Let's talk cemeteries shall we? Believe it or not I have talked to people who view cemeteries as calming places. After all, they are places where the dead are laid to rest. However, I've noticed that a majority of people find cemeteries to be very creepy and disturbing places. Places that give them the chills.
South Carolina has quite a few cemeteries. Some are visited on a daily basis such as Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, SC and some have been forgotten by most; a bare thread of memory in the mind of the older generation. Some cemeteries have stories that are told about them; making them "hot spots" for ghost hunters. I suppose if ghosts exist then cemeteries might be a really good place to find them. Here are 13 famous (or infamous as the case may be) cemeteries in South Carolina that will give you goosebumps!
1. Oakwood Cemetery, Spartanburg, SC: Notoriously known as Hell's Gate. This cemetery has quite a history. Many stories have surfaced telling of ghost sightings, orbs, negative energy, a creeping feeling of doom, as well as mystical rituals being performed after dark. This is not a cemetery you want to be in when the sun goes down and, I believe, the police in the area will arrest you if you are there after dark due to the malicious goings-on that have happened there before.
2. St. Lawrence Cemetery, Charleston, SC: It is said to be haunted, but by what or whom I have yet to figure out. There isn't a lot of information about the hauntings that happen here. I can, however, say that it is pretty creepy.
3. Graniteville Cemetery, Aiken, SC
This is one creepy cemetery if you can believe what they say about it. They say the ghost of a witch lays flowers on the graves of children at night and you can hear screams and laughter coming from the oldest part of the cemetery. I'm not one to shy away from such places, but I don't believe I would want be there at night.
4. Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
This cemetery is visited probably more than any other cemetery in the state. There are grand tombstones, tombs, and mausoleums. No expense was spared, but some of them are creepy. Such as the tombstone of the baby carriage with the baby's face inside it or...
this one of a little girl who is seemingly sleeping on a bench.
5. Hagoods Mill Cemetery, Barnwell, SC
I stumbled across this cemetery once when I was young. It wasn't far from where I lived, probably about a 15 minute drive if that. Not many people will talk about the place which adds to the mystery of it and there aren't many left who know much about it. There's no road that will take you to it. I guess it has long been overgrown or maybe there was never one to begin with. This cemetery is quite odd as the stones are laid out in a circle with the oldest being in the center. Who did such a thing? Some say you can see colored lights there that will shoot straight up and then come back down and disappear. I can't tell you personally because I was never there at night. In fact, I was only there once and that was enough.
6. Iva Cemetery, Iva, SC
The story goes that at sundown, if you step foot in the cemetery, an old man will follow you... I hope he can run fast!
7. Manning Cemetery, Manning, SC
If the moon is right, you will see a man sitting in a rocking chair just outside the cemetery in the what is known as Dead Man's Curve. He is still waiting for the car and driver that killed his son.
8. Badwell Cemetery, McCormick, SC
This is a very old cemetery and when I say old, I'm talking older than Methuselah. French Huguenots were buried in this cemetery. It is surrounded by old stone blocks and once upon a time there was an iron gate that had the grim reaper on it, but it is no more due to theft. People say there is a troll that walks the perimeter and other strange occurrences.
9. West End Cemetery, Newberry, SC
Whether it is true or not many people say that this cemetery is haunted by a bride who is waiting on her lover to come and pick her up for their wedding. I don't know if I would wait that long.
10. Bethabara Cemetery, Cross Hill, SC
A soldier from the Civil War is buried in this cemetery and what is said to happen to the cross on his grave only those who have seen it can verify. However, it is rumored that the cross glows three times a year and changes colors four times before returning to its natural rust color.
11. Blast Cemetery, Gaffney, SC
Talk about creepy! The story goes that you will hear the sounds of battle such as gunshots and cannons. But, don't run! If you do you will be greeted by glowing red eyes and gnashing teeth. Voices can be heard saying, "You are a killer and you must die!" People have been hurt and some say that a few people have totally disappeared. **There is a warning for this particular cemetery: Don't go here. Don't stop to see because there could be terrible consequences.**
12. Parks Cemetery, Summerville, SC
Many stories abound about this place including mysterious crying and strange lights. Not much else is really known about this location.
13. Prince Frederick's Cemetery, Georgetown, SC
This cemetery holds the graves of Confederate soldiers, so it's quite old. They say it is haunted by a priest who fell off a roof...why was he on the roof?
I want to say this, it is against the law to trespass, so please, if you are going to visit any of these places make sure that you pay attention to when they're open to the public. Many of these places are off limits to daily traffic.
Do you perhaps know of other creepy or odd cemeteries that give you chills? Please, list them in the comments below and if you have pictures that makes it even better!
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