It’s not surprising, given the history of the coastlines, to have popular tales of ghostly ships, given the history of piracy. The legend says phantom ships and strange lights can be seen off the coast of Tybee Island on foggy nights. It is believed these stories have circulated among local fishermen in the area through…
The Ghostly Legend of the Nitrolee Dam Hitchhiker
Great Falls, South Carolina, is a small community in Chester County. Recently, a new whitewater park opened along the banks of the Catawba River at the base of the Nitrolee Dam. At one time, Great Falls was a thriving textile town that provided locals and others from nearby areas with employment opportunities. For some mill…
Do TWO Ghosts haunt the Cemetery of This Historic South Carolina Church
The Church of the Holy Cross is a beautiful, historic church located in Sumter County, near the Ellison Plantation, in the small community of Stateburg. It was the home church of William Ellison, whose family had a pew on the first floor, and it’s the final resting place of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who we will…
Is This South Carolina School Haunted
One school in West Columbia, South Carolina, is rumored to be haunted by a former employee. It is believed that the ghost that roams the halls is George Pair, who was the first principal at the school from 1958 until his death in 1962, the same year he passed away. Students and staff have reported…
The Ghost of Annie
The Old Nazareth Cemetery in Pinopolis, South Carolina, is rumored to be haunted. For our readers, who may not be familiar with this unincorporated community, it is in Berkeley County, in the lower part of the state, approximately 21.5 miles from Summerville. According to Sherman Carmichael in his Mysterious South Carolina book, the cemetery may…
The 1946 Greenville Ideal Laundry Explosion
On November 19, 1946, one of the worst accidents occurred in the history of South Carolina, which left four to six people deceased, with another hundred to a hundred fifty injured. Around 6:00 PM, 3,500 gallons of propane exploded at Ideal Laundry and Cleaners in Greenville. The blast was felt as far away as Gaffney…
The Legend of the Bell Witch
Some legends are in a league of their own, and the Bell Witch is one of them. Perhaps this tale would even be on my Mount Rushmore, but I will save that for another day. In the early 1800s, John Bell moved from North Carolina to Tennessee with his wife, Lucy, settling on a farm…
Remembering the 1996 John D. Long Lake Accident
On August 31, 1996, the unthinkable happened again when a family and one other person drowned at John D. Long Lake, just outside of Union, South Carolina. This is the same lake where Susan Smith also did the unthinkable in 1994. The Phillips family, from nearby, visited the site when their Suburban began to roll…
Little Drummer Boy of Horn Creek
One story told to me by Mrs. Tonya Guy was about a drummer boy who lost his way. Navigating the South Carolina Backcountry, even in 2025, can be difficult. Walking through unfamiliar woods can turn even the most seasoned professionals who enjoy being outdoors around. The mystery of the little drummer boy’s fate and the…
Is Union County, South Carolina, Sitting on Civil War Treasure
Down Highway 49, past Monarch, near Browns Creek Baptist Church, sits a swamp and plenty of pasture land. The highway once served as a former stagecoach route that connected Union to Charlotte. After the Civil War ended, the Union army entered the Upstate, pulling wagons and distributing food to the local population. A German man…