Whether you say yes or no to the power of the Ouija board, there s no dismissing the legacy of this supposed spirit communication tool that inspires intrigue and amusement and sometimes fear.
For more than 125 years, the Ouija has been an all-American invention that s alternately viewed as a practical way to reach out to the beyond, a slumber party game and a great narrative device in pop culture. Some even see it as a negative creation and a potential gateway for the nastier denizens of the spirit realm to enter our turf.
Regardless of the Ouija s power (or lack thereof?), it is an undeniable part of our nation s history. That history was honored on Oct. 14 when the Talking Board Historical Society led by the world s leading talking board expert, Robert Murch worked with the City of Baltimore to install a plaque commemorating the location of an April 1890 séance where the board was named.