Ghost Tour Charleston

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Watch the true story of Lavinia Fisher, Charleston’s most misunderstood legend. Debunk the myths with Ghost Tour Charleston.

04/18/2025

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10/09/2024

Cropped: Face-Cutting Penalties in Colonial Charleston

We've probably all "cropped" a digital photo before - but the next time you crop a picture, consider the bloody origin of the word!

In the early days of Charleston, colonial justice was as much about punishment as it was about making an example of the offender. Among the harsher punishments employed was “cropping,” which involved cutting off a portion of a criminal’s nose, ear, or other facial feature. This brutal practice aimed to permanently mark individuals for their crimes, leaving a physical scar that served as a constant reminder of their transgression. It was rooted in English common law and reflected a broader philosophy that saw public punishment as a deterrent to potential criminals.

A Legacy of English Law

Cropping had its origins in English legal practices, where it was used for crimes such as theft, forgery, and even sedition. In the colonies, the practice was adopted with few modifications, becoming a standard punishment in Charleston, South Carolina during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was used not only to penalize the criminal but also to reinforce social norms and order. This was achieved by making the punishment a public spectacle, often taking place in prominent areas such as market squares or near local jails.

Public Punishment as a Form of Social Control

In colonial Charleston, punishments were often conducted in public to instill fear and serve as a warning. The cropping of a criminal’s nose or ear was meant to humiliate as much as to harm. Marketplaces and public stocks became venues where justice was not only administered but also witnessed by the community, creating a collective reinforcement of law and order.

Shifts in Attitudes and the Decline of Cropping

By the early 1800s, Enlightenment ideas began to influence American attitudes toward punishment, leading to reforms that emphasized the rehabilitation of criminals rather than public shaming. In Charleston, the legal system gradually moved away from cropping, especially for white criminals, due in part to concerns about maintaining social order without the spectacle of physical punishment. There was also an economic shift that valued the labor of convicts, making it less practical to maim them permanently.

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10/01/2024

History's Deadliest Dam Failure

In August 1975, the Banqiao Dam on the Ru River in Henan Province, China, collapsed, unleashing a catastrophic flood. It claimed tens of thousands of lives and left behind a haunting legacy. Known as the deadliest dam disaster in history, the Banqiao failure devastated the land and transformed the area into one marked by loss and whispers of unrest.

The flood unleashed a torrent of water that wiped out villages in minutes. Wencheng and Shahedian in Suiping County were among the hardest hit. In Wencheng, half of its 36,000 residents were swept away. The Daowencheng Commune was entirely wiped out, claiming all 9,600 lives. The flood covered 12,000 square kilometers, leaving many victims unrecovered, their bodies dragged into the depths.

Survivors recalled seeing the remains of loved ones floating amidst debris, an image burned into their memories. The sheer scale of death made traditional burial customs impossible. With over a million people trapped, famine and disease soon followed, claiming more lives. The urgency to clear decaying remains led to mass graves and hasty burials. Many were buried anonymously, in communal pits, as the number of corpses overwhelmed local efforts.

In Chinese culture, proper burial rites are crucial to ensuring peace for the deceased. Without these rites, it is believed that souls remain restless, bound to the places of their death. The disaster, with its mass graves and unclaimed bodies, created tales of wandering spirits—ghosts forever searching for the peace they were denied.

The haunting legacy is not confined to the submerged towns; it permeates the entire region. Though accounts of hauntings tied directly to the dam are scarce, locals speak of an unsettling atmosphere. In certain spots, a sense of dread lingers, as if the land itself remembers the tragedy. The areas carry an eerie silence, occasionally broken by sounds that defy explanation: faint cries in the wind, echoes of splashing water, or sudden cold spots.

The floodwaters have since receded, but left behind a hollow emptiness. In places where entire villages once stood, the absence of life is palpable. During quiet nights, locals claim to feel the presence of those lost. The land is haunted not just by spirits, but by the weight of unfulfilled lives, frozen in their tragic end. The hardest-hit regions became ghost towns, literal graveyards of what once was.

Some areas are believed to be haunted by souls who never received proper burial rites. Legends speak of apparitions near the burial grounds—shadowy figures that vanish, strange lights flickering as if guiding lost souls. There are reports of faint cries and whispers on humid nights, reminiscent of the disaster. Some hear rushing water, as if the flood were happening again, even on calm, dry nights.

To learn more about haunted history, visit us at Ghost Tour Charleston! (www.ghosttourcharleston.com)

09/24/2024

The Charleston Orphan House Legacy: A Haunting Echo in Joseph E. Berry Dormitory

Charleston, South Carolina, is known for its charm, but few visitors realize the chilling, haunted history buried beneath the city’s surface. The former grounds of The Charleston Orphan House, now home to the Joseph E. Berry Dormitory at the College of Charleston, hold a particularly tragic and eerie past. The echoes of a 1918 tragedy, combined with stories of rebellious children and strange disturbances, make this site one of the most haunted in the city.

In 1918, as the Spanish Influenza swept through Charleston, over two hundred children at the Orphan House fell ill. The infirmary became overwhelmed, and the orphanage’s staff, including the ill-fated Miss Lesesne, fought a losing battle against the disease. With dwindling resources and growing chaos, Miss Lesesne perished, leaving Miss Dorine Blackman--nicknamed "The Door" by rebellious children—to restore order.

But amidst the sickness and suffering, the children’s defiance only grew. In a chilling episode, a group of children set fire to a makeshift tent they had built. While the orphanage itself was spared, four children perished in their sleep from smoke inhalation. The tragedy didn't end with their deaths. It’s believed their restless spirits never truly departed.

Fast forward to today: students living in Joseph E. Berry Dormitory report eerie, inexplicable disturbances. Cold fingers brushing across sleeping necks, the sound of soft, childlike giggles in the dead of night—just some of the stories told by residents. One student, awoken at 2:45 a.m., claimed to hear the unmistakable sound of children playing in the hallway, though no one was there. Even more disturbing, several residents have woken to find **tiny handprints pressed into the condensation** on their windows—prints that seem to appear and vanish at will.

The hauntings go beyond noises. Strange physical manifestations plague the dormitory. False fire alarms have long disrupted the peace, often in the middle of the night. Campus security cameras have captured bizarre, unexplainable movements— shadows twisting unnaturally in empty corridors, as if something otherworldly is playing at being human. Students walking alone often report feeling a presence behind them—watching, waiting. It’s not uncommon to find deep scratches on doors or walls, with no explanation for how they got there.

The College of Charleston tried everything to curb the disturbances—rewiring the alarm system, changing dorm policies—but the alarms, the strange occurrences, and the disembodied voices of small children persist. There’s a darker theory that what haunts the dorm isn’t just the restless spirits of orphaned children, but something far more malevolent—a darker intelligence, born from years of suffering, feeding off the fear and confusion of its inhabitants.

Visitors and students alike have reported distant, metallic rhymes of children’s songs circling through the air vents at night, while others have heard high-pitched squeals of laughter echoing from the brick courtyards, where no one stands. Those who witness these phenomena speak of a deep sense of unease, as though they are being lured into some dark, twisted game.

Even visiting parents of prospective students have encountered these unsettling phenomena, waking to the sound of footsteps and the unmistakable giggle of children running wild through the halls. Some even reported hearing eerie, disembodied voices, rhythmic and celebratory, moving through the building.

The past refuses to stay silent at Joseph E. Berry Dormitory. The spirits of the children who once rebelled in life may still roam these halls, stuck between worlds, and perhaps driven by something even darker. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the eerie occurrences on this site leave many convinced that something far more sinister lingers.

If you dare to learn more about the haunted history of Charleston, book a ghost tour with Ghost Tour Charleston--where history and the supernatural collide.

09/21/2024

The Amityville Horror:

The Amityville Horror: A Haunting Beyond Comprehension

In the quiet suburban town of Amityville, New York, a house at 112 Ocean Avenue became infamous as the site of one of the most terrifying hauntings in American history. Known as "The Amityville Horror," the events that unfolded in this seemingly ordinary home have haunted the public consciousness for decades. With claims of paranormal phenomena ranging from ghostly apparitions to demonic possession, the house is often viewed as a portal to hell.

This narrative explores the darkest and most supernatural aspects of the Amityville haunting, revealing chilling possibilities that will haunt your mind.

The DeFeo Murders: The Beginning of the Horror

On November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot and killed six members of his family as they slept in their home. His parents and four siblings were found face down, murdered in cold blood. The horror deepened as neighbors reported hearing nothing, despite the use of a rifle. DeFeo claimed "voices" inside the house compelled him to commit the horrific act. Convicted of murder, he became an unwitting catalyst for the nightmares that would follow.

The Lutz Family Moves In

A year after the murders, George and Kathleen Lutz purchased the house for $80,000, seeking a fresh start. However, within just 28 days, they fled in terror, claiming the home was haunted by malevolent spirits.

Paranormal activity erupted almost immediately. Strange odors filled the air, black stains appeared in the bathrooms, and George began waking at 3:15 a.m.—the time of the DeFeo murders. Doors opened on their own, cold spots plagued the house, and the children exhibited bizarre behavior. One daughter, Missy, claimed an imaginary friend named "Jodie," a demonic pig with glowing red eyes. George reported those very eyes staring back at him through the window.

Supernatural Phenomena: A House Possessed?

The Lutzes faced terrifying physical attacks from unseen forces. George claimed to have been levitated and thrown across the room, while Kathy suffered scratches and slaps from an invisible entity. Objects moved spontaneously, and a crucifix on the wall rotated upside down.

Perhaps most horrifying was the "slime" oozing from the walls—a green, gelatinous substance dripping ominously, a sign of dark forces at play. Many believe the house was haunted not just by the DeFeo family, but by something far more sinister, possibly demonic, suggesting it could be a gateway to the underworld.

The Warrens' Involvement: A Gateway to Hell?

In 1976, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren entered the scene. Lorraine felt an overwhelming malevolence inside the home, believing it was inhabited by a demonic force intent on harm. Ed described the house as a "gateway to hell," a portal for dark entities seeking to invade our world.

Their investigation only fueled the legend, culminating in a chilling photograph of a ghostly figure of a small boy peeking out from one of the rooms.

The Amityville Legacy

Despite skepticism, the Amityville Horror remains one of the most infamous hauntings worldwide. The story of 112 Ocean Avenue has left a lasting mark on popular culture, becoming a symbol of haunted America—a place where the living and the dead, reality and the supernatural, blur unsettlingly.

Today, the house stands, renovated and with its address changed to deter curious visitors. Yet, for believers, the horror endures, and whispers persist that the house still harbors dark forces, waiting for their next victim.

Conclusion: A Haunting That Won't Let Go

The Amityville Horror remains one of the most chilling stories in American history. Whether supernatural forces or mere imagination spurred the events, the legend endures. As long as tales of ghosts and demons capture our imagination, the haunting at Amityville will echo through time, a haunting that refuses to let go.

09/19/2024

Full Moons, Meanings, Black Magic, and Historical Significance

In the world of black magic and the occult, the full moon holds significant power and is often considered a potent time for rituals, spells, and manifestations. Practitioners of the occult believe that the full moon amplifies energy, making it a prime time for casting spells and invoking spirits. This belief stems from the idea that the full moon enhances psychic abilities, intuition, and the connection to unseen forces.

The full moon’s brightness and visibility are seen as symbols of illumination and revelation, bringing hidden things to light. In demon-worship, it is often associated with summoning darker forces or invoking curses, as it is believed the moon's peak energy can help manifest strong intentions, whether for good or ill. Additionally, the full moon is viewed as a time when the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds is thinnest, allowing for greater interaction with supernatural forces.

This connection to the full moon is not limited to just evil magic but extends across various occult practices, where lunar phases are used to align rituals with the perceived ebb and flow of spirit. However, in dark magic specifically, the full moon is often linked to darker, more malevolent workings, enhancing the practitioner's ability to manipulate and control energy for personal gain or harm.

It is believed that the moon affects human mood, and that a full moon can cause manic or extreme behavior. This lunar influence can create “lunacy” or a “lunatic.” This is the basis for the idea of a werewolf, and individual who becomes a dangerous beast during the full moon.

Understanding the Hebrew Calendar:

The Hebrew calendar, rooted in ancient lunar cycles, plays a vital role in human life. Each month begins with the new moon, and the full moon often falls in the middle, marking important festivals and moments. In 2024, each full moon in the Hebrew months brings unique meaning, reflecting nature’s cycles and historical significance.

Here’s a breakdown of the Hebrew months, their meanings, and the exact dates of the full moons in 2024. Additionally, we will explore a key event in Christian tradition—the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, which occurred during the full moon of Passover in the month of **Nisan**.

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**Nisan (April 9 – May 8, 2024)**

- **Meaning**: Spring, Renewal – The beginning of the growing season, symbolizing new life and freedom, especially as it coincides with the Passover festival.

- **Full Moon**: April 23, 2024

- **Significance**: **Nisan** is one of the most important months in Jewish tradition because it is when Passover (Pesach) is celebrated. It commemorates the Israelites' liberation from Egyptian slavery. In Christian tradition, this is also when Jesus was betrayed by Judas during the Last Supper, which was a Passover meal. The full moon on April 23, 2024, mirrors the timing of this event.

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**Iyar (May 9 – June 6, 2024)**

- **Meaning**: Bright, Light – Iyar is the bloom of spring, a time of brightening days and growth.

- **Full Moon**: May 23, 2024

- **Significance**: Iyar is a transitional month between Passover and Shavuot, marked by the Counting of the Omer, a time of spiritual preparation.

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**Sivan (June 7 – July 5, 2024)**

- **Meaning**: Season, Time – Early summer, marking the harvest of wheat and the giving of the Torah during Shavuot.

- **Full Moon**: June 21, 2024

- **Significance**: Sivan is significant for the festival of Shavuot, which celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.

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**Tammuz (July 6 – August 4, 2024)**

- **Meaning**: Summer Heat – The peak of summer, known for its intense heat and historical tragedies.

- **Full Moon**: July 21, 2024

- **Significance**: Tammuz is a month of mourning, particularly for the breach of Jerusalem’s walls leading to the destruction of the First and Second Temples.

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**Av (August 5 – September 3, 2024)**

- **Meaning**: Father, Destruction – A solemn month of mourning the destruction of the Jewish Temples.

- **Full Moon**: August 19, 2024

- **Significance**: The 9th of Av (Tisha B'Av) is a fast day mourning the destruction of both Temples. The full moon, a time of reflection, often aligns closely with this mourning period.

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**Elul (September 4 – October 2, 2024)**

- **Meaning**: Harvest, Preparation – A time for introspection and preparation for the High Holy Days.

- **Full Moon**: September 18, 2024

- **Significance**: Elul is a month of repentance, marking the period of reflection before the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah.

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**Tishri (October 3 – November 1, 2024)**

- **Meaning**: Beginning – The first month of the civil year, featuring Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

- **Full Moon**: October 17, 2024

- **Significance**: Tishri is one of the holiest months, marked by Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).

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**Cheshvan (November 2 – November 30, 2024)**

- **Meaning**: Eighth, Bitter – A month with no major festivals, known for its quietness.

- **Full Moon**: November 15, 2024

- **Significance**: Cheshvan is often called “Mar Cheshvan” (Bitter Cheshvan) because it has no significant holidays or festivals.

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**Kislev (December 1 – December 30, 2024)**

- **Meaning**: Winter Rains – The onset of winter rains, symbolizing a time of darkness and waiting.

- **Full Moon**: December 15, 2024

- **Significance**: Kislev is celebrated for the festival of Hanukkah, which brings light into the darkest time of the year.

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**Tevet (December 31, 2024 – January 28, 2025)**

- **Meaning**: Winter Sun – The shortest days of winter, with the sun at its lowest point.

- **Full Moon**: January 13, 2025

- **Significance**: Tevet includes the fast of the 10th of Tevet, which commemorates the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem.

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**Shevat (January 29 – February 26, 2024)**

- **Meaning**: Winter Storms – Known for heavy winter rains and storms.

- **Full Moon**: February 24, 2024

- **Significance**: Shevat marks the celebration of Tu BiShvat, the New Year of the Trees, a time for ecological reflection.

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**Adar (February 27 – March 26, 2024)**

- **Meaning**: End of Winter – The last month of winter, transitioning to spring.

- **Full Moon**: March 24, 2024

- **Significance**: Adar is known for the joyous holiday of Purim, celebrating the survival of the Jewish people as recounted in the Book of Esther.

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# # # The Full Moon and the Betrayal of Jesus

During the Hebrew month of **Nisan**, the full moon in April coincides with Passover, just as it did during the time of Jesus. According to the gospels, it was during this full moon of Passover when Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples and was betrayed by Judas, then crucified and resurrected. This pivotal event in Christian history occurred during one of the holiest Jewish festivals, further linking these two religious traditions.

In 2025, April 12 will be the Passover, April 13 will celebrate Christ's death, and the morning of April 15 will celebrate His resurrection. Technically, Christians should celebrate Christ's atonement and resurrection at the same time the Passover is celebrated each year. The two events overlap perfectly.

The fact that Jesus betrayal and arrest occurred during a full moon is an amazing detail that begs contemplation.

To learn more about lesser known history, book a ghost tour at Ghost Tour Charleston !

09/18/2024

The Disturbing Origins of the Citadel: Denmark Vesey, a former slave who became a free man, is one of the most complex figures in Charleston’s history. His…