In May of 1718, Blackbeard, with Stede Bonnet, and a flotilla of four ships arrived outside of Charleston and blockaded the port. Many were frightened of what the pirates might do to the city, but the men on board those ships weren’t looking for rum. The pirates needed something more valuable to keep them alive….
The Color Haint Blue of the Lowcountry
If you have been to the Lowcountry of South Carolina (Charleston) or coastal Georgia (Savannah), you will see many homes with porch ceilings, doors, shutters, and even houses painted blue. It’s not just any color; it’s called Haint Blue, and there is a reason for that. Many who visit these areas attribute the color to…
The Horrific Charleston Tornado of 1938
The Charleston Area Tornado outbreak of 1938 is rarely mentioned in South Carolina’s haunted history. On September 29, 1938, five tornadoes struck the area, spawned by a tropical depression that formed in the Gulf two days before. Three tornadoes pummeled James Island and Sullivan’s, but the worst one hit downtown Charleston, resulting in almost 30…
A Little Higher in Price but made in Dixie
The Anderson automobile is considered the most successful automobile built in the Southeastern United States. While the Anderson Motor Company was only operational from 1916 to 1925, it will forever be remembered as a what-if story and a part of South Carolina’s haunted history. John Gary Anderson started the business in Rock Hill, South Carolina,…
Albert Einstein’s Ties to Spartanburg, South Carolina
According to various online reports and the website Find-A-Grave, Albert Einstein’s grandson, David Einstein, is reportedly buried in Spartanburg’s Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. His other grandson, Klaus, is buried in Greenville, who tragically died at age five on January 5, 1939. Einstein’s son, Hans, lived at 223 Randall Street in Greenville in 1938. Written By: John…
Al Capone’s Ties to Hell Hole Swamp
Did you know that South Carolina has a swamp called Hell Hole Swamp? The name dates to the mid-1700s, and there are many theories about how the area got its name. One account says the swamp got its name from the Revolutionary War from Colonel Tarleton because the British had a hell of a time…
The 1991 Myrtle Beach Pavilion Ferris Wheel Accident
In July of 1991, a tragic accident rocked the Grand Strand when a 12-year-old girl was thrown from her seat on the Ferris wheel at the Myrtle Beach Pavilion. The young girl found herself clinging to a cable more than 30 feet above the ground. The accident reportedly occurred when a teenager began rocking his…
The History of Echo Valley Western Theme Park in Northern Greenville County, South Carolina
Echo Valley Theme Park operated in Cleveland, South Carolina, in northern Greenville County, from 1964 to 1968. In late 1963, Harry Stewart, one of the founders of Ghost Town in the Sky in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, approached local businessmen about opening a western theme park similar to Ghost Town. According to travelersresthere, the park…
Remembering The Halloween Hurricane
In 1899, people along the eastern side of North and South Carolina received a scare when the Halloween Hurricane made landfall near Garden City, South Carolina, on October 31. The storm was classified as a Category Two hurricane, and to date, it remains the only one to have made landfall in South Carolina after October…
The Tragic 1988 Greenwood School Shooting
On September 26, 1988, 19-year-old Jaime William Wilson walked into Oakland Elementary in Greenwood and opened fire. Wilson is responsible for one of the first deadly school shootings in the country. He was armed with a 22-caliber pistol when he started in the cafeteria and moved into a classroom. In the end, Wilson shot 11…