The Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, located at 122 E. Bay Street, is a Charleston landmark built in 1771 as a commercial exchange and customs house. During the American Revolution, tea confiscated by the British was stored here. After the British captured the city in 1780, it was a barracks, and the basement served as a military prison for American Patriots, criminals, and some British soldiers. Many were thrown inside for treason or sedition, and some undoubtedly spent their final days here.
The site was originally the Half-Moon Battery from 1694 until 1768. It served as a center for trade in the area and, ironically, had a prison underneath until the upper part of the battery was demolished to facilitate the construction of the present Old Exchange. Pirates like Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet, who once terrorized the Atlantic and the early settlers of Charleston, were prisoners inside the infamous dungeon.
People have claimed to see the restless spirits still walking the hallways of the building, and some have reported screams and cries from the former occupants that can still be heard.
Today, the building serves as a museum, offering guided tours.
Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Image: John G. Clark Jr. (September 2023)
