The Ghost of Lizzy Rowland - Edgewood Plantation - Charles City, Virginia

The American Civil War left very few areas of the Southern United States untouched by tragedy, loss and drama.  The Edgewood Plantation in Charles City, Virginia is no exception.  The third floor of the plantation house served as a lookout for the Confederate Army as it offered a great view of the area. It is rumored that the plantation may have served as a makeshift hospital during the war.  The lush gardens and landscape on the outside served as perfect cover for the devastation inside as wounded and dying soldiers occupied some of the rooms.  Some were lucky enough to leave, some were not. The grist mill on the property was used to grind grain to feed the soldiers encamped in the area.  

The Edgewood Plantation in Charles City, Virginia is said to be haunted by the ghost of Lizzy Rowland who wainted in vain for her lover during the Civil War.

One soul who resided at the Edgewood Plantation was a woman named Elizabeth "Lizzy" Rowland as her family owned it.   As many women of the day endured, Lizzy's lover went off to fight in the war.  She would stand by the windows in the upper floors watching for his return so that she may be reunited with him again.  Unfortunately for Lizzy, her waiting was in vain as her love never returned.  Devastated, she spent her final days at Edgewood, lonely and some say still hopefully waiting for her man to return from the war.  She passed away when she was 47, most likely warn down by her grief.

Some who have stayed at the Bed and Breakfast have reported seeing and hearing soldiers dressed in Confederate uniforms wandering aimlessly throughout the building.  Mostly likely spirits of the soldiers who died there when it served as a military hospital. Most of the paranormal sightings however, have been of a woman wandering the corridors of the plantation. It is believed that this is the ghost of Lizzy Rowland. Many travelers passing by the Edgewood Plantation over the years, say they have seen the image of a young woman in Civil War era clothing peering out a window of the upper floors.  It is thought that this is the ghost of Lizzy Rowland, still waiting for her lover in death as she did in life.  At some point during Lizzy's vigil, she carved her name into one of the window panes on the upper floor which can still be seen to this day.

Lizzy Rowland's name can still be seen etched into the window pane of an upstairs window of the Edwood Bed & Breakfast.  Photo: www.edgewoodplantation.com

Edgewood Bed & Breakfast
4800 John Tyler Memorial Highway
Charles City, VA 23030
1(804)829-2962
www.edgewoodplantation.com

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Phantoms of Old House Woods near Mathews, Virginia

On the eastern U.S. Coast along the shores of Virginia just outside of the village of Diggs, there lies a stretch of woods that has been the center of many paranormal experiences since the late 18th century.  Legend has it that there are several different treasures that were buried here and then subsequently abandoned, unable to be retrieved by their owners.  Over the past two centuries there have been reports of phantoms of various sorts roaming these woods and waters.  

The road through Old House Woods near Mathews, Virginia

First of all the name, Old House Woods may seem a bit strange, however for years in the middle of these woods off of Haven Beach Road, there was an old dilapidated house that stood for over a century and was subject of many ghostly encounters.  As early as 1798 there have been eye witness accounts of strange happenings in and near this stretch of woods.  Travelers on horseback have claimed that their horses were spooked and very fearful as they passed through these woods.  Many say that some who entered the house seeking treasure or otherwise, were never seen again.  Folks living near the woods would report that their children would return from playing there all day telling tales of seeing many strange things such as ghostly Revolutionary War soldiers, skeleton pirates wielding swords and strange glowing balls of light.  Some of the tales prompted local residents to forbid their children from entering those woods, especially at night.  The old house burned to the foundation long ago, but the eerie stories continue to this day.

A Favorite Hiding Place for Treasure

The first treasure that was lost according to legend, was that of pirates who were attracted by the allure of the marshy expanse of woodland off of Whites Creek, decided that it would be an excellent place to bury some of their treasure.  So they tied up along the banks of the creek and buried their booty there in the woods.  It is said that unfortunately for the pirates, they perished at sea in a terrible storm and was never able to retrieve their treasure. However, they return on occasion searching for their lost loot as you will see.