The Old City Jail

Posted: 10.26.2019 | Updated: 04.29.2025

The number one most haunted place in Charleston, South Carolina is the Old City Jail. After visiting it many times, we have decided that this is one spot to visit if you love to be scared! The tales of the ghosts here will make your skin crawl and you may not be able to sleep after just a short visit. We have quite a few stories to share with you about the Old City Jail, so hold onto your hats!

Learn more about the most haunted places in Charleston on a Charleston ghost tour!

History of the Old City Jail

The jail was built in 1802 and was the Charleston prison until 1939. Most of this building is original, but there are places that had to be renovated.

The Old City Jail was known for housing some of the worst criminals in the Charleston. . The first floor was set up for “gentlemen” criminal, the second floor was for debtors and prostitutes, and the third floor was for murders and thieves.

There were a few of these hardened criminals that were hung in the yard. Others died inside of the jail walls due to natural causes.

The Old Chrleston Jail was used as a POW camp during the Civil War. The jail actually ran out of space for all of the Union soldiers there. Some were forced to sleep outside because of this overcrowding.

During the 1886 Charleston earthquake, the jail was damaged and had to go through renovations. The jail’s tower and entire top floor was damaged. These parts ended up being removed. 

The last hanging at the Charleston jail took place in 1911 and the Old City Jail fell into terrible condition. In 1939, it was officially closed after being the city’s jail for 136 years!

The jail became a museum in the 1970s and then it was sold in the 90s to the Charleston Housing Authority. It became the American College of the Building Arts and is noq used to show students about restoring historic buildings.

The Old Jail is still being used and those who have come inside all have a tale to tell. Some of them have heard some strange sounds, while others have seen what they think are spirits and ghosts. We have many of their stories and would love to share them all with you!

The Haunted History of the Old City Jail

The Charleston Prison has quite the haunted history, much like the many other haunted places in Charleston. The jail used to be a hospital, a poor house, and later a home for runaway slaves. Over 10,000 people have died in this building! Cell mates died from sickness, injuries, homicides, and executions. No wonder there are some uneasy souls in here!

When the jail finally became a place for convicts, it was built to only house about 130 prisoners. At its busiest, it held about 350 inmates! There was clearly a problem with overcrowding and the condition were not good.

Famous Prisoners at the Old City Jail

• Lavinia Fisher and John Fisher
• Jacque Alexander Tardy
• Denmark Vesey

Lavinia Fisher

Lavinia Fisher is known as the first American, female serial killer. She and her husband John ran a bed and breakfast style hotel. They would lure wealthy men in then, with John’s help, Lavinia would kill them and take all of their money.

They did this for years before they got caught. The couple was incredibly popular in town so the investigation got dropped many times because no one believed that they were capable of such horrible acts.

It wasn’t until one man escaped and went to the police that they were finally caught! The hotel was searched and what the police found was terrible! They found many items that belonged to missing travelers and human remains that could have belonged to over 100 men! They were sentenced to hang and both died in the Charleston prison.

Jacque Alexander Tardy

Jacque Alexander Tardy was known for his piracy. Pirates practically ran Charleston in its early days and they were everywhere!

Tardy was known for stealing property and money and had quite the track record with the authorities. He served some time for his crimes, but it wasn’t enough to make him change his ways! Tardy poisoned eight people with arsenic onboard a ship to Charleston and told authorities that the chef was to blame.

This chef was later executed! He then poisoned a crew on another ship and blamed the chef, again. But this time, the chef was found innocent. Tardy ended up spending a few more years in the Old City Jail for this crime.

Denmark Vesey

Denmark Vesey is another famous inmate at the Old City Jail. He helped form a rebellion of former slaves on Bastille Day. His big plans for the freed slaves was to march to the homes of their former masters and execute them.

This rebellion did not go as he planned and in 1822 he was imprisoned in the Old City Jail. Vesey spent many days at the prison until it was time for him to be hung for his failed revolt.

Charleston put harsher laws and restrictions on slaves in the city due to this failed plot. If black seamen had to be kept until in confinment until they were set to sail on another trip.

It is said that one or all of these prisoners still haunts the Old Jail to this day.

Who Haunts the Old City Jail?

Visitors say that they have seen Lavinia Fisher lingering about in the Old City Jail. Her final words seemingly echo off the walls. “If any of you has a message for the devil, tell me now-for I will be seeing him in a moment.”

There have been multiple sightings of Fisher walking around the Old Charleston Jail. Paranormal investigators have even captured a recording of her speaking. When they asked her a question, she answered “the devil.” Pictures and videos of her ghost has been captured as well.

The Old City Jail is said to be one of the most haunted buildings in Charleston and there are plenty of reasons why. Charleston Terrors chatted with one woman who decided to go on a haunted tour of the building.

She was with a dozen or so others who were ready to get the pants scared off of them! The woman took “hundreds of photos” and she didn’t see much at the beginning of the tour.

She said it was all right, but she was getting bored with the history lesson. Then, she saw a man walking from one side of the hall to another. When she asked about him, the tour guide told her that it was “Mr. Fisher”.

As the tour walked further into the jail, the woman felt a tug on her hair. She jumped and asked if anyone had seen anything. But, no one had. Minutes later, the woman said she felt someone’s hands on her neck.

She wasn’t able to breathe and the tour guide thought she was having a cardiac arrest. After about five minutes, the woman was back to normal. When the tour group asked if she was all right, she told them someone was choking her.

Haunted Charleston

Many tour guides have reported being manhandled in the jail by ghosts and see apparitions. This building holds many spirits, and is easily one of the most haunted places in Charleston, South Carolina.

Learn about old Charleston jail and the many other haunted locations in the Holy City on a Charleston ghost tour! In the meantime, keep reading our blog to learn everything there is to know about Charleston’s dark past.

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Sources:

• https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/old-charleston-city-jail
• http://charlestongateway.com/haunted-charleston-the-old-jail-and-its-spirits/
• https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/lavinia-fisher-americas-first-female-serial-killer-that-wasnt
• https://www.islands.com/1706171/old-city-jail-charleston-most-haunted-building-fascinating-history-unique-architecture/
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Denmark-Vesey