps you can see the outline of dozens of hulls in the murky water. While attending a county board meeting to discuss a permit for a new self-storage site near the church, she heard a board member refer to a potential problem: the myth of a historic Black cemetery underlying the permitted site. Here are 15 creepy places in Maryland that may also be haunted and will likely keep you awake at night. Each was unclaimed by family or friends, lowered into the earth in a simple pine box beneath simple markers. All Saints Cemetery. Like many abandoned places in Maryland this relic could have been completely lost if it wasnt for the homeowners association who took on the challenge to maintain it. Cemetery preservation manual December 2010. Maryland church learns about its past following discovery of forgotten cemetery TheMarlboro Psychiatric Hospitalin New Jersey started demolition last year, but out on a gravel road nearby are the leaning graves of its former patients. Follow her on. Taking the soldiers gold, the murderer buried it under a nearby holly tree. Now the exact location of her ancestors is unknown. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Most of the "Halfway Colored Cemetery," as it was known in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, lies under the surrounding houses and gardens. Stories say that the patients were experimented on and some even tortured. The current owner has been trying to sell the property for years to no avail. People who have been able to sneak into the facility claim the insane ghosts of abestos-ridden patients still reside within the walls. Kevin Fagan. Find a Cemetery - CemeteryRegistry.US +314 200 5829 For some long COVID patients, exercise is bad medicine, Radioactive dogs? Are you brave enough to try? A 200-year-old bar with a cheeky name claims to have served Edgar Allan Poe his final drink. The Klotz Throwing Company was a massive silk mill that employed nearly 300 people before its closure. For more information about the Daniels area at Patapsco Valley State Park, visit the website. Others think that the bridge was used for lynching slaves, whose apparitions are forever cursed to remain dangling in horror. It sounds silly but something about this artist's interpretation of the goat man is so, so creepy. This design choice would ultimately be ineffective at diverting water and would need to be rebuilt three times during the 1800s. Winner will be selected at random on 06/01/2023. The trail passes the old battery and ascends upwards towards the fort ruins. During the 1990s, as a member of Virginias House of Delegates, McEachin unsuccessfully pushed for funds to protect African-American graves at places like East End (pictured). A second explosion in the 1920s killed another 121 men, and the mine eventually closed. Heres how our system works: Abandoned: Is abandoned with ruins and structures in a, Read More 13 Ghost Towns In Kansas [MAP]Continue, If youre searching for ghost towns in Wisconsin, weve got you covered! The facility was closed in 1989 due to the abuse and lack of adequate care for its patient. The Mill is now quiet and overgrown and fairly isolated but not too far of a walk. Despite the coalitions three-year effort to reallocate the land, the self-storage site is now under construction. Some believe the bodies are those of local teens who hung themselves decades ago. Who buys lion bones? Vigilant explorers can still find old cars, abandoned cemeteries, and other relics from the past tucked away in the thick vegetation. We rate ghost towns in New York based on their status. Did you know that you can easily explore an abandoned church and cemetery in Maryland? Pollard hasnt yet been able to travel home and visit the cemetery, but hes looking forward to seeing his relatives grave. Ellicott City Preservation Resource Center, Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites, The Coalitions Guide to Burial Site Stewardship, County-by-County Cemetery Resources and Regulations, Preserving Grave Markers in Historic Cemeteries, Official Statement: Historic Cemeteries Should be Protected and Preserved, Maryland church learns about its past following discovery of forgotten cemetery. Ellicott Citys unusual haunting takes place along a harrowing two-lane road. During Idaho City's heyday as a mining town, many residents died of illness, mining accidents, and violence. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Before the 1950s, Somerset Countys town of Marion was the strawberry capital of the world. You can see the ships best from the Wilson Landing road docks. Baltimore, Maryland A small 19th-century graveyard tucked away in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. They say Blue Dogs ghost watches over the treasure to this day. This cemetery holds the bodies of more than 100,000 people and stretches across 285 acres. The infamous Holland Island house remained standing until 2010 when it finally collapsed into the sea. The old Roadman guns at Fort Foote quietly sit where they were first constructed in 1864. National Park Service, 11/30/2018 Within 5 miles of your location. Since then, popularity took a nosedive. Several locals have reported seeing a ghastly revolutionary soldier on the grounds, as well as the ghost of a man who fell from the top of the building trying to make repairs. Many claiming of unsanitary conditions and patient abuse occurring through the 80s and 90s. Support from the park service could increase visitation at these sites and offer a more complete picture of American history. This mansion was once home to the wealthly Ridgely family and their large staff of indentured servants. The land was eventually purchased by the mayor of Marland and transformed into a psychiatric hospital in 1896. How do we reverse the trend? Located in Simpsonville, this mill was first constructed in the mid-1700s. A small 19th-century graveyard tucked away in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. Initially named the Asylum and Training School for the Feeble-Minded, the facility was renamed the Rosewood Center when state departments merged the two disciplines. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. It was used during the war of 1812 to repel British bombardment. Those unwilling to take to the sea can spot the same vessels from the I-695 bridge. The cemetery registry contains over 140,000 cemeteries in the United States which can be searched by State, County, City, or Name. Maryland: Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore Now, Point Lookout Lighthouse is known for its spooky happenings including apparition sightings, sudden temperature drops throughout the rooms, and various voices captured via recordings. http://saki.iwarp.com/docs/shipwrecksCurtisBay130512.pdf, http://www.abandonedcountry.com/2013/01/21/baltimores-curtis-creek-a-motley-assemblage-of-abandoned-vessels/, http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-10-14/news/1995287014_1_harbor-chesapeake-bay-dover/2, http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-10-14/news/1995287014_1_harbor-chesapeake-bay-dover. Abandoned ships along a deserted beach feel like the set of a post-apocalyptic thriller. Lovecraft's horror stories and Batman's Arkham Asylum is now a condominium complex. Unfortunately, taggers have decided to cover the place in graffiti. The graveyard is thought to date back to about 1770, though many of the 450 original headstones are missing. In the late 60s, there was an effort to breathe life back into the area. Lace up your hiking boots, and lets go! At nearly 1500 feet above sea level, its quite a climb to the top, but the ruins and view are totally worth it, especially in fall. Below are 12 different ghost towns you can explore across Kansas along with their status and exact GPS coordinates. Buried and Forgotten / Hundreds of state's graveyards in need of repair. Within 5 kilometers of your location. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Abandoned Places In Hawaii 1. A tugboat dragged the wayward traveler into Curtis Creek, where it has been ever since. The area is a popular spot for ghost hunters, as there have been innumerable accounts of paranormal activity among the gravestones. Because they only had temporary markers, she recalls her mother cracking open the bottom of clay pots and allowing flowers to take root in place of a tombstone. This area included a cemetery on its southside, and despite the colonys closure the graves ofan estimated 3,000 peopleremain in the rough ground. Calling all adventurers! 39.2871, -76.8031Photo Credit: @Forsaken Fotos Flicker.com. In Athens, Davis hopes to encourage descendants to travel to Brooklyn Cemetery and locate their relatives. By the 1970s the property was abandoned in a state of decay. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! The nearby Jaws Marina rents kayaks you can use to explore the ships up close. More than 200 ships built in Baltimore were burned and half-sunk in Mallows Bay, the regions largest and most famous ship graveyard. The factory, still under construction, is intended to start production in 2021. Love Maryland? Letchworth Village Cemetery (photographbyTheTurducken/Flickr), Letchworth Village in 2011 (photograph by Doug Kerr/Flickr), Letchworth Village Cemetery grave marker (photograph by TheTurducken/Flickr), Forest Haven cemetery memorial (photograph by Jack Says Relax/Flickr). First opened in 1955, the park had multiple attractions ranging from Alice in Wonderland rides to Cinderellas Castle. Until the federal government takes ownership of protecting and contextualizing Black memorial spaces, its up to communities to save them from development and neglect. The area is now a local hang-out spot with tons of painted rocks along the cliffs edge. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. Each hospital basement contained its own mourge which also was connected to these maintenance tunnels. St. Marys College was a boys school first opened in 1868. In the cemetery, the patients are buried sequentially, with the oldest markers in stone, and the last in metal that is now rusting. The ornate architecture was inspired by the Chicago World Fair. Coleman-Adebayo requested that an independent archaeologist survey the area. No purchase necessary. Many of the homes and stores are long gone, only their shell remains. 246 Biddison Family Cemetery. The Maryland institution opened in 1925 idealistically enough, adopting the work and community ethos of many of these asylums, but over the years never embracednew approaches to mental health treatment. This scandal was fiercely denounced but little evidence is available to validate either side. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The property would slowly grow over time to encompass 23 buildings across its 216-acre campus. Today many of the buildings are gone, but some still remain. Some of the most sacred sites in Maryland are in impending danger due to environmental factors as well as the passage of time. This old trail was once used to access the old Naval Battery that was built in 1862. The Terra Marie ruins are all that is left of a 100-year-old seminary in Ellicott City. Neglect and abuse ran rampant throughout the facility, so much so that many patients died from a combination of the two. This attracted explorers and teenagers with nothing better to do to hang out in the area. B. . The home was 122 years old.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'urbexunderground_com-leader-4','ezslot_11',610,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-leader-4-0'); While there isnt much left on the island today, its still cool to check out if youre in the area. If you have an old . The most prominent structure left is the wooden water tower which is now just barely standing. Built in the 1700s, there is a tale here of a ghostly lady in blue who has been spotted by customers and employees. Today the site remains endangered with no further plans or funding for protection. Based on photographs of the Bethesda site, Blakey told the coalition that its possible human remains are being uncovered. The Child-Eating Bunyip Haunts Australias Wetlands. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo, an academic and 30-year resident of Bethesda, Maryland, became the social justice minister of the hundred-year-old, historically Black Macedonia Baptist Church, in 2017. Often, however, there is no ready market for such sales. A new discovery raises a mystery. Like all institutions across the United States, Rosewood also fell on hard times during the mid to late 1990s. The park was sold to a development company in 1988 where it sold for $4.5 million. We dont know our history or where we came from, Davis says of her preservation work. Romania: Castles, Ruins, and Medieval Villages, Iceland in Summer: Journey Through a Fabled Land, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Mokele-Mbembe, Accidental Discoveries: A Celebration of Historical Mistakes, Antiques and Their Afterlives: Stories from the Collection of Ryan and Regina Cohn, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Satanists, Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Writing With Anca Szilgyi, Gourds Gone Wild: Growing and Crafting Gourds With Gourdlandia, Playing Ancient Games: History & Mythology With John Bucher, Secrets of Tarot Reading: History & Practice With T. Susan Chang, Why 18th-Century Scots Performed Mock Human Sacrifices Over Cake. You will receive periodic announcements with opportunities to participate, and we hope you can join us to save history together. For a fee, you can launch your own boat from here. Now how about an abandoned tunnel hike? This was once a temporary home for children whose parents could not care for them. Jamie Alvarenga is a writer and editor who loves all things Maryland. What you may not know is that there are several legends and old haunted buildings with their very own haunted histories right here in Maryland. African-American history is American history, says Virginia Representative A. Donald McEachin, who introduced the act in 2018. A young man comforts his friend after taking a tour at the new African American Museum of History and Culture in Washington, D.C., during the opening weekend of the museum. Forest Haven was a sprawling campus of over 250 acres designed to treat and house the mentally ill. This spot is covered in headstones dating back to the early 1800s. Now, in a moment of racial reckoning, the long-running efforts by communities to preserve these historic Black sites could gain new momentum. Eventually, the island would be used again in WWII as a checkpoint for ships and a firing range, but no real permanent use. While I usually hate when abandoned places are turned into apartments, I have to say Im glad this place was saved. Some say he murdered the townsfolk with an ax and, overcome with the thirst of blood, ate their remains. Asbury Methodist Church Cemetery. Today you can visit this concrete behemoth yourself without even trespassing. We actually found graffiti alley in Toronto by complete accident on our trip up from the states. Opened in 1925 Forest Haven was designed to teach the mentally ill how to care for themselves. Their citizen research showed that Moses African Cemetery, once the final resting place for hundreds of enslaved people, had already been partially re-buried beneath a parking lot. Take the back roads, follow train tracks, and find some places for yourself. During WWI, the US Navy constructed hundreds of wooden ships to help aid Europe. Therefore, it's no surprise that reports of ghoulish soldiers and the faint smell of gunpowder have been reported here. Some of the markers bear bizarre inscriptions describing the deceased's manner of death. The ground where the Ehcnahnted Forest once sat is now sadly a parking lot. Freelance writer and strawberry eater. Ive been married to a Black man for 30 years, and Ive seen it personally. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'urbexunderground_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_6',615,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'urbexunderground_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_7',615,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0_1');.large-mobile-banner-2-multi-615{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. Forest Haven remains empty but still casts a dark stain on Marylands history.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'urbexunderground_com-leader-2','ezslot_8',613,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-leader-2-0'); The facility is a popular place for explorers, and police. Danvers Hospital for the Criminally Insane. There was talk of converting it into prison but plans fell through. Romania: Castles, Ruins, and Medieval Villages, Iceland in Summer: Journey Through a Fabled Land, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Mokele-Mbembe, Accidental Discoveries: A Celebration of Historical Mistakes, Antiques and Their Afterlives: Stories from the Collection of Ryan and Regina Cohn, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Satanists, Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Writing With Anca Szilgyi, Gourds Gone Wild: Growing and Crafting Gourds With Gourdlandia, Playing Ancient Games: History & Mythology With John Bucher, Secrets of Tarot Reading: History & Practice With T. Susan Chang, Why 18th-Century Scots Performed Mock Human Sacrifices Over Cake. 39.1053, -76.7756Photo Credit: @Jack Parrot flickr.com. Does Maryland law provide for the resale of cemetery lots that appear to have been abandoned by the owners? Suitland-Silver Hill, Maryland Cedar Hill Cemetery A historic cemetery filled with quirky faux wood art and unique tombstones. Winner will be selected at random on 06/01/2023. Fort McHenry was used as a prison for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War, and as a hospital for wounded soldiers during World War I. Legend says a soldier and his dog were killed while returning from a tavern. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Below are 15 of my favorite abandoned places across the islands of Hawaii! Decades after testing the polio vaccine on unwitting patients, this historic mental hospital sits in ruin. But proposed legislation could change this: the African American Burial Grounds Network Act would create a network of Black cemeteries and a formal database of historic Black burial sitesincluding grant funding for research and restorationunder the purview of the National Park Service. We will also organize volunteer cleanup days at cemeteries around the state. The boys school used the funds from the sale to move a few miles east of the old site. For a very long time, especially in rural places, a lot of Black history has been erased and not valued, Pollard says. But for now, its up to communities to preserve them. PM has worked with the Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites to bring much-needed attention to neglected and abandoned cemeteries. We rate ghost towns in Wisconsin based on their status. Below are 13 different ghost towns you can explore across the great state of Wisconsin along with their status and exact GPS coordinates. One notable ship laid to rest here is the three-masted schooner William T. Parker, sometimes called the Flying Dutchman of Baltimore. 39.341349, -77.716065Photo Credit: @Marcus Hill Google Reviews. In order to legally hang glide, you need a permit and have to do a bunch of paperwork. Funds were approved for Confederate graves. Love Maryland? Heres how our system works: Abandoned: Is abandoned with ruins and, Read More 12 Ghost Towns In New York [MAP]Continue, The now abandoned Moonville tunnel in Ohio is one of those places you stumble across in the woods and just think, Whats this places story? Moonville Tunnel History It all started in the mid 1800s when railroad owner William Cutler was carving a path through southeast Ohio to try and reach Cincinnati. In 2014 the hospital was listed as a possible threatened historic property.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'urbexunderground_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_5',611,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Fort Carrol is a long-abandoned sea fort that sits right off the side of Key Bridge. Does eating close to bedtime make you gain weight? This eerie cemetery in Keene is said to be haunted by two spirits. Today the hospital sits in ruins and is carefully watched by the local police. In Virginia, local advocacy has led to legislative change. The United States' oldest Episcopal church still in active use. Untrained staff replaced the nurses who took out their frustrations on the patients. The remains of the National Park Seminary have now been converted into gorgeous condominiums. The institution opened in 1931 on 468 acres, and shuttered in 1998 after controversies over patient treatment which included some fatal food poisoning in the 1970s. The fort is 100% man-made, meaning this structure was not built on any existing island. But while the shallow waters of Curtis Creek hold fewer vessels, they represent not only the World War I era, but a real cross-section of the boats that have traversed Baltimores waterways over the centuries. A few surviving gravestones can be seen in people's yards, and half a dozen still stand in the small preserve of the cemetery. It was reactivated briefly during WWII by the navy but was used as an ammo dump rather than an actual fort. The institution closed in 1993, and its cemetery fell into decay with the rest of the asylum, subject to vandalism and weathering. . Since the last board member of the cemetery association died in 2011, this historic site has been slowly becoming more and more overgrown. This methodist cemetery is slowly receding into the wilderness along a Maryland highway. 1999-10-30 04:00:00 PDT CALIFORNIA -- Back when he was buried in a little San Leandro . Consider this your burial marker mood board. Today the fort is abandoned and home to many birds looking for a rest stop. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. 0 cemeteries found in Jessup, Maryland. St Pauls Cemetery in Chestertown MD In Chestertown, Maryland is the old St. Paul's Cemetery. Please be respectful of copyright. The dam was constructed in 1799 to aid the nearby armory at Harpers Ferry. Dogs, cats, horses, monkeys, frogs, and fish are laid to rest at the second-oldest pet cemetery in the U.S. A blank headstone topped with a pile of pennies marks the final resting place of the infamous assassin. The hospital was eventually shut down in 1984 due to asbestos. Eventually, the grounds were used during WWI to help treat recovering amputees. On. Baltimore Sun Media Group. It's said that the ghost of famous war nurse, Clara Barton, haunts this house. The property is was purchased by a Baltimore battery in 1958 with plans to build a casino there. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. Was a May Day Attack by Pilgrims a Practice Run for a Massacre? All rights reserved. These places are full of history, and the stories behind a few of these spots are chilling. Bellefontaine Cemetery has more than a few ghostly legends to its name. What you see today is only a small fraction of what was once the sprawling St Charles College. They are desecrating remains that are at least 350 years old, Coleman-Adebayo says. Abandoned Forest Haven (photograph by Forsaken Fotos/Flickr), Abandoned Forest Haven (photograph byForsaken Fotos/Flickr). Humanity is now losing all this [genetic] information in order for Montgomery County to situate a self-storage company atop our ancestors.. Shrine on the way to the cemetery (photograph byAndreanna Moya/Flickr), Austin State School Farm Colony (photograph byAndy Mistler), DANVERS HOSPITAL FOR THE CRIMINALLY INSANE Danvers, Massachusetts, Danvers State Hospital Cemetery (photograph by Rana Xavier/Flickr). The college was hit hard by the great depression and dwindled in attendance. These ships were never used and it was deemed more economical to burn them and sink them in their nearby ports. This home was just one of nearly 50 others that dotted the island. One of the most iconic abandoned places in Maryland was the old Holland Island house left eroding into the Chesapeake Bay. It's not just Egypt that has embraced the practice. While theDanvers Hospital for the Criminally Insanein Massachusetts that inspired both the Arkham Asylum of Batman and horror of H.P. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). As Mr Cutlers, Read More The Haunting History Of The Moonville TunnelContinue, 2023 Urbex Underground - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, The Haunting History Of The Moonville Tunnel, Ultimate Guide to Finding Abandoned Places. You will receive your first email soon. $3.50. It all started when a Union soldier randomly decided to pan for gold while cleaning some of his supplies. The Coalitions Guide to Burial Site Stewardship . The ruins are now the focal point of this small neighborhood. An estimated 17,000 people are buried in Virginias East End Cemetery, a historic Black cemetery. It suffered multiple arsons before burning down in 2009. STDs are at a shocking high. Reports from staff and patients alike detail the abuse and harsh conditions inside. Working with the Maryland Department of Transportation and the State Highway Administration, Preservation Maryland has embarked on an ambitious project to document 100 cemeteries and burial sites across the state.