CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- With Halloween right around the corner, there’s no better time to dive into South Carolina’s intense haunted history. These 5 spooks sites are certainly not for the faint of heart.
- Crybaby Bridge
At the crossing of the High Shoals point above the Rocky River in Anderson sits this abandoned, overgrown bridge straight out a horror movie. Rumored to be haunted by several spirits, one trip to Cry Baby Bridge will send shivers straight down your spine. The story goes like this: On the night of October 30, 1954, a young woman brought her baby to this bridge. As she was crossing the bridge, she tossed the crying baby into the rushing river below. She was found weeks later having hung herself from the rafters of her farmhouse. Legend has it that if you visit the bridge late at night, when there’s a crescent moon in the sky, you can still hear the baby wailing and see the mother standing at the edge looking down into the water. Some visitors even report hearing the young mother say “don’t cry baby.” But we warned, some have reported that their cars refused to start or their headlines wouldn’t turn on after this paranormal encounter. - Old Charleston Jail
It’s no surprise that this centuries-old historic Charleston jail known for housing some of South Carolina’s most infamous criminals is a hotbed of paranormal activity. Featured on Ghost Hunters and the Travel Channel, the Old Charleston Jail operated from 1802 to 1939 as a place where prisoners go to live and die. Because most of the building, including the holding cells, remains intact, you can step inside and get a feel for the deplorable conditions. Perhaps the most notable criminal rumored to haunt these halls is South Carolina’s first female serial killer, Lavinia Fisher. Fisher and her husband are said to have murdered many people at the Inn they owned. Visitors to the Old Charleston Jail report seeing apparitions in photos, hearing unexplained stratching, and being touched or grabbed by an unknown presence. - South Carolina State Hospital
In 1827, the Babbock Building, later known as the South Carolina State Hospital, was built in Columbia as a facility to house the mentally ill. And over the course of its 175 years of operation, the asylum housed thousands of people will mental illnesses. It was reported that the insane asylum had extremely poor conditions and patients were subject to cruel treatment, leading to the deaths of many. It shouldn’t come as a shock, then, that mentally disturbed individuals are rumored to still haunt these halls. Visitors report unexplained cold spots, disembodied voices, and other strange noises. Now, the old Babbock Buidling is slated to be converted into an apartment complex. Would you dare to live here? - Oakwood Cemetery
Nicknamed “Hell’s Gate” by locals, Oakwood Cemetery in Spartanburg is overloaded with stories of the paranormal and is said to be one of the most active haunted sites in the state. If you choose to visit the cemetery after dark, prepare to be cut off from the rest of the world as significant electronic malfunctions are reported here. Visitors say their cell phones have suddenly stop working or rung without any on the other line. It is also rumored that you can hear children laughing and whispers echocing through the grounds. - White Point Gardens
By day, the Battery and White Point Gardens is a quiet, peaceful escape from everyday life, but as night falls, the spritis come out to play. The legends of White Point Gardens revolve around the many notorious pirates that met their demise in this very park. One story goes like this: Stede Bonnet was a pirate who joined forces with Blackbeard to blockade the Charleston port in the early 18th century. Bonnet himself and his entire crew were eventually captured and ordered to be hanged in White Point Gardens. It is said that now those 30 men, whose bodies were tossed into the marsh, haunt the park. Reports of paranormal activity include dark figures peering from behind trees, apparitions hanging from trees, and blood-curdling screams.
