Although the Haunted Mansion is located in Disneyland's New Orleans Square and seems to be a typical antebellum mansion, it was inspired by a residence approximately 999 miles to the north—Baltimore. In 1803 the Shipley-Lydecker House was erected in Baltimore. It was the first brick house in Maryland and one of the first in America. The ship captain who built the Lydecker family home had also built another house about a quarter mile away. He told his wife that if she wanted a haunted house they could move into it when they died. She thought this was such a good idea that they did just that. The house was sold to several different owners over the next 100 years but it always remained haunted. It was finally demolished in 1883. Disneyland's creator, Walt Disney, was very much aware of this story and it influenced him as he designed the Haunted Mansion. He originally called it "Stately Manor" and it featured floors, walls, and ceilings made of wood. But when he showed it to friends they warned him not to build a house with ghosts in it because they would disappear forever. So he changed the name to the Haunted Mansion and made it all stone walled with no doors or windows allowed inside. This way the spirits could not escape. He also decided not to show anyone how to get out of the mansion because he didn't want to spoil the surprise for guests.