Thousands haunt Charleston's Old City Jail

The hour was late, it was dark and no one walked the streets of Charleston in this area of the historic city — not even on a lovely springtime Friday evening. Nothing spooked us, however, until we turned the corner and spotted the Old City Jail, a three-story massive structure that easily raised hairs on the back of our necks. Bulldog Tours staff members stood sentinel outside the Old City Jail, otherwise we might have turned tail and ran.

Bulldog offers ghost tours nightly at the historic jail located at 21 Magazine Street. This monstrosity was built in 1802 on what was once Potter's Field, according to Sean, our ghost guide for the evening. So while there were numerous deaths inside the old jail (we'll get to that in a minute), there were dead people beneath our feet as well. Apparently, indigent and John Doe's found dead on the streets of old Charleston were buried on this spot. And, in addition to the jail housing criminals, the Union Army took over the place during the Civil War and housed prisoners of war inside while hundreds of Union soldiers camped out in the yard.

Here's why it's haunted - the giant building had no electricity, running water and other necessities to make life bearable so many inmates died within its walls. Sean claims 14,000 died here. That's quite a number. And many died of starvation, dehydration and sometimes murder by the hands of other inmates.

There are numerous stories about the old jail, including one regarding Lavina Fisher and her husband John, who were arrested and convicted, along with other members of her gang, of highway robbery. The charge was a capital offense and the couple sentenced to hang. John claimed he was innocent but forgave the executioners, Sean told us, but Lavina didn't go down so easily. She ranted and raved all the way to the top of the gallows. The legend has it that she told the minister, "If you want a message to send to hell, give it to me and I'll carry it." Sean believes the truth is less dramatic, that Lavina wasn't cursing out the executioners but rather calmed down and uttered a similar phrase believing she might actually be heading in that direction.

Regardless, Lavina Fisher supposedly haunts the jail.

There's some nasty folks haunting the third floor, including a guy Sean names Hank. One notorious fellow pushed a tour guide down the stairs, sending her to the ER. And some believe convicted pirates might be hovering about. On the ground floor a visitor caught a particularly spooky shadow figure floating across his camera.

By the tour's end my companion and I hadn't seen or heard a ghost but we certainly didn't mind leaving that creepy place. I did get a nice solid orb on one photo (at right). You be the judge.

The Old City Jail, by the way, closed in 1939. It had a long history, from the time of Thomas Jefferson's presidency to World War II.

Haunted Deep South is written by travel writer Chere Dastugue Coen, author of Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana.

Books to get you into the Halloween spirit

If you’re not afraid of no ghosts — at least reading about them — here are some spooky books I discovered from Schiffer Publishing.

In “Haunted Historic Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia with Breakthrough Ghost Photography,” author Tim Scullion travels through the historic village capturing fascinating images on digital photographs. The book is filled with captivating stories on Williamsburg buildings and why they may be haunted, but the photos will blow you away.

“For some reason, the digital camera can pick up these previously undetected light apparitions that are not visible to the naked eye,” Scullion writes in the book’s foreword. “In Colonial Williamsburg and the surrounding area, you will see these light formations over or around historical buildings that all have rumors of ghost stories that envelop their past.”

How Scullion zooms in as much as he does without distorting images, while managing to pick up human faces in the process, is a mystery. Is it for real? You decide.

 

And if you want more, Scullion just came back with “Breakthrough Ghost Photography of Haunted Historic Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, Part II.”

Another Schiffer book to consider is “Under Spiritual Siege: How Ghosts and Demons Affect Us and How to Combat Them” by William Stillman sets the stage with Stillman describing his experiences as a psychic. In addition to his ghostly tales through the people he contacts, Stillman provides an excellent explanation of ghosts, how they differ individually and from those in the spirit world.

Another book I enjoyed is “Cincinnati Cemeteries: Hauntings and Other Legends” by Roy Heizer with photographs by Nancy Heizer. I’m a huge fan of cemeteries, especially historic ones with long and colorful histories and the Heizers spotlight several with detailed stories.

If you love New Orleans and South Louisiana…

Michael Murphy tells paranormal tales in “Fear Dat New Orleans: A Guide to the Voodoo, Vampires, Graveyards and Ghosts of the Crescent City.” Murphy, a native of Ohio who has lived in New Orleans since 2009, explains the city’s aboveground cemeteries, its love affair with vampires, its over-achieving status as haunted city and its voodoo heritage. There’s also a handy listing of mediums, tarot readers and haunted hotels and bars, plus personality profiles of the some of the city’s paranormal experts and a foreword by Anne Rice.

Deborah Burst of Covington delves into the spiritual side of South Louisiana with “Louisiana’s Sacred Places: Churches, Cemeteries and Voodoo.” Readers will discover the spiritual significance of historic churches and cemeteries, the city’s voodoo practices and the state’s unique death–related customs. Burst doesn’t stray far from New Orleans so it’s not a statewide examination but lovers of New Orleans area sacred spots will find the book an interesting read. Burst will be speaking at a Save Our Cemeteries luncheon Saturday at Greenwood Cemetery in New Orleans. She follows up that book with "Spirits of the Bayou: Santuaries, Cemeteries and Hauntings."

And then, of course, there are my books. I've written a guide to all things haunted in Lafayette, Louisiana, appropriately titled "Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana," published by The History Press. It's a ghost guide to Cajun Country with many of the places mentioned open to the public so grab a copy and go ghost hunting. 

I've also published the Viola Valentine paranormal mysteries under my pen name Cherie Claire. The first three books are "A Ghost of a Chance," which is FREE to download at all online bookstores, followed by "Ghost Town," which is only 99 cents to download through Nov. 1, 2018, and "Trace of a Ghost."

Houmas House in South Louisiana offers several ghost stories but there's more reasons to visit the exquisite River Road property

Houmas House with its "grieving" oak trees

There are plantations and historic homes scattered throughout Louisiana, many hidden behind alleys of live oak trees shrouded in Spanish moss, the buildings appearing through this vegetation like a veil between this world and the next. It’s easy to imagine the spirits of yesteryear still walking the grounds of these ancient giants, still haunting the halls and bedrooms.

Houmas House outside Gonzales, Louisiana, owns a different vibe, one of luxury, elegance and a lively history. The property’s story dates back to the 1700s when two New Orleans businessmen, Maurice Conway and Alexander Latil, purchased the land from the Houmas Indians and built a small home facing the Mississippi River near an ancient Houmas mound. Later, Gen. Wade Hampton of South Carolina would purchase the property and expand the original French Provincial residence before leaving the home to his daughter Caroline and son-in-law Col. John Preston. It was the Prestons that created the enormous house visitors view today. In 1857, Irishman John Burnside took over the plantation and enlarged its acreage for sugarcane and later Col. William Porcher Miles expanded its production even further.

 

The antique coffin at Houmas House

Today, the home with its multi-columned Greek Revival exterior is known as the “Crown Jewel of Louisiana’s River Road.” New Orleans businessman Kevin Kelly purchased the mansion in 2003 and has turned the site into one of the finest wedding venues in Louisiana. The property now includes the award-winning Latil’s Landing Restaurant, a la carte dining options in the magnificent Carriage House, the Turtle Bar located in the former garconniere and several cabins for overnight stays. The 38-acre grounds feature oak trees dating back to original owners but also exquisite formal gardens under the current landscaping staff, including fountains, statuaries, a Monet-style garden with waterfall and other endless floral spots for photographs and the saying of vows.

Visitors to the Crown Jewel wouldn’t expect ghosts in such a stately place, and our tour guide for the night admitted that the spirits of those gone before do linger here, but he preferred to focus on the history and luxury of the house. And he had every right. The house is filled with antiques, artwork and historical objects, including a 19th century casket and an antique vampire killing kit. But curious minds like me wanted to know more.

 

Bette Davis Bedroom

A staff member once spent the night in a second-floor bedroom and awoke to find a tall, shadowy figure standing in the doorway gazing toward her bed. When she turned to follow his line of sight, an elderly woman as clear as day was lying next to her in bed, her arms folded across her chest and her eyes closed. She uttered questions in fright, then looked back toward the door and the man had disappeared. Thankfully, so had the old woman.

Other visitors have seen what appears to be a young girl and many believe her to be the daughter of Caroline and Wade Preston, who died at the age of 12. There’s also an account of an angry spirit coursing up a shaft between the first and third floors, moving through the bedroom used in the film, “Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte” starring Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland.

Kelly’s not one to believe in ghosts but one night he noticed his dogs staring off to the corner of his bedroom. The two labradors followed an invisible object across the room, their gazes in sync, until whatever they were staring at disappeared inside a mirror.

The magnificent oak trees leading up to the house remain from the house’s original days but half of the trees were removed for the building of the Mississippi River levee in the early part of the 20th century. Although they have ample room to grow and prosper, they bend toward each other, as if in grief.

 

The Cabins at Houmas House

Want to learn more about the house’s ghost history? Special haunted tours are offered at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. nightly through October. But don’t worry, they include the house’s unique history, architecture, artwork and more.

Here’s what I suggest. Arrive early and enjoy a spirit of another sort in the Turtle Bar (I highly suggest the Old Fashions) and either relish in the unique space or peruse the lighted pathways throughout the gardens. After the tour of the mansion, enjoy dinner in either The Carriage House Restaurant or Latil’s Landing. For a truly special evening, stay overnight in one of Houma House’s cabins, luxurious accommodations in a peaceful setting and yes, no ghosts on that side of the property. At least, we didn’t encounter any.

Haunted Deep South is written by travel writer Cheré Coen, author of Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana by The History Press. She writes the Viola Valentine paranormal mystery series under the pen name of Cherie Claire.