Est. 1852 · Antebellum Plantation History · Pre-Civil War Maryland · Enslaved Persons Burial Ground
The site at Upper Marlboro carries occupation records extending to the late 17th century, when it was known as Thorpland Farm and later the Bowie-Johnson House. The original colonial structure burned suddenly under circumstances that remain undocumented; the fire left a charred foundation that Sarah Marie Bowie-Johnson built upon when she constructed the current manor between 1852 and 1854 following the death of her husband Charles.
The current structure is a center-hall Georgian Revival design, two stories with a high basement, situated on grounds that include what is described as the second-oldest beech tree in Maryland. The tree, which stands in the yard, has been a focal point of paranormal interest since the manor began hosting investigations.
The property records from the mid-19th century document that Charles held approximately 50 enslaved individuals ranging from newborns to elderly adults at the time of his death. A separate burial plot for enslaved persons exists on the grounds, distinct from the family cemetery. This history grounds the paranormal reports within a specific context of suffering and confinement that investigators and the manor's own documentation consistently reference.
The manor passed through several owners after the Bowie-Johnson family and in recent decades has been developed as a paranormal investigation venue operating under the Linville 1852 Manor name. It now offers overnight stays through Haunted Rooms America and private bookings through the manor directly.
Sources
- https://www.hauntedrooms.com/maryland/ghost-hunts/linville-manor
- https://www.linvillemanor.com/paranormal.html
- https://midatlanticdaytrips.com/2022/03/what-lurks-in-the-rooms-of-linville-manor/
- https://wtop.com/maryland/2025/10/this-home-in-upper-marlboro-might-be-the-most-haunted-one-in-md-if-you-believe-in-ghosts-2/
ApparitionsShadow figuresObject movementPhantom soundsPhantom voicesDisembodied laughterTouching/pushingCold spotsOrbs
The paranormal documentation at Linville Manor has developed a specificity that distinguishes it from properties with only ambient atmosphere claims. The timing anomaly alone — the consistent 1:11 AM spike in activity across unrelated investigation groups — has become a reliable data point in the manor's investigative record.
The Lurker is the entity most consistently described by overnight visitors. It appears in doorways, on stairwells, and occasionally at the foot of beds, described as a figure without visible eyes who watches from fixed positions without movement or communication. The lack of eyes is the detail that surfaces most frequently in accounts, noted independently by investigators who have not communicated with each other before their visits.
The library generates reports of sweeping sounds and a child presence identified as Lily, who reportedly favors dogs and responds to children's books placed in the room. The ballroom produces accounts of two male voices in argument late at night, with chair movement and sounds described as a ball rolling across the ceiling above. The conservatory is associated with a male presence, documented orbs in photography, and what investigators describe as an unexplained pressure sensation.
The property's beech tree, which stands in the yard, has been identified by multiple sensitives as an energy focal point. Whether this relates to its proximity to the enslaved persons burial plot is a matter of interpretation rather than documentation. What is documented: investigations that include the outdoor grounds consistently report more activity near the tree and the secondary burial area than elsewhere on the property.
Notable Entities
The LurkerLily
