It has been 16 years since Patrick Tracy Burris went on a crime spree in Gaffney, South Carolina. For more than a week in the summer of 2009, serial killer Patrick Tracy Burris terrorized Cherokee County. His crime spree took many back to the late 1960s, when the Gaffney Strangler wreaked havoc on the same…
Is This University the Most Haunted College in South Carolina
South Carolina can be heaven for the millions that call the Palmetto State home, but sometimes, even paradise has a dark side. Converse University is reportedly home to several buildings with paranormal activity. Ironically, the college is situated near the most haunted cemetery in the area, Hells Gate, located on East Main Street in Spartanburg….
Is Chester County sitting on the Lost Confederate Gold from the Civil War
In April 1865, the Civil War came to a close for most Americans. The war and its various aspects continue to capture the interest and imagination of many Americans who are fascinated by the battles, leaders, and strategies displayed during that conflict. Mysteries endure, too, including the ultimate disposition of the Confederate Treasury. One of…
The Story of Snap! Crackle! and Pop! Rock Hill, SC
In 1928, Kellogg’s released Rice Krispies on store shelves in America. It was an instant hit with consumers. In 1932, the words Snap! Crackle! Pop! first appeared on a box of the popular cereal. However, it wasn’t until 1933 that the brand introduced its iconic characters, which would forever transform the breakfast game. Artist Vernon…
The Belton Standpipe
The Belton Standpipe, historically known as the Belton Waterworks Tower, is a 155-foot-tall concrete water tower located near downtown Belton, South Carolina. Construction began in 1908 and was completed in 1909. It is the tallest of three standpipe water towers in South Carolina. The tower was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on…
Did a UFO visit Chester County in 1997
Did a UFO visit Chester in the summer of 1997? Some believers say yes. The rare anomaly occurred twenty-six years ago, over a field near the J.A. Cochran Bypass. The large craft hovered as onlookers sat in their stopped vehicles. One person said, “I was in a vehicle with some friends leaving a pool party….
The Lockhart Canal
Lockhart, South Carolina, is full of history. Not only was Pinckneyville located nearby on the Broad River, which many considered the “Charleston” of the upcountry during the late 1700s and early 1800s, but Lockhart is home to a famous waterway. The Lockhart Canal, designed by Robert Mills, was completed in 1823. It was part of…
The Strange Disappearance of Wesley McNinch in Chester
It’s been 12 years since the disappearance of Wesley McNinch of Chester County, SC. He was last heard from on March 8, 2013. He was walking in the woods to a relative’s house while speaking on the phone with his mother, Lori McNinch. He then talked to his cousin and told him he was lost…
Todd Kolhepp and the 2003 Superbike Murders
On November 6, 2003, the unthinkable occurred in Chesnee, South Carolina, when four people were killed at Superbike Motorsports. The case remained as cold as ice for 13 years, until a local serial killer confessed to the horrific slayings. The killings provoked much fear, not only in Spartanburg County, but also in neighboring counties in…
The Good Dentist Snaps
If walls could talk, many could write a novel, especially the walls inside older buildings around the state. Spartanburg, South Carolina, is no stranger to haunted history, with a dark past marked by unthinkable atrocities. At The Lantern, we have highlighted many of these paranormal hotspots and the city’s history in the past. One story…