NC 49 is a two-lane road between Asheboro and Charlotte, North Carolina, and is home to a famous ghost story, the Phantom Car.
In the 1940s, a family drove home one night after spending the day with family. The night was clear but very late, with children sleeping in the back while the father drove slowly to avoid waking them. But soon, they had company, with lights quickly approaching in his rearview mirror. The other driver closed in behind and started driving aggressively, flashing his high beams on and off.
The father sped up to appease the angry driver behind him, but nothing seemed to make him happy. He pulled into the other lane to pass the family, choosing a spot at the base of a rolling hill, and couldn’t see what was on the other side. The oncoming panel truck leaned on the horn, with the other driver in a Ford swerving hard to the left to avoid getting clipped, spinning out of control, and landing between two trees. He never walked away.
Soon after, drivers began saying something strange was happening on that road at night. The phantom car will appear with its headlights coming on quickly and its tailgate closing in, acting aggressively, and eventually moving into the left lane to pass. The first thing that most notice is that the car is an old 1940s Ford with no driver inside.
Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
