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The Haunted State Park in Georgia with A Dark History

Haunted State parks are in my top three destinations to visit, just behind ghostly roads and bridges, because they remain undisturbed and free of development. I have no clue why some states, like South Carolina, refuse to honor and protect these legends & lore sites with markers. Hopefully, one day, we will see them before development takes over.

However, this story originates from the state of Georgia. Magnolia Springs State Park, located at 1053 Magnolia Springs Road in Millen, was once home to Camp Lawton, a prison camp that housed over 10,000 soldiers.

According to Jim Miles in his Haunted Central Georgia book, almost 1,000 died on these grounds. The Southern Spirit Guide puts that number a little lower at 500. But we do know that many soldiers met their demise here during the Civil War while housed at the Confederate-run camp.

Cabin 5 is reportedly one of the most haunted, with people seeing a light through the wall, but when they open the door, there is no light on. (Haunted Central Georgia).

According to the Southern Spirit Guide, employees have reported seeing spirits in the park, with one park manager reportedly being awakened by a uniformed apparition standing at the end of his bed. Another staff member approached the cabin and saw a face peering out one of the windows when it was empty. Staff members have also reported a feeling of being watched and followed.

According to Jim Miles in his book, an old maintenance road runs through the woods that once served as the route the prisoners took from the railroad at Lawton Station. At night, you can hear singing that resembles African-American spirituals moving down the road.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.

Sources: The Southern Spirit Guide. Haunted Central Georgia, Jim Miles