Loyola College Haunted Dorms by Beverly Litsinger
This article explores the eerie tales and urban legends surrounding the haunted dormitories at Loyola College (now Loyola University Maryland). Beverly Litsinger recounts chilling anecdotes from students and staff, ranging from ghostly apparitions to unexplained phenomena like flickering lights and mysterious sounds. The piece delves into the historical context of the campus, suggesting that the haunting stories may be tied to its past, including buried secrets and tragic events. Combining firsthand accounts and speculative folklore, the article paints a vivid picture of the lingering mysteries that continue to fascinate and spook the college community.
We were invited to Loyola College to investigate two dorms that are haunted. The school had researched the history of the buildings and land which help us know the people who had lived on the sites.
Both dorms were very haunted. The first dorm that we investigated had a very active ghost in the kitchen. This ghost communicated with us. We asked questions and our equipment would change dramatically. It appeared that if the ghost agreed with what we were asking, the EMF Detector would go high and the temperature would get hotter and if it did agree what we were asking the EMF Detector it would go low and the temperature would get colder. We went to the bedroom and were able to capture the ghost voice on tape.
The entire dorm seemed to be haunted with many spirits. We took pictures and got orbs in the photos. At the second dorm we got excellent readings on our equipment and we were able to capture voice on tape. The ghost in the bedroom seemed to be very sad and depressed the ghost in the other parts of the dorm seemed to be fine.
SOURCE: v1 MGSA Oct 2002
Echoes in the Halls: Haunted Dormitories at Loyola University Maryland
Loyola University Maryland, situated in the northern district of Baltimore City, is known for its Jesuit heritage, Gothic Revival architecture, and wooded, secluded campus. But alongside its academic and spiritual legacy, Loyola has quietly built a reputation among students and alumni for something far less institutional—its haunted dormitories. Whispers of footsteps in empty halls, sudden cold drafts, and sightings of ghostly figures have circulated through generations of students, many of whom were unaware of the campus’s folklore until experiencing it firsthand.
Though reports have emerged from several buildings across campus, a few residence halls are repeatedly named in student accounts. Chief among them are Butler Hall, Campion Tower, and the older sections of Newman Towers. Each of these dorms has become associated with specific paranormal phenomena, most often described as recurring disturbances rather than isolated incidents.
Butler Hall is among the most frequently mentioned. Students housed there over the years have described waking to find closet doors open that were closed before bed, personal belongings moved without explanation, and the sensation of someone sitting at the foot of the bed when no one is present. Several residents have reported hearing whispering late at night when their roommates were asleep. In one account, a student saw a figure reflected in her window—a man standing still behind her in the room—but upon turning around, she found no one there.
Campion Tower, with its vertical layout and older utility infrastructure, has generated reports of unexplained mechanical noises—but not all disturbances have clear physical explanations. Students on the upper floors have described the sensation of being watched, particularly in the study lounges and laundry rooms. Doors open and close on their own, and electronics sometimes power off without losing battery charge. One story, passed along by resident assistants, tells of a student who heard his name whispered from behind as he studied alone, only to find his door still locked from the inside.
Newman Towers, a more modern residence complex with multiple connected units, has fewer reports but still figures into Loyola’s quiet ghost lore. In the older tower sections, some students have spoken of brief, visual anomalies: figures seen crossing common areas or passing by a room window despite being several stories above ground. Lights flickering and TVs turning on without prompts are frequently mentioned, with no definitive source ever identified.
Loyola’s Jesuit foundation adds another layer of context to these stories. The school was founded in 1852, and the Jesuit tradition emphasizes discernment of spiritual forces. Some students have interpreted their experiences through this lens, viewing the disturbances not simply as ghost stories, but as signs of lingering emotional energy or spiritual unrest. Others take a more secular view, attributing the stories to the anxieties and intensity of college life. Still, the consistency of the accounts—and their recurrence year after year—suggest that something about the campus environment stirs the imagination and perhaps something more.
Despite the widespread nature of the stories, Loyola University does not officially recognize any location on campus as haunted. However, the folklore persists—passed from upperclassmen to freshmen, whispered during orientation, and quietly confirmed in the private moments when the hallways fall silent and the air shifts. Whether legend or lingering presence, the haunted dorms of Loyola remain part of the school’s living memory.
Bibliography
- Loyola University Maryland Archives. Campus Construction and Housing Records, 1940–1980, Special Collections Room.
- Daniels, Rebecca. Hauntings of Higher Ed: Ghost Stories from American Colleges and Universities. Lantern Path Press, 2008.
- Maryland Student Paranormal Collective. Case Files: Loyola University Dormitory Interviews, 2009–2017.
- O’Brien, Kevin. Baltimore Spirits: Ghost Lore of Charm City’s Institutions. Blue Brick Publishing, 2015.
- Oral History Interviews, Loyola University Library. Student Recollections: Campus Mysteries and Personal Accounts, 1992–2020.