Does Mary Reynolds haunt tavern in Annapolis

[Lionel]

For nearly two years, the employees at Reynolds Tavern have endured exploding glasses, mysterious footsteps and eerie singing. Come Feb. 19, they hope to prove once and for all where it's coming from: the ghost of Mary Reynolds.That evening, 34 members of the Maryland Ghost and Spirit Association will descend on the Church Circle location in downtown Annapolis wielding cameras, infrared sensors and other spirit-hunting tools to document whatever is bugging Reynolds Tavern.English imports Jill and Andrew Petit bought the old Reynolds home in April 2002, set on re-creating a British tea room."We had looked in various places," Mrs. Petit said. A friend in real estate eventually suggested the 257-year-old Georgian building.By June they were renovating the house, which had stood empty for about four years - or so they thought.Soon a power drill moved on its own. Then a rug catalog disappeared for three days before appearing atop a tall armoire in the Jefferson Suite.And chef David Ludwig started getting unwanted kitchen help."We had some soups we were cooling on the kitchen table," he said. "Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the cream of crab soup just kind of fall."The pieces of the puzzle came together for the Petits after an old employee of the building stopped by."We weren't quite sure what to think," Mrs. Petit said. "He started to tell us the story ... and it all dropped into place."Built in 1747, the brick building was home to tavern keeper William Reynolds, said Jean Russo, a historian with the Historic Annapolis Foundation.

He died in 1777, leaving the business to his wife Mary, who died in 1785.Little is known about Mrs. Reynolds, except that she was Mr. Reynolds' housekeeper before becoming his third wife, Ms. Russo said."If there is a ghost," Ms. Russo said with a hint of skepticism, "that might be who it is."

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