It may appear to be just an old nature center, but stories of strange voices, moving tools and slamming doors make some volunteers at Eden Mill Nature Center think there is more going on at the 200-year-old mill than just school tours.
Roland Beckman, a volunteer and board member of Eden Mill, said he has seen his fair share of weird and freaky occurrences in the years he has been working there.
"There was one time I was on the third floor and I heard kids laughing and running downstairs, I got down there and there was no one there," Beckman said. "I thought maybe we had a tour scheduled that day, but there was nothing on the book."
Beckman said as he went to walk back upstairs a small model water wheel started spinning.
In the past, the mill has set up high sensitivity audio equipment to try to capture voices of ghosts thought to live at the mill.
"When we played it we heard voices and some conservation," Beckman said. "It sounded like someone said 'how much is your stock'... like live stock."
Beckman said these occurrences led the mill to offer annual paranormal activity hunting tours to allow the public the opportunity to see if they can experience the haunting.
This Saturday, from 7 to 10:30 p.m., Eden Mill will open its doors after dark to finally confirm or debunk the stories of paranormal activity at the nature center. Proceeds from the paranormal adventure fund educational tours and activities at the mill for underprivileged children.
Staff from MD Paranormal, a paranormal research center, will equip participants will the most up-to-date paranormal equipment and guide them through the Mill to areas normally restricted to employees and special personnel.
During the tour, participants will learn the history of the mill and shadow paranormal experts with audio and video equipment to determine if there really is something or someone else inhabiting the old mill.
But everyone who works at the Mill is not quite convinced the Mill is haunted.
Valarie Klein, office manager at Eden Mill, said she is skeptical about paranormal activity, but she has only worked at the mill for a few months.
"I haven't been here that long, but everyone else who has been here a while is convinced that the longer I work here, the greater the likelihood that I will see something," Klein said.
Tour participants must be at least 16 years old. The cost for the tour is $30 for members and $35 for non-members. Pre-registration is required by calling 410-836-3050 or emailing edenmillnaturecenter@gmail.com.