The Powder Magazine Museum
Posted: 02.07.2025 | Updated: 02.07.2025
It’s well known that ghosts and spirits are often connected to places with a history of violence or death. Ghosts tend to linger around the actual locations of their death or places tied to their casualty.
The historic Powder Magazine building located in Charleston, South Carolina, once stored gunpowder and ammunition for soldiers fighting battles in the area during the 19th century. Today it is a prevalent haunting ground for all of those who met their demise in or around the area.
The haunted museum, Powder Magazine in historic Charleston, SC, is a must-see for anyone who loves ghost stories or learning about colonial times. If you would like to learn more about the intriguing history of this location, be sure to schedule your ghost tour with Charleston Terrors soon!
Who Haunts Powder Magazine?
The ghosts of Powder Magazine are made up of wealthy, rebellious, and courageous souls who met their fate as a result of their connection to this small storage building.
There’s the story of the ghost of a well-to-do yet lonely woman who leaves the life of luxury behind to run away with an alluring pirate, possibly searching for her long-lost beloved. There is also the tale of the wealthy architect whose spirit now haunts the grounds of Powder Magazine, trying to gain access to the downstairs cellar.
Along with them are the spirits of hundreds of soldiers who died on the battlefield during some of the earliest battles in U.S. history, still dedicated to the duty of guarding their posts.
About The Powder Magazine in Charleston
The beautiful southern city of Charleston, SC, is home to Powder Magazine, one of the oldest public buildings in the United States.
This old gunpowder magazine was built in 1713, and served as a useful resource, safely housing ammunition and barrels of gunpowder used during the American Revolutionary War as well as The French and Indian War, The Cherokee War, and The Civil War.
Charleston has been an active port city ever since it was first established in 1670 by English settlers. The port was the center of trade for the area, making it possible for colonists to receive necessary items such as lumber, cotton, and tobacco.
Since the Powder Magazine was conveniently located near the port, it was an easily accessible location for tyrants and pirates who wanted to steal the inventory for their use.
French and Spanish forces raided the building in 1706, and later, in 1718, the infamous pirate Blackbeard plundered the Powder Magazine while his crew laid siege to the city.
Tales of pirates wreaking havoc are a big part of Charleston’s history, so it’s no surprise that these swashbucklers are connected to one of the most popular ghost stories in the city.
The Haunting of Powder Magazine
There are several entities believed to haunt the grounds of Powder Magazine. Two of the most talked about by visitors and locals are the spirits of Anne Bonny and Gabriel Manigault.
It may sound like a fantasy tale straight out of Hollywood, but it’s one of the many interesting true stories tied to Charleston’s port and its connection to pirates. It is believed the woman now haunts the location, perhaps mourning the death of her beloved.
Who Was Anne Bonny?
Anne Bonny was born in the 1600s in Cork County, Ireland. She immigrated to Charleston, then known as Charles Town, with her parents as a child. In 1718, she married James Bonny, a small-time pirate her father disapproved of.
But Anne had a fiery temper, and it is rumored she took out her rage at her father’s disapproval by setting fire to the plantation where she grew up, burning it to the ground.
Anne and her husband relocated to an island in the Bahamas that was a well-known sanctuary for pirates. Over time, James became an informant for the government, which ratted on pirate activity on the island.
Bored with her marriage and dissatisfied with her husband’s treason, Anne left him for another pirate, John “Calico Jack” Rackham, in 1720. She joined Calico Jack’s crew aboard the William and took part in the seizing of several vessels along the Jamaican coast.
It is believed she disguised herself as a man while raiding, allowing her to take part in armed conflict. She did this because, at that time, it was believed to be unlucky to have a woman aboard a pirate ship.
In October of 1720, the crew of the William were captured and then sentenced to death by hanging. Anne, however, was spared the execution because she was pregnant at the time and was sent back to her father’s home in Charles Town.
What Happened to Anne Bonny?
Little is known about what happened to Anne Bonny after her return to Charles Town. Some believe she remarried to a tavern owner in Southern England. Others say she relocated to South Carolina.
Both the locals and visitors to the area believe they have seen the spirit of Anne Bonny roaming throughout Charleston, showing up often at Powder Magazine as well as another popular haunting location, The Pink House.
Who Was Gabriel Manigault?
Gabriel Manigault was a member of one of the wealthiest families in Charlestown. He was a rice planter who studied law and later became one of the area’s most famous architects.
He was known for having a passion for wine and deeply enjoyed the taste and aroma of the drink. His family once used the Powder Magazine as storage for their wine collection, and he spent many nights sitting in the building’s wine cellar alone.
Manigault had many achievements throughout his life. He took part in public service efforts and became a trustee for the College of Charleston. Manigault married Margaret Izard in 1785, and they had ten children together. He died on November 4th, 1809.
Very little is known about Manigault’s death, however since his spirit has been seen near the Powder Magazine, it’s safe to say he died unhappily or without attaining his full purpose in life.
Visitors have stated they have seen the ghost of a man dressed in 19th-century period clothing inside the Powder Magazine and believe it is Gabriel, walking around trying to find a way back down to the wine cellar.
Haunted Charleston
The Powder Magazine in Charleston is just one of the many historic places in town where the energy of lost souls seeking solitude can be witnessed.
Other locations, such as the White Point Garden, where apparitions of dead pirates have been seen, and the Old City Jail, which housed troops during the Civil War, are just a few of the haunted places you can visit while staying in the Holy City.
As for The Powder Magazine, the old government building was officially retired in 1780 and was privately owned during the 19th century. Throughout the years, it was used as a print shop, a livery stable, a carriage house, and, as mentioned, a wine cellar.
In 1902, The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of South Carolina saved the building from destruction by purchasing it and later reopening it to the public.
Today The Powder Magazine is a museum honoring those who lived in the area during the colonial period in Charleston.
Keep up with our latest updates on haunting locations in Charleston by following our blog, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram accounts. There you will find more information on other chilling locations and ghost stories from throughout the country.
Be sure to book a ghost tour with Charleston Terrors to learn more about the haunted history of one of the oldest towns on the East Coast.
Sources:
- https://www.counton2.com/haunted-history/haunted-history-the-legend-of-anne-bonny/
- https://www.scencyclopedia.org/sce/entries/manigault-gabriel/
- https://thetravelingdrifter.com/top-10-haunted-places-in-charleston-sc/
- https://www.powdermagazinemuseum.org
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