Haunted Charleston - Was it a Ghost Caught on Camera?

I’ve taken more than one ghost tour in my time, in some of the nation’s so-called scariest cities, like Key West, St. Augustine, and many, many tours in Charleston, South Carolina.  But no tour was as scary as the tour of the Old City Jail in Charleston.

 

I went with my friend, Hillary neither of us thought this former jail, built in 1802, would frighten us.  Though, admittedly, the very first thing we saw was pretty eerie.

Our tour guide told us the tires were made of metal and the
prisoners would be jolted around in this tiny cart as they were
carried down the bumpy roads.

 

There are no lights at the Old City Jail, and you must follow the tour guide’s flashlight.  After entering the jail, one of the first things the guide pointed out was this.

The faces on the wall definitely look real, but the
image on the side is definitely not a ghost.  At
least, I don't think it was a ghost.  There was a
blue tarp hanging on the window next to this
part of the wall.

 

Hillary and I stuck close together as the tour guide took us from room to room, and cell to cell, telling stories of many pirates and other convicts jailed within the walls.  The darkness, bitter chill, and tales of murders, hangings, and robberies definitely made our hair stand on end.  But the moment I was the most afraid, quite possibly, was when I got my pictures developed.

 

This was, perhaps, the coldest, darkest spot of the tour.  And though I don’t necessarily believe in ghosts, I’m not exactly sure how to explain this photograph.  Was it Lavinia Fischer, known as the first female serial killer in America?  Or maybe it was Denmark Vesey, who organized a slave revolt, but was captured, along with several hundred other people who planned to participate (Both stories according to this website). 

All I will say, is that I definitely, absolutely, recommend this tour for a good scare.

Total Cost: $18 through Bulldog Tours

Best Deal: Hillary and I actually got in for free because I did some volunteer work for a historic house in Charleston

What’s the closest encounter you’ve ever had with a ghost?

Haunted St. Augustine

The way the story goes, back in the 1800s, a man was staying with his uncle at the St. Francis Inn in St. Augustine.  

 

He fell in love with one of the black servant girls, and the two had a love affair throughout the rooms of the St. Francis Inn.  Then, one day, the uncle found his nephew and the servant, and forbade them from seeing each other ever again.  The man became extremely depressed and killed himself.  Now, guests at the inn report seeing a ghostly woman dressed in white, perhaps returning to find her lover (this story, according to the Inn’s website).

Frank and I, too, were guests at St. Francis Inn.  But the only usual happening during our stay was someone drank most of the complimentary sherry that was left on the mantle.

 

But, it probably wasn’t anything paranormal, as I saw Frank hitting the bottle several times.

Exhibit A

 

Frank still blames it on the ghost.  Although, regardless, I’m pretty sure this bed and breakfast no longer offers free sherry after our trip.

I digress, the St. Francis Inn is not plagued by the ghostly stories.  In fact, the Inn even offers a Paranormal Package, where you can stay in one of the allegedly haunted rooms and you get two free books about ghosts in St. Augustine, along with a ghost tour.

Whether it’s haunted or not, St. Francis Inn still ranks as one of the best places I’ve ever stayed.  Inside, the rooms are small, but cozy.

 

The hotel is located just a few blocks from the major sights of St. Augustine, some of which, like the Castillo de San Marcos, are also haunted.  The grounds of the hotel are quite lovely.

 

You’ll also find free bikes to ride on the premises and a swimming pool perfect for sunning.
 

In fact, in addition to the free bikes, St. Francis Inn has no shortage of great perks.  You’ll also find a free breakfast buffet, with mimosas and Bloody Marys included.

Someone is eating in the room because he is a
little hungover

 

Just before dinner, between 5:30pm and 6:30pm, you can attend the “evening social,” where you’ll get to partake in complimentary wine, beer, and appetizers.  After grabbing a bite to eat, you can finish off with dessert hour at the Inn (from 7:30pm to 9pm), where you can taste everything from peach cobbler to strawberry delight cake, for absolutely no cost.

If the beach is more your thing, St. Francis has lodgings on the sand as well, which you are free to use if you stay at the Inn (included towels, an outdoor shower, beach chairs and bottled water). 

The St. Francis Inn also has free bicycles at the beach location as well

 

The reason we stayed at the St. Francis Inn, initially, is because it was quite economical (we paid less than $200 a night in August).  After having such a terrific stay, we book the hotel for our friends as a wedding gift.

If you are into the ghost thing, there are plenty of other places that are haunted in St. Augustine, including:

·         The Huguenot Cemetery

·         The Old City Gate

·         The Ponce de Leon Hotel on the campus of Flagler College

 

Total Cost: About $400 for two nights at the St. Francis Inn

Best Deal: Free breakfast, happy hour, and desserts!

Have you ever stayed in a haunted hotel?

Haunted Key West

Halloween is just a few days away and at this time of year, everyone is looking for the creepy,. crawly aspects to every story.  Since I’ve been talking about Key West, I wanted to show you what's known to frighten in the Conch Republic, from the freakiest doll I've ever seen to what seems like a friendly spirit of Hemingway.

According to Haunted Florida, “Many people have witnessed Ernest Hemingway waving from his studio window and lights on and sounds of a typewriter being used after the tours are over and the house is unoccupied.”

 

Personally, I think it’s entirely plausible that people who thought they saw Hemingway were a little on the tipsy side.

This video might prove otherwise:

 

It's $13 to enter the Hemingway House.

Ghosts or no ghosts, I do enjoy traipsing around cemeteries. 

I am sad for all the people who died and are
now buried here.

 

The Key West Cemetery has been around for almost 200 years and has tens of thousands of bodies buried there.  It's free to enter, but you must do so at your own risk (insert scary laugh here).

 

Some of the graves are actually quite funny.
 

Strangely enough, this is what Frank's grandfather's headpiece
says as well... gotta love the dead with a sense of humor!

Others, though, are a little more ominous.



That angel is for "Darling Ruth"

People have reported quite a few frightening instances at the Key West Cemetery, including hearing voices and seeing shadows, as reported on this website.

 

If you want to get a bit freaked out, watch this creepy video:

 

Some of the other haunted locations in Key West include:

• Old Town Manor (which I’ve stayed at before and reviewed on Saturday)
• Captain Tony’s Saloon (which I talked about on Friday)
• La Concha (a hotel where I suggested you watch the sunset – I was unaware 13 people committed suicide by jumping from the rooftop deck.  If I was going to commit suicide, I would never, ever do it in a way that involved free-fall)
• Robert the Doll at East Martello Museum (this is a given, because even though I don’t believe in ghosts, I absolutely believe in creepy dolls.  And scary clowns.  You can thank Chucky and It for that.  Apparently, this super scary doll even inspired Chucky!  If you want to experience Robert, it's $7 to get into the museum).

 

You can learn more about the ghosts that haunt these notable places in Key West by clicking here.

Have you ever seen a ghost?  Do you believe in ghosts or supernatural spirits?  Or really freaky dolls?