The Blowing Rock is North Carolina’s oldest attraction, and visitors who stop to take in the views at 432 The Rock Road in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, are familiar with the legend associated with the premises. In 1933, it was established as “North Carolina’s First Travel Attraction,” dating back almost 250 million years ago when…
Surry’s Witch
Many believe the first known person to have been accused of witchcraft lived in the present-day Northeastern United States, and that is not true. Actually, Joan Wright, or “Jane,” was the first known person to be legally accused. She is also referred to as “Surry’s Witch” and lived in Elizabeth City (Surry County) in the…
Is This the Real “Ghost” Town of Lake Hartwell
When the area was flooded to make way for the lake in the early 1960s, graveyards, roads, and buildings were lost forever beneath the serene surface of Lake Hartwell on the border of South Carolina and Georgia. But the biggest mystery that lurks on the bottom may be the small town of Andersonville. Yes, Ghost…
The Legend of Boojum and Hootin’ Annie
Sometime around 1900, or even a little before, another piece of western North Carolina folklore emerged. Some believe the legend of Boojum and Hootin’ Annie was used to attract early tourism in the area. The story places a large, Bigfoot-like creature called the Boojum on Eagle Nest Mountain in Haywood County. It’s believed the Boojum…
The Legend of Judaculla Rock
Nestled in Jackson County, North Carolina, near Cullowhee, sits a large soapstone boulder called Judaculla Rock. The rock is notable for its intricate petroglyphs, which are said to hold a profound connection to Cherokee oral traditions. But archaeologists still can’t explain the meaning of the carvings. According to Cherokee legend, the markings on the rock…
The Ghostly Rider of Asheville
For years, visitors at Lewis Memorial Park on Beaverdam Road in Asheville have allegedly seen a ghostly figure on horseback around dusk, accompanied by a large, quiet phantom dog in the older parts of the graveyard. No one knows who the silent figure is, but legend has it that it could be the park’s founder,…
The Ghosts of Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock is a magical place, and according to some reports dating back to the early 1800s, it can also be a ghostly area, where many strange things have occurred over the years with no explanation. Reports of paranormal activity date back to 1806, if not earlier, when people observed a crowd of angelic beings…
The Phantom Horseman of Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina, is surrounded by many ghostly tales. Some are more well-known than others, but what lurks in the shadows of graveyards, around the University of South Carolina campus, and even on roadways, is a lot of history and folklore that can’t be erased over time. Another legend that we have never covered is…
The Ghosts of Purrysburg
Purrysburg Township (Purrysburgh) is an unincorporated community in Jasper County, in the lower part of South Carolina. Today, not much is in this area except for a stone monument marking an early Swiss settlement that eventually failed. Jasper County has seen its fair share of war through the years. From the Revolutionary War to…
The Cheeky Ghost of the Old Athens Theatre
Some believe the old Athens Theatre in New Bern, North Carolina, is home to a ghostly woman named Dorothy. The old theatre opened in 1911 as the Athens Theatre, seating fewer than 600. By 1929, the name had been changed to the Show Shop Theatre. Fourteen years later, in 1943, it was renamed the Kehoe…