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A Cruise Around History

Picture of Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in Charle...
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We all know baseball is an American pastime. But consider some of the others: football, basketball, video games…. And of course CRUISES! Hello? Can you say “Disney”? Carnival Cruises and Royal Caribbean are two other major cruise companies, too.

But you won’t know the benefit of history with those cruises. Here’s what you do:

Graze the west and east coasts of the United States, and you can be guaranteed of the fact that every state along those coastlines offers their very own cruises on the ocean to give riders a taste of history. Case in point: South Carolina, a state filled with so much history that it definitely begs for a cruise ship.

And here you go: the Fort Sumter Tours and SpiritLine Cruises, still running since 1961. There’s your ticket to some of the most memorable history America has to offer.

The first thing about these 1 1/2 hour-tours to keep in mind is none other than Fort Sumter, the supposed area where the American Civil War actually began. This national monument includes a quick 30-minute tour around the coast on deck along with an hour’s time to explore the fort and its on-site museum after docking. Take a step back on the cruise, and you’re heading out to Charleston Harbor for a look at the great state from the water, showcasing attractions such as the famous Battery, Arthur Ravenel Bridge, Patriots Point, and Waterfront Park. If then you’re also interested in a romantic and/or pleasant dinner on your true American vacation, partake on a 3-hour dinner cruise with some of the best city views of Charleston Harbor, all for you including live music and the best food you’ll probably ever fit in your mouth.

When you’re done, it’s all history. But it’s not over, yet. You have plenty of South Carolina to explore. After all, it’s all history–and history makes you who you are today.

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Not Just Another Ghost Story….

And to think one would assume Myrtle Beach is about frisbees, fun in the sun, swimming, bikinis, and sun tanning. Wrong. There’s a reason Myrtle Beach is so popular. And when you’re dealing with a seasonal time of year, right on Myrtle Beach is the reason when you visit the annual show of Ghosts and Legends, an utterly ominous and adventurous time at night that tastes of newt eyeballs and skeletal pirates. Can you say ‘Halloween’? It’s truly a spectacle that has to be seen to be fully realized.

Located in Barefoot Landing, you have a myriad of different activities for all ages: if you want some adult time away from the kids, send them to “Skool 4 Pirates” and JIVE HO! Your kids receive a personalized canvas pirate bag filled with bottled water and snacks for their heavy appetites, fun gold coins, stickers, a pirate tattoo, coloring, puzzles and game pages, jewelry and much, much more!

Then witness the Ghosts and Legends Show and be mesmerized by some of the stories out of South Carolina about ghosts, Captain Blackbeard, and other mysterious legends, inside an age-old building where the spirits roam….

You really want to explore the beach? You can, but be careful…. The ghosts might get you. On Ghosts and Legends “Ghost Walk”, you’ll feel them under the moonlight with your pirate guide leading the way, telling you some of the oldest legends of South Carolina. Don’t get scared, though….

If you like palm reading, astrology, and other psychic phenomenon, Ghosts and Legends even has THAT. A tremendous 90-minute show of the inner mind magic will leave you delighted.

Furthermore, participate in a special seance to communicate with the legendary pirate Blackbeard who used to coast alongside the Carolinas wondering if he could hide his booty and sail off into the rising sun. Spooky….

Amazing that all of that is offered to you, all in fun! But it’s not just another ghost story….

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The Little Boy of Graniteville Cemetery

It’s a sad story, but one with tremendous spirit and compassion, one holding South Carolina–particularly the small city of Graniteville–in high esteem and honor. Listen up, for the story starts now:

Back in 1855, a little boy without any identification whatsoever had actually boarded a train heading for South Carolina. Why? No one knew. He was so quiet, not speaking to anyone; and once he got off the train stopping right at Graniteville, a few other passengers knew why:

The little boy was horribly ill. So ill that he was practically mute.

The legend continues with an area wagoner named Henry Senn who took the little boy in, not knowing where he was originally from or what he was doing in Graniteville, and brought him to his wife’s business called the Graniteville Hotel, keeping him safe and warm as they tried to break his fever.

They failed.

In a few days, the fever got so bad that the boy died immediately. And no one, not even a cat or dog walking by, had a chance to hear the little boy’s story. No one knew who the boy was and what he was doing–just that he died right then and there in Graniteville.

Needless to say, residents were dismayed and ponied up some money to pay for a coffin and plot for his burial. It took a little fundraising, but they eventually even funded a headstone for the boy as a proper burial. Here’s the sad intrigue of the story: it took so long for them to buy the headstone that no one remembered when the boy died. Just the year and month.

So take a trip to Graniteville this year and see the cemetery in which the little boy is buried. His headstone reads “The Little Boy: October 1855″. To this day, people either living in or visiting Graniteville leave gifts for him–to remind the little boy that he is remembered.

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The Haunting of Holly House

Traditionally, South Carolina is known for their historical hauntings. You can find them everywhere in the Palmetto State. Just do your research. But if you get a chance to stay at a hotel, pull a Stephen King 1408 maneuver and test out Holly House and see if you can handle the ghosts there! Countless stories fill the halls of that hotel, and they’re waiting to be told. Lend an ear?

It was originally an inn that was built in 1898. Still operating today, the fact is you’d have to have nerves of steel to stay there. After all, everyone says it’s haunted…. NAH! It’s all just stories. So you want to hear a few of them?

Here are some of the stories people have told while staying at Holly House. Don’t bite your nails, and keep your Adam’s apple down. Because, remember, they’re just stories….

Generally, you’d find most of the happenings in Holly House on the second floor. Noises. And shadows. Housekeepers have reported hearing whispers in empty halls during their rounds. Not something you’d hear if no one’s there. Another story is that one housekeeper did a room on the second floor, leaving her cart right outside the door; when she finished and exited, she’d find the cart all the way down the hall….as if someone pushed it down there. Pretty scary, huh? Guests had also reported numerous times of a lady crying–even screaming. Even toilets flush spontaneously. Your characteristic haunted doors are in effect, too–opening, closing, opening, closing. Basement lights had also randomly turned on. Sometimes that could mess with your head. But the strangest story of all is this….

In Room 225, people have reported a TV turning on with no one staying in there. Spooky.

Again, just stories. But why not discover for yourself in the heart of South Carolina, the Holly House. Who knows? You might meet a ghost….

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The Cry Baby Bridge of Anderson, South Carolina

Here’s an explanation of a “cry baby bridge” (and if you’ve heard of the term, graze through this until you get to the part that really matters). You’ll find these types of bridges all over America, but what it means is a bridge that one night was the setting for a maniacal fiend to toss a little infant over the edge into a watery death. Hence the term “cry baby”. And, yes, this is essentially a ghost story. They call them “cry baby bridges” because many visitors have reported hearing a baby crying as they crossed–which isn’t something you necessarily want to hear. Sort of spooky.

Case in point: The Cry Baby Bridge of Anderson, South Carolina.

Moreover, not only are there reports of a little baby crying and screaming, there are sightings of a ghostly woman walking the bridge wearing a white old-time gown dress. Furthermore, some have also added that they’ve seen a ghostly car cross. The legend goes like this: it was one silent night when a mother was driving with her baby in the back seat until an accident occurred, which sent her and her baby in the car over the edge of the bridge to meet a watery grave–hence the reports of a woman and a baby crying. You’ll find every county of South Carolina tell you that legend, leaving the area of Anderson and the infamous Cry Baby Bridge a fanatical urban legend.

It’s like Sleepy Hollow. Almost. There’s no flaming Jack-o-Lantern and headless horseman, no petrified trees and scary owls or even Tim Burton and Johnny Depp with their crazy whimsical horror and adventure. But definitely if you’re driving down that bridge, be careful. The same legend might occur with you! (No, not really–just trying to scare you! After all, ghost stories are fun!)

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The Ghostly Girl of the Sullivan Music Center

Deep in the heart of South Carolina sits Anderson College, a prestigious school complete with every department necessary for quality learning. In visiting the Sullivan Music Center, you realize the truth: the place is haunted. The reason being is you, several times already over the course of a few weeks, have spotted the sight of a young ghostly girl who looked as if she was waiting for someone.

And in mentioning the word ‘waiting’, that’s not to mean ‘waiting for a ride’ or even ‘waiting for a friend’. No. This girl was waiting for a loved one, an actual soon-to-be fiance, who her father hated due to the man’s Catholicism. She was, in fact, an eerie sort of girl, daring to misbehave if not ever going to meet up with her betrothed. But even stranger is the fact that she continually waits because she has in fact already met up with the man of her dreams:

YOU.

It’s a pretty scary thought, you’d think. And to have a ghostly girl fawning over you isn’t an ideal situation–especially when her eyeballs vanish, leaving black sockets and a wide smile as if she was going to swallow you whole. It’s not pretty. In already learning that history, getting out of the college is a must; but you can’t. You’re drawn to the ghostly girl. And she’s drawn to you. So the question remains….

WHAT DO YOU DO?

(So, friends, this is just a story. A ghost story, yes. But keep in mind this amazing truth behind it. Sullivan Music Center in Anderson College right in South Carolina is, in fact, haunted. And there have been sightings of this ghostly girl. So before you take it as just a story, just know that what you’ve read might have actually happened in history! Or at least was told in legend! After all, ghost stories are fun….)

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The Unfortunate Happenings on White Wolf Road

If you want ghostly adventures, visit Blacksburg, South Carolina. There’s a reason why there are so many places that are haunted in the town. Do your research and give it a shot. Who knows, you might actually meet a southern ghost there!

One particular story in Blacksburg is the unfortunate happenings on the infamous White Wolf Road, near King’s Mountain State Park. There are two stories to tell. So pay attention. And there’s a lot of history behind both.

The first involves the Ku Klux Klan, obviously, given it’s South Carolina, which was known for their Klan killings and slavery issues back in the day. Immediately, a sense of longing and despair fills anyone’s heart to know that they’re walking on the ground of racist action and terror. One particular Klan killing was over a black man and his white wife. A blasphemy to any Klan member, of course. The ghost story ensues with many sightings of this woman dressed in white–probably searching aimlessly, eternally, for her lost love, a love who died at the hands of the hateful Klan.

The second story is about a man who was shot execution-style next to his burning truck. No one knew why. The ghost story actually began for many when people reported sightings of that same truck, a ghostly apparition of it, riding the street with the headlights on. No sign of the man, though. We could only hope the man drives his truck endlessly now and doesn’t suffer from any wrongful death.

That’s Blacksburg for you! South Carolina, the place to be: if you like ghosts, of course. If you happen to be in the area of Blacksburg, don’t hesitate to stop in and visit many of the landmarks. The stories are rich with history, so enjoy them. Lord knows the spirits enjoy your delight in them as well.

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