Top 10 Most Haunted Places in Charleston

Posted: 09.20.2019 | Updated: 04.29.2025

Charleston, South Carolina is a beautiful city in the Southern United States known for its vast history. But, within this history are also tales of ghosts and hauntings. What makes Charleston so haunted? Just sit back and relax, and we will tell you all about the haunts and ghosts of the most haunted places in Charleston, South Carolina.

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What are the Most Haunted Places in Charleston?

While South Carolina is full of haunted houses and hotels, Charleston holds a special place within the state’s dark past. The most haunted places in Charleston are plentiful. Among them are the Old City Jail, Poogan’s Porch, the Pink House, and the infamous Angel Oak Tree. All have seen their fair share of death. Now famous figures like Blackbeard, Lavinia Fisher, and Anne Bonny roam their hallways and rooms in eternal torment.

Charleston’s Serial Killer

One of the most chilling facts about Charleston is that it had an infamous, female serial killer! She is one of the many ghosts that are said to haunt Charleston.

Her name was Lavinia Fisher. Many even call her the first female serial killer in the country. Fisher lived in Charleston with her husband and they owned a hotel called the Six Mile Wayfarer House. This was back in the 1800s when hotels and inns were more like rest areas.

But rumors floated around Charleston about the disappearances of travelers, all of which were visitors to Mrs. Fisher’s inn. The Fishers were very well-liked in the community and seen as upstanding citizens. But soon their heinous ways were found out and the citizens of Charleston decided to take matters into their own hands.

In 1819, a group of Charleston men decided to form a mob and give Mrs. Fisher a visit. Men in the hotel told the mob that Lavinia beat them, choked them, and put their heads through windows!

Mrs. Fisher was very kind to the folks that checked in at her inn. She would always inquire about their jobs and what kind of money they made. When she would cook for them, she would give them some tea that had been poisoned. When they went to bed, John would check on them to see if they had died in their sleep.

If they were still breathing, he would kill them in their sleep and take all of their money! She was the first woman to be hung in South Carolina and her ghost still haunts the city today.

The Ghosts Of the Old City Jail

The ghost of Lavinia Fisher is said to haunt the Old City Jail. This Charleston jail is one of the most haunted places in South Carolina. There were many criminals who lived here such as Fisher, pirates, and murderers. The jail closed in 1939 but did some about 100,000 deaths on site. Needless to say, this jail has quite a dark history.

For the ghost hunters and thrill-seekers who have come to visit the jail, they have heard the voice of Fisher. When Fisher was executed, they asked her for her last words and she said: “tell the devil I’ll be seeing him in a moment.”

When ghost hunters asked the voice they heard in the jail, “who will you see in a moment”? The voice answered, very clearly, “the devil.” Her ghost is not the only criminal that is said to haunt Charleston.

Pirates are often known to join this macabre mix of ghosts in Charleston.

The Pirate House

Because it is a port city, Charleston has had its fair share of piracy. Some of the most famous pirates in history spent some time in the city. Charles Vane was among them.

He became a pirate around 1716, attempting to locate shipwrecks full of silver and gold. Vane eventually met up with Blackbeard and they began to spend more time in Charleston.

The Pirate House in Charleston became a hideaway for the pirates calling the Holy City their home. There are rumors that Blackbeard even has some treasure still buried in the tunnels of the Pirate House. There are many legends and hauntings that came out of the Pirate House.

Dock Street Theatre

The Dock Street Theatre is another Charleston favorite for ghost hunters. This haunted theatre, know as “America’s First Theatre“, had its struggles when it was first built. A fire destroyed it in 1740 and then it was later replaced by the Planters Hotel in 1809.

There was an earthquake that nearly destroyed it in 1886 as well. It was once again renovated and opened up again as the Dock Street Theatre.

Today, the Dock Street Theatre is considered one of the most haunted buildings in Charleston. Passersby have seen ghosts outside of the theatre looking into the windows. They have also seen ghosts looking out of the windows!

One famous ghost that lives there is called Nettie. It was believed that she was a prostitute in the 1800s. Nettie is often seen wearing a red dress and floating around on the second floor!

St. Phillips Episcopal Church

St. Phillips Episcopal Church and graveyard is very popular for ghost tours and thrill-seekers. The legend says that Sue Howard’s ghost haunts the graveyard, who died in 1888 of unknown circumstances. There have been photos taken of what is said to be her spirit bending over her infant’s grave. But, this is not the only graveyard that is said to be haunted in Charleston.

Circular Graveyard

The Circular Graveyard is another popular spot for ghost tours. Tour guides have seen pale figures walking through the graveyard at night and then vanishing in the shadows. These figures generally look like Revolutionary War soldiers. Visitors have also heard screaming and moaning sounds in the graveyard.

Unitarian Graveyard

The Unitarian Graveyard is another one of Charleston’s most haunted places. Even during the day, it looks creepy! There have been sites of people levitating in the graveyard and many claims that Annabel Lee, of Poe fame, walks around the cemetery haunting people. Perhaps these spirits like to linger closer to their final home, but there are others who linger with them.

The Angel Oak Tree

The Angel Oak is a favorite tourist spot for those visiting Charleston. This tree is over 500 years old and is about 67 feet tall! The branches of this tree are incredibly long too. They reach about 200 feet.

During the day, thousands of people will come to take pictures of it, but at night, the true haunted history of the tree comes to life!

The tree was named for the Angel Estate that was owned by Martha Angel and Justus Angel. The hauntings at the tree come from many of the slaves that once lived on the estate.

There are many tales that say that vultures would dine on the bodies that were hung on Angel Oak and it is these slaves that haunt the tree and the area around it today. Trees and cemeteries aren’t the only places that are haunted in this area, there are houses and restaurants too.

The Haunting of the Pink House

The Pink House was built in 1712 and is another very haunted spot in Charleston. Located in the French Quarter of Charleston, it was once a tavern and a brothel.

Piracy ran rampant in Charleston and the Pink House was no stranger to ghosts and haunts. The Pink House was eventually turned into an art museum because the locals wanted to change the reputation of Chalmers Street.

There are two ghosts that are said to haunt the Pink House. They pop up in photos that tourists take and they have been seen by locals wandering the building.

The most famous is believed to be the ghost of the pirate, Anne Bonny. Bonny was an Irish pirate that sailed to Charleston with her husband and fiancé. Bonny’s life was not very good and she ended up dying in Charleston in 1782. She is usually on the third floor and looks as if she is waiting for someone constantly.

The Haunts at Poogan’s Porch

Poogan’s Porch is a famous haunted restaurant in the French Quarter of Charleston and one of the most haunted houses in South Carolina. The Victorian home was built in 1888, a family lived there that had a small dog named Poogan.

One ghost in Poogan’s Porch is named Zoe. Zoe lived in the house with her sister Elizabeth before it became an eatery. Zoe wore a black dress pretty frequently, but the sisters never really did anything social and stayed secluded in their home.

They were very close, so when Elizabeth died, Zoe was heartbroken. She became depressed and her mental state was declining rapidly. Elizabeth would walk up and down the street yelling for her sister, but to no avail.

Ghost hunters and diners say that they have seen Zoe walking around Poogan’s Porch. They say that she looks as if she is still looking for her sister. Many diners see her and think she is a real person!

There have been other experiences at Poogan’s Porch that the staff members have taken note of. Some things will be moved in the restaurant and plates and glasses break on their own. Historic buildings in Charleston, just like Poogan’s Porch, are known for the ghosts and spirits that are seen by visitors.

The Powder Magazine

One of Charleston’s most popular, historic sites is the Powder Magazine. This museum attracts a lot of tourists who want to learn more about the history of Charleston. It is the oldest building in Charleston and was used in the American Revolution as a gunpowder store. It has a few haunts of its own.

Those who have visited the Powder Magazine have seen the ghost of women, pirates, and residents of Charleston. Many say that they have seen Anne Boony and Calico Jack in the building. Visitors have also said that there are shadowy figures that linger outside the magazine as well.

Haunted Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina is a hauntingly beautiful place to visit. All in all, with ghost tours everywhere, locals and tourists alike are in for a haunting treat. But, don’t let these ghostly tales and dark history scare you. Take a Charleston ghost tours to see the most haunted places in Charleston for yourself!

Keep reading our blog to learn more about the most haunted places in Charleston. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for even more spooky content!

Sources:

• https://www.postandcourier.com/charleston_scene/haunted-holy-city-some-of-charleston-s-famous-ghosts-and/article_5ea4cd70-c8de-11e8-bd29-6f57f5087329.html
• https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-angel-oak-tree-johns-island-south-carolina
• http://www.charlestonpirates.com/charles_vane.html
• https://www.nps.gov/places/old-jail.htm
• https://charlestonstage.com/about-us/dock-street-theatre
• https://www.poogansporch.com/our-story