2. A Ghostly Love Triangle... and Spilling the Afterlife Tea

Surprise, Surprise - two episodes out today!  We've seen flickering lights, a shadow figure and had a strange ride in an elevator and things are just getting started at the Lord Baltimore Hotel.   Strange voices are heard and new friend comes into this adventure who knows a lot of secrets.

Check out videos and photos from our trips to haunted hotels and our Scary Stories!
Instagram: @LowBudgetGhostSquad
YouTube: @LowBudgetGhostSquad
Facebook: Low.Budget.Ghost.Squad

Transcript

Strange blinking lights… a shadow figure in the hallway – and secrets. Tons of secrets.  the adventure of the low budget ghost squad at the lord Baltimore hotel was just beginning.  What happened when a love triangle took a dangerous and deadly turn.  Don’t worry. The ghosts will let you know.

Welcome to Season two of the Low Budget Squad, Now this is episode two of everything that happened to us at the Lord Baltimore Hotel I’m Natalie

I’m alison

And I’m ethan.

Alison:  we’ve been talking about the lord Baltimore hotel this season… built in 1928, the tallest building in Maryland at one point.

Ethan: and maybe one of the most haunted.

Nat:  of course it is - we are the low budget ghost squad – we’re made up of this mom here and my two kids who you just met.

Ethan: we started going to haunted hotels after seeing the crescent hotel from season one – on a youtube channel.

Nat:  So this season we are sharing with you what happened when we went to the lord Baltimore hotel – in Baltimore Maryland and you’re going to hear about the mystery we solved there.

Alison:  but there are other things we’re going to share with you too – lots of interesting facts and creepy stories.

Ethan:  and history.

Nat:  yeah, can you tell that’s not ethan’s favorite?  So last episode we told you about molly – one of the ghost children here…freaking me out. 

Alison:  she’s mostly seen on the 19th floor – which is said to be the most haunted.

Ethan: but I swear there’s a shadow figure that’s living in the hallway of our floor .. and something strange in the ballroom.

Nat: so as Ethan and I were leaving the ballroom, at night, by ourselves after seeing a lot of weird blinking lights.  Now, we reached for the main door, but it started opening by itself.  I mean, ethan and I both – gasped is really not a strong enough word for what we did.  Maybe I said something I shouldn’t have in front of my child.  It happens.

Ethan: maybe I said something I shouldn’t have said in front of my mom.  but it was a security guard that was checking in on things.

Nat:  His name was Augustus - I told him we were ghost hunting and we do this podcast called the low budget ghost squad. And apparently, he knew we were there.

Ethan: he said “all those ghosthunters come into this ballroom. And he decided to ask us  - Did you see anything… they all get something right in here. ”

MUSIC

Alison: thankfully you guys came back to the room then.

Nat: yeah and it was dark and your dad was snoring of course…and ethan and I were wired.

Ethan:  somehow I eventually fell asleep.

Nat:  yeah, I think I did too.  but I remember opening my eyes in what I thought was like the middle of the night and seeing some woman in the room.  but at the time I thought, oh my gosh, I was just half asleep and imagining things because well, ghosts were on my mind. 

Ethan: but you weren’t wrong.

MUSIC

Alison:  so mom wanted to ask somebody about this ghost lady…  and what do you say?  Do you just go up to the front desk and say do you have ghosts just appearing in your rooms as if this isn’t a haunted hotel?

Nat:  yeah, so we started walking up to the front desk,  but this man who worked there stopped us. – he asked - can I help you? you are the podcast people, right?

Alison: I mean we looked like a hot mess – mom had spent the entire morning looking all over the room and using our ghost app to see if she could sense anything or whatever you want to call it.

Nat: so that ghost app that measures emf fluctuations… which are said to show whether there’s a spirit or whatever nearby.

Ethan:  and it sends you words – which is what a spirit is trying to tell you.

Nat:  so back to the hotel worker – who knows us somehow.. 

Ethan: yeah he said - you’re the podcast people right? 

Ethan: so mom says– ummm.. I think there was a ghost in our room last night.  

Nat: yeah, I was little more tactful than that I will say.  I said:  why, yes we are the podcast people.  And I know this may sound strange…but I woke up in the middle of the night.  And he interrupted me saying – and there was a ghost in your room, right?  

Alison:  he said it could have been one of many of their resident ghosts and lots of people have experienced something similar.  He said one woman came down to say that an older man in a military-looking uniform had been just sitting in her room one night and when she sat up – he vanished.  She then asked if she could stay another night so she could see him again.  Hey, maybe he was cute.  We all love a man in uniform.

Nat:  now again at this time I wasn’t really sure it was a woman in there…the whole thing happened so quickly and I was half asleep even though I felt like, you know what I hadn’t slept at all.

Alison: I mean, it totally could have just been a dude with long hair.

Music:

Nat: The lobby – I think is just beautiful.   I mean, the ceiling is so ornate – it was originally all white with these rosettes carved on it.  Several decades ago, the ceiling was painted and they added some color.  but during renovation when the new owner took over in 2013, the idea was to bring the lobby back to its original glamourous look from the 1920’s.  But then, they had to decide – do we paint the ceiling white again?  Fortunately, they left the color there.  

Alison: the big chandelier that hangs in the middle of everything  –

Ethan:  and makes so many reflections in your ghost hunting pictures, just pointing that out.

Alison: yeah, the same.  Uh, it was made by the same company that designed the original one from 1928.  You see, that one had to be sold to pay some bills years and years ago.  I mean, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Nat:  we were sitting in that lobby – we saw an older woman.. I’m guessing every bit 100 years old.

Ethan: and mom asked us – you guys see her too, right?

Nat:  I mean I thought we were looking at a ghost.  Like this a squad emergency, guys. 

Alison: Anyway, she motioned for us to come over to her.

Ethan: and we learned she was 102 years old.  Her name was Clovis.  And she knew a lot about the lord Baltimore.

MUSIC

Alison: Clovis said her mom used to work at the hotel. her mother was a clerk. The hotel used to have clerks who would sit on guest floors… and kind of monitor who was up there, hand out keys – because I guess you couldn’t take yours with you.  and if you were there long enough… you’d get your mail from her as well.

Nat:  clovis was there with her granddaughter who told us that she’s 102 and her memory isn’t what it used to be, but being here at the lord Baltimore helps her. and she remembers the past when she’s here…very clearly.   But see, clovis wasn’t having anybody talk about her like that.  She immediately interrupted and said – I remember everything perfectly, thank you. 

Alison:  she turned on the old lady sass.

Alison: clovis’s mom worked here for years.  and they would have lunch at the restaurant on her days off. And they liked to pretend that they were rich and important.  

Ethan: according to the menu from back in the day - you could get oysters, shrimp and cavier for under a dollar.

Alison:  that was kind of a lot back

Ethan:  but she really wanted to talk to us because she heard us asking about a ghost in our room - 

Nat:  she told us it’s very possible that happened because a lot of people never left.

Nat:  clovis said – every time she comes through the door in her motorized scooter– the workers know her and they always talk to her.  and she feels just a little closer to her mom when she’s there.

Alison: she didn’t say that her mom is really still there… but I guess she could be.

Alison:  clovis told us about some strange things and strange noises on the mezzanine – which is right above the lobby.  When she and her granddaughter left… ethan and I had to check it out… see, back in the day, like when this hotel opened, the mezzanine used to have a hair salon, a parlor just for the ladies and for some reason a phone booth just for women too.  Oh…and I can’t forget the fainting couch that’s there now.  It’s huge.  I love it.  very classy.

Ethan:  I don’t even know what a fainting couch is, but it’s basically a big bench without a back.  But back to the strange noises.. or really in fact strange voices.

Alison:  people have said they’ve heard a woman and two men arguing.  

Ethan:  we haven’t seen them – just heard them.

Alison: and Those paranormal investigators who we told you about in the last episode who come here have said it appears to be a wife, her husband and her boyfriend.  We got the afterlife tea, guys.  

ethan:  anyway, and we heard them too.  but we weren’t sure what exactly they were saying… a man’s voice sounded like he said – no.  and then a woman said – do it.  And there’s another guy’s voice… but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. – something like he’s not done.

Alison: done with what?  Anyway, I mean looked around to see if there was some living people tea going on, but nobody was there.  For some reason the afterlife drama is just so much more entertaining.

Nat:  back in the lobby is a bar… where the old offices used to be. and that’s where you hear some of the most interesting stories.

MUSIC

Nat:  I joined my husband brian at one point down in the tavern - if you remember he was on this trip.. and we were talking to people at the bar – and a woman claimed she had stayed here before and woke up one night to somebody or something scratching at the door.  And y’all she looked serious about it.

Ethan:  well, it could have been a dog since pets are allowed in there.

Nat:  how can you doubt it after everything we’ve seen.  And there there was this story then that I was fascinated by– we were talking to an employee -  she had seen a security video of a strange spotlight type thing gliding across the 19-th floor and then it stopped.  Now, remember, the 19-th floor is the most haunted in this hotel.  and get this – she claimed this spotlight thing suddenly seemed to look at the camera… now those were her words, it looked at the camera. like it turned in the direction somehow. And itmoved around a little bit. And then it started gliding all over again.

Alison:  one employee claimed to have seen bottles flying across the bar.

Nat:  things like that could happen at a bar…haunted or not. 

Alison: but allegedly no one was over there when it happened.  Maybe the ghosts just needed attention.  Or a drink.

Ethan: so about this time… I had the ghost app, ghost app out and the bars started turning red, really red again…and they were as high as they could go.  This has happened to me a few times just like that one night when me and mom were in the ballroom.

Alison:  but this time the weirdest word appeared – y’all ready?  apple.  And we have pictures of it on our social media pages.  At the low budget ghost squad.  Feel free to follow.

Nat:  Now, based on our experience - those red bars pretty much meant we were standing right next to a ghost!  My husband’s phone also suddenly died.  So we were pretty sure something was going on.

Alison: I really wanted to go into the ballroom where mom and ethan had some weird stuff go on the night before.  It’s called the calvert ballroom.

Ethan:  but they were having some kind of meeting in there – and everyone just looked at us when we cracked open the door.  Embarrassing.

Nat:  I mean, I smiled and mouthed the words – I’m sorry to the group at the back table.

Ethan: but we have to tell you – the lights were not blinking.

Nat: and remember the night before they wouldn’t stop when we were in there.

Alison: outside the ballroom there are pictures of lord Baltimore – all six of the lord baltimores.

Nat:  or would be it lords Baltimore?

Alison: lord baltimores.

Nat: lords Baltimore?  I don’t know.  You know like attorneys general. I have no idea.  Anyway, we go on. but you could probably guess that’s who this hotel is named after –  the very first one…now, his name was George Calvert – hence the calvert ballroom.  George had asked the king of England for a charter to set up a colony in what is now Maryland.  It’s interesting because George wanted catholics and protestants to be able to live together there – because he was catholic and there were religious issues at the time …especially in England.

Alison:  we’re talking like the 1600’s here.

Nat: now, I want to take a moment to pause to acknowledge this.  that yes, people were here on this land before all of the charters and colonists and all that.  We’re just sharing part of baltimore’s history because the hotel is named after this guy.

Ethan:  George died before he could officially get that charter from the king of England.

Nat:  so, his son cecil stepped in – he was about 26 or so at the time and he kept his father’s plan going.  

Alison: and over the years, the title got passed down to various sons – never daughters… you know that’s how that went back then.  But then along came Frederick.  And it all blew up.

Ethan: and he never even stepped foot in Maryland his whole life.

Nat:  yeah so -when 20-year-old Frederick took over, things were a little dicey there – there was unrest over who should be in charge, you had issues back in England.  This was 1751… so you had the American revolution on the horizon.  But you know, Frederick also got into some trouble and actually ended up on trial in England accused of kidnapping a woman and other things we won’t go into.

Alison: Of course he was acquitted – he was wealthy and a man.  but he helped seal the deal that he was last lord Baltimore.  Made the calvert family proud I’m sure.

Nat:  well, I will say the oldest living surviving relative of that family was one of the guests at the hotel’s grand opening in 1928.  They weren’t that upset.  at least that one wasn’t.

Ethan: frederick’s picture is outside the ballroom too…along with his ghost.  Maybe.  I don’t know.

Nat:  that’s what we were told on our tour – or at least someone from that time period named Frederick is hanging around.   he never talked to us through ghost app so I don’t know.  

Alison:  Why would Frederick be there, though?  He was never in Maryland.  He wouldn’t have any connection at all to this place.

Nat:  now, hours later, after it got dark outside, we were able to get into the calvert ballroom.

Alison: everything seemed normal at first.  All the lights were on – and not blinking.  

Ethan: but that didn’t really last that long.

Alison:  the story that’s out there about the calvert ballroom goes like this – there are two spirits in there and they’re dancing and they don’t like to be disturbed. Because who would when you’re living in your own world spinning in circles in a ballroom.  But they didn’t like us.  those lights went bonkers.

Ethan:  once the lights started blinking – I asked the same questions I did the other night like– do you want us to leave? I don’t understand it when it comes to a ghost saying yes or no  – but I’m guessing it was a big yes.

Alison: and it was cold in there.  like you would walk from the main section into the side rooms – and it was a noticeable difference in temperature.  You can check out the layout of the ballroom on our social media, once again shamelss plug.

Nat: and thank you alison for that.  So you know that ghost app that we have.  It starting going off in the middle of all this.

 Nats

Nat: and this time it was red again – we’re seeing lots of red bars in this hotel. I just want to let you know.  And the word that popped up - “eggs” yes, eggs.  That’s a new one.

Alison: it wasn’t very long after that that they gold us to get out, to leave.  It was very obvious that they didn’t want us there.

Nat:  now here is audio from outside the ballroom taken that night after we left the room.  and Ethan really wanted to leave that whole area.  

Nat: so come here.  How do you feel about what just happened in there?  

Ethan: I do actually believe that there is an angry spirit there that’s really mad at us because every single time we’ve been in there it’s been freakishly cold.  We’ve always got answers that’s like ‘get out’ and “don’t come back. It’s gotten, like I said freakishly cold. And I don’t like it in there.  Ok.   The main area is fine, but the corner that’s like right there is when it gets freakishly cold.  Because those are the ones that the lights are always flickering at.  So…

Alison: he was creeped out. I could tell.  I have to say we all were though.  Just knowing the story and then seeing the lights and the bars on the ghost app  - and whatever eggs meant.

Ethan: but someone really didn’t want us to leave.  Mom

Nat: I’m sorry but that’s why we were there. there is something I want to bring up though – I listened to that recording of ethan that you just heard when we got home and we were putting this together for you… and I heard something in the background.  And I wondered – did something follow us out of the ballroom? 

Coming up on the Low Budget Ghost Squad:  

I’ve seen a ghost in our room – at least I think.  but then we all saw something in our window from the street outside.

.