South Carolina is an interesting state that is jam-packed with a rich history. Amidst the salty marshes, rocky outcrops and subtropical coniferous forests there are tales of slavery, war and bloodshed which have given rise to many local ghost stories.
Let’s Check out 13 of the most haunted places in South Carolina:
13. Rose Hill Plantation, Union
One of the most haunted plantations in the country, the Rose Hill Plantation was built in 1827 and the family lived, died and was buried right there on the property! Their ghosts are still said to roam the property in both the house itself and the on-site cemetery.
12. The Hermitage, Murrells Inlet
In 1849, a wealthy Doctor named Allard Flagg moved into The Hermitage and invited his beautiful sister Alice to come and live with him.
Alice fell hopelessly in love with a young lumberman, but her brother did not approve of the match and sent Alice’s lover away.
Alice was angry at her brother’s interference and continued to meet with the lumberman in secret.
However, when Dr. Flagg learned of the couple’s secret engagement he sent Alice off to boarding school in Charleston.
She fell ill with malaria and died soon after her brother brought her home to The Hermitage. When Dr. Flagg discovered the engagement ring on a ribbon around his sister’s neck he threw it into the marsh.
This meant that Alice was buried without her most treasured possession and explains why her ghost is now seen leaving The Hermitage and walking to her grave in All Saints Cemetery all the while clutching her chest where her ring once nestled.
She has also been spotted wandering the marsh in search of her ring.
11. Seven Devil's Bridge, Woodruff
Seven Devil’s Bridge is definitely one of the most haunted locations in South Carolina and it is all said to be because of the restless spirits of seven people who were hanged from the bridge.
It is said that these seven ghosts haunt the bridge at midnight each night and that no living person is able to cross the bridge unharmed at midnight.
Those who have attempted to cross during the witching hour have experienced all manner of terrifying experiences with most ending up broken down and screaming in horror! Would you dare to face the seven devils in the dead of night?
10. Admiral's House, Charleston
The Admiral’s House was built in 1905 and it is considered to be one of the most haunted houses in South Carolina.
It was built in the early part of the 20th century and it has had a history of slavery and torture.
The most common report of paranormal activity on the property relates to the ghost of a small slave girl who is often spotted in a clump of trees on the property.
9. Baynard Plantation, Hilton Head
Baynard Plantation has a very interesting ghost story attached to it. It is said that if you visit the ruins of the property after the sun goes down, then you may get to see and hear the ghostly funeral procession of former owner William Baynard passing by his former home!
8. Greenville Tuberculosis Hospital, Greenville
Greenville Tuberculosis Hospital is a building with a very colorful history!
It started out as a hospital for tuberculosis patients, but it has also served as an insane asylum and a prisoner release site over its lifetime so it is really no surprise that it has some spooky tales to tell! It is a popular spot for paranormal investigators to explore and there have been many strange sounds and disembodied voices heard here – some of them have even been recorded.
The noises include banging, screaming and the clanging of bells!
The hospital is actually long gone having burned down some time ago, but the area is now a park and locals often see shadow figures wandering around, sometimes even straying into nearby homes.
The building may be gone, but the ground on which it once stood remains one of the most haunted locations in South Carolina.
7. White Point Gardens, Charleston
There is so much going on at White Point Gardens in Charleston that it would probably fill an entire book! This is without a doubt one of the most haunted places in South Carolina!
Also known as The Battery, the gardens are said to be haunted by the spirits of countless pirates that were hanged here.
It is said that these swashbuckling ghosts roam the gardens searching for their executioners in order to exact their revenge!
6. Salem Black River Church, Sumter
Salem Black River Church was built back in 1846 and it is said to be home to several different ghosts. In fact, it is considered to be one of the most haunted buildings in South Carolina.
One of the ghosts is said to be a spectre of a Southern Belle, another is a very sad little boy often seen sobbing. It is also said to be haunted by a priest whose entire family was wiped out by the plague.
At the back of the church is a small building where people have experienced cold spots, seen lights flickering and even encounters a shadowy figure of a man who might be the priest in question.
5. Cypress Garden Ruins, Moncks Corner
What is unique about this spot is that these ruins are not actually real! They are man-made ruins that are leftover from the filming of the movie ‘The Patriot’!
That doesn’t mean that they are any less haunted than some ancient ruins might be, perhaps these spirits are attached to the land as it was before the film crew moved in!
It is said that from time to time a strange figure can be seen just standing in the middle of the swamp and many people say there are strange noises and an eerie feeling when you pass by the faux ruins!
4. The Abandoned Mansion, Santee
Known simply as ‘The Abandoned Mansion’, there is not much known about this old house in Santee, South Carolina. Nobody seems to know when the house was built, who lived here or why it was abandoned.
There are no government records regarding this house – it’s existence is a complete mystery! However, it is known to be haunted.
Several people have reported seeing lights flickering in the upstairs windows as they pass by.
3. Hell's Gate, Spartanburg
Hell’s Gate, or Oakwood Cemetery as it is officially known, is one of the most haunted cemeteries in South Carolina.
Many visitors say that their cellphones start to act very erratically in the cemetery for no apparent reason. Batteries will drain, or the phone will ring when there is no incoming call. Some people have even managed to answer these phantom calls only to be met with the ‘busy’ tone on the line!
Those who visit after dark have seen strange lights and a mysterious miss that seems to shroud the ground. Others have reported hearing the laughter of small children echoing around the creepy burial ground.
2. Crybaby Bridge, Anderson
Another creepy bridge in South Carolina is Crybaby Bridge in Anderson. It is said that if you stop on the bridge at night and cut off your engine, then you will be able to hear the disembodied sounds of a baby crying.
You may also see the spectre of the baby’s mother walking along the bridge in search of her lost child.
1. South Carolina Lunatic Asylum, Columbia
South Carolina Lunatic Asylum was built between 1822 and 1827 so it has had plenty of time to collect a large number of ghosts. The building is now considered to be one of the top haunted places in South Carolina.
The building was designed by renowned architect Robert Mills. This was the second state in America to put aside funds to build a purpose-built facility for the treatment of the mentally ill. By 1950 it was housing more than 5000 patients.
There were the usual tales of lobotomies and forced sterilizations, but for the most part, it seems that South Carolina Lunatic Asylum had a much better reputation than some of the other asylums of the time.
When calls for institutionalization came in the seventies South Carolina was so much slower to release patients. This was because they took the time to find homes and healthcare that the patients required.
However, that doesn’t mean that there wasn’t enough pain and suffering to ensure that some of the lost souls that found themselves in the asylum stuck around even after death.
Those who have visited the abandoned hospital say that there are unexplained cold spots, strange noises and disembodied voices all over the building.
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