Step Inside the Haunted James Brice House on a “Special Historic Hauntings” Tour

Watermark’s Historic Ghost Walk expands to Special Historic Hauntings and includes an exclusive trip inside the haunted James Brice House at night.
Photo by: currens

As the weather warms and dying leaves crunch under your feet, it’s time to experience a ghostly tour with Annapolis Tours? by Watermark® and Historic Annapolis. During the month of April, Watermark’s Historic Ghost Walk expands to Special Historic Hauntings and includes an exclusive – and newly offered – trip inside the haunted James Brice House at night. Also known as the Big Brice House, the historic home has rarely been open to the public. Ghoulish period-dressed guides lead the way by candlelight through historic – and many say haunted – Annapolis. Step into the drawing room of what many call the most haunted house in Annapolis and learn about the bludgeoning that once took place there. Walk across creaking floors through the infamous mansion cloaked in darkness…if you dare. Special Historic Hauntings begins Friday, April 3rf and is offered Friday and Saturday evenings through June 31st.

Special Historic Hauntings are offered through a partnership between Annapolis Tours by Watermark and Historic Annapolis, this unique tour offers guests an exclusive opportunity to step inside one of Annapolis’ most known and least explored haunts, the James Brice House, at night. Guides lead by candlelight and reported stories will be shared inside the mansion.

Carrie Kiewitt, Senior Vice President of Advancement for Historic Annapolis says, “The James Brice House is not only an Annapolis treasure, but also a national one. Over the past 248 years it has served as private residences and office spaces and has rarely been open to the public. We are thrilled to partner with Watermark to open this lavish colonial building, and share its magnificent, and sometimes mysterious history, with the public.”

Heather Skipper, Director of Land Operations for Watermark says, “Annapolis Tours by Watermark and Historic Annapolis look forward to bringing people inside the Big Brice House at night. For years, our tour guides have stood outside the mansion telling the home’s creepiest tales. To have the chance to take guests inside is a real thrill. Our ghost tour guides recently toured the property in preparation. Even during the day, the presence of spirits was felt!”

About the James Brice House

The home is one of the largest and most elegant of Annapolis' historic mansions. Construction of the home started in 1767 by James Brice and took nearly 7 years to complete. James Brice was a lawyer and planter, a local and county officeholder, a member of Maryland's Executive Council for many years and acting Governor in 1792. The house stayed in the Brice family until the 1870s. During the years after it served as a private residence, faculty apartments for St. John's college and more recently the headquarters of the International Masonry Institute from 1979-2014. In 2014 the state of Maryland purchased the house and arranged for Historic Annapolis to maintain and manage the property. Today, this National Historic Landmark is the headquarters of Historic Annapolis.

Believers and skeptics alike are welcome to join Watermark’s creepy and entertaining guides. Listen to tales of spirits in the mist and look out for roaming ghosts. It’s a true adventure into the unknown! The tour departs at 7:30 p.m. from the Historic Annapolis Museum at 99 Main Street, Annapolis. Price is $22/adults, $14/children 3 -11, free for children 2 and under.