Hauntings of Charleston’s John Rutledge House Inn
Charleston, South Carolina, is home to more than 400 churches, hence the nickname “The Holy City.” But don’t be fooled, as this city is anything but saintly. Explore the sinful side of Charleston at one of the city’s most haunted locales, the John Rutledge House Inn, and prepare to become acquainted with things that go bump in the night.
Named after its first resident, Founding Father John Rutledge, this ornate home-turned-hotel has stood at 116 Broad Street in downtown Charleston for over 250 years. Rutledge built this charismatic house as a gift for his new bride, Elizabeth Grimke, and prominent political figures, including presidents William Taft and George Washington, who have been hosting here ever since.
Now a fully operating hotel, this building continues to pay homage to its original owner, hosting an array of guests from all around the world. But those brave enough to walk through its doors or even stay a night inside one of the inn’s many bedrooms tend to experience much more than just its rich history…rather, its ghostly inhabitants.
Why is the John Rutledge House Inn haunted?
Horrors and real-life atrocities have come to lay the foundation of this Charleston landmark over the years. From a catastrophic fire that left a 12-year-old girl dead to other mysterious happenings, the John Rutledge House Inn continues to be plagued by the ungodly spirits of its tormented past. Guests frequently report smelling smoke throughout the building, in addition to seeing the wispy apparition of a little girl running through the halls…perhaps the long-departed soul of the child who so tragically lost her life during the fire.
Keep reading to find out who haunts this historic inn. To discover Charleston’s most haunted locations in person, book a ghost tour with Charleston Terrors!
John Rutledge, American Founding Father
Dating back to 1763, the John Rutledge House Inn is older than the United States itself. John Rutledge is deeply entwined in the founding of this nation, helping to draft the U.S. Constitution and eventually, becoming one of its signers. Born in Charleston in 1739, Rutledge had quite a fascinating political career.
Impressively enough, he served as one of the original associate justices of the Supreme Court and the second chief justice of the United States. Additionally, he served as the first President of South Carolina and later as its first governor after the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
He was a particularly important figure in the Stamp Act Congress and initially advocated for maintaining ties with the United Kingdom before the Revolutionary War. However, he would quickly change his mind after it became evident that British forces would suppress all retaliation with military force and returned to South Carolina to help organize the nation’s revolutionary government. After briefly serving as Chief Justice under Washington, Rutledge retired from public life in 1795 and lived out his days in Charleston until his death in 1800.
Ever the loyal husband, Rutledge was highly devoted to his wife, Elizabeth, with whom he had ten children over the course of their marriage. As a gift to his new bride, Rutledge built the three-story, Georgian-style home at 116 Broad Street in 1763 with the help of an unknown architect. Featuring a hip roof with a front-facing gable, stuccoed walls, and corner quoining, this elegant home stayed in the Rutledge family for many years before it was eventually sold off in the mid-19th century.
Today, it operates as a boutique hotel and offers guests the opportunity to enjoy a truly unique stay at one of the home’s 19 suites. But what about this centuries-old property keeps sending its guests packing their bags? Perhaps it’s thanks to the building’s longtime ghostly resident: the restless spirit of a young girl who seems to have no idea that she is, in fact, dead.
Tragedy and Horrors in the Holy City
While the John Rutledge House Inn has managed to (mostly) avoid any serious disasters of its own, it has witnessed the real-life nightmares that have wreaked havoc on downtown Charleston over the years. From the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, to pirates, suicides, and unsolved murders, the Holy City’s past is undoubtedly less than godly.
One particularly harrowing incident has left its lasting mark on the city for over 160 years: the Great Charleston Fire of 1861. While it’s well known that fire is no friend of any city, this blaze was especially brutal in its path of destruction and claimed over 540 acres, 575 homes, numerous businesses, and five churches, amassing millions of dollars in property damage.
While no lives were claimed, it does further prove the theory that Charleston is secretly cursed by some otherworldly forces, damned to perpetually act as a mysterious hub for violence, death, and tragedy.
Is the John Rutledge House Inn Haunted by Ghosts of its Past?
The John Rutledge House Inn is famously known for being one of the most haunted stays in Charleston. Over the years, employees and guests alike have complained of experiencing many odd events, from lights turning off and on to strange phantoms wandering the corridors at night. But perhaps the inn’s most famous ghost is the young girl’s.
Legend has it that the child died in a fire here years ago—whether or not it was the Great Fire of 1861 remains unknown. Regardless, simple logic cannot be used to explain why the ominous figure of a young girl can be spotted lingering in the windows at night. She’s said to mess with guests staying at the inn and has apparently pulled pillows out from under patrons’ heads before.
Stories have also been told of her apparition running in the hallway from beyond the grave, seemingly ignorant of her mortality. Vintage charm and southern hospitality might conceal the haunted underbelly of the John Rutledge House Inn, but one thing’s for sure: some who have checked in here will never check out, doomed to haunt their earthly prison…perhaps forever.
For more on America’s most haunted stays, continue reading our blog. See some of these haunted locations yourself on a spine-chilling ghost tour with Charleston Terrors!
Sources:
https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/john-rutledge-house-inn/history.php
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/south-carolina/haunted-hotel-sc/
