Who's up for a ROAD TRIP through some of the spookiest ghost towns in South Carolina? Unlike some places in the midwestern U.S., South Carolina only has a handful of ghost towns that have been mapped or documented with photos. And then, of course, there are those other towns that have been reported as bonafide ghost towns, but they are still very much alive with actual people living in them, even though the towns are slowly fading. The ghost towns on this road trip are from the first group; they are gone and only small tokens remain.
This road trip to ghost towns in South Carolina is just over five hours of drive time and covers locations in the upstate and the lowcountry. We've plotted out the ghost town locations on this Google map.
Go ahead. Invite your friends, make sure the camera's charged and the tank is filled and let's go!
1. Pinckneyville
What remains of the Upstate's "Little Charleston," is just piles of rubble or stone foundations. See the link at the end of this article for an in-depth article about Pinckneyville.
2. Pickens Courthouse
Possibly the only remaining part of the town of Pickens Courthouse is this church which was completed in 1851. There may be a marker for the site of the old courthouse.
3. Glenn Springs
Was this a "town proper?" Either way, the area known as Glenn Springs was once a thriving destination as people flocked to a luxurious hotel built in 1834 that used to be located at the springs. The hotel burned in 1941. In 1974, the Glenn Springs Academy home for boys opened near the site, but it closed in May 2015. This road trip takes you to the site of the old Glenn Springs Academy (Spartanburg Boys School).
4. Colonial Dorchester
Colonial Dorchester was established in 1697 as a trading post and then abandoned at the start of the Revolutionary War. The state of South Carolina has managed to preserve the few remaining structures on this site. They still conduct archaeological digs to uncover more secrets of Colonial Dorchester.
Want to learn more about one of these ghost towns in South Carolina? Read about a creepy ghost town in South Carolina that's the stuff nightmares are made of. (It's a fascinating site where supernatural investigations have taken place as one of the rumored haunted places in South Carolina.)
Ready to get on the road and check out these locations? Use our amazing road trip packing list to prepare for a great time!
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