South Carolina, known for its rich history and southern charm, also harbors a darker, more mysterious side. Its highways and backroads are rife with tales of the supernatural and unexplained phenomena. In this exploration of the state’s most haunted highways, we delve into the ghostly legends that make these roads a spine-tingling experience.
- Land’s End, Frogmore: This deserted stretch of road is notorious for sightings of eerie lights, believed to be the ghosts of a murdered Confederate soldier and a lost slave. These apparitions, seen floating in the distance, are shrouded in the mystery of their tragic pasts.
- Chain Gang Road, Gaffney: Travelers on this road report hearing the screams of young women, victims of the infamous Gaffney Strangler. This chilling tale adds a sinister aura to the road, evoking the terror of the past.
- Crybaby Bridge, Anderson: A classic ghost story common across the American South, Crybaby Bridge is said to be haunted by the spirits of a despondent woman and her child, who both met a tragic fate on the bridge. Visitors report eerie sounds of weeping and a mother’s voice on this haunted stretch.
- Old State Road, Columbia: This road is steeped in the history of the Civil War, with ghostly sightings and sounds of battle echoing in the night. The area is known for paranormal phenomena, including the mysterious “Ole Redeye,” a spirit that races alongside cars with glowing red eyes.
- Fleetwood Drive, Greenville: Marked by the bizarre and unsettling 2010s killer clown phenomenon, Fleetwood Drive gained notoriety when creepy clowns, often armed, were sighted in unexpected places. This strange occurrence adds an eerie, modern twist to Greenville’s haunted lore.
- Devil’s Stomping Ground, Lancaster: This site is not exactly on a highway but near Hwy 521. It’s a circular patch where nothing grows, rumored to be a gathering place for evil spirits. The legend says it was an execution site for the Waxaw and Catawba Indians, and visitors often report feelings of dread and unease.
- Sleepy Hollow Road, Lockhart: Midnight travelers on this road might encounter the ghost of a Civil War soldier, missing an arm and seeking help. This haunting image adds to the road’s eerie ambiance.
- Dead Man’s Curve, Manning: Said to be haunted by the spirit of an old man waiting for the driver who killed his son. Sightings of the old man in a rocking chair under the moonlight contribute to the road’s ghostly reputation.
- Old Buncombe Road, Newberry: Home to the Ghost Hound Goshen and the Crybaby Bridge, this road is wrapped in legends of unexplained occurrences and ghostly sightings, adding to South Carolina’s eerie tapestry of haunted highways.