What is the relationship between history and hauntings. Greenwood Update takes a look at reported hauntings of historical places in Greenwood County.
Greenwood County carries a rich history dating back well before the first recorded land grant within Greenwood in 1736. In fact, before the arrival of the first Spanish adventurers in South Carolina in the sixteenth century, the area that became Greenwood County teemed with aboriginal inhabitants about whom we know very little. In addition Greenwood is located near some of the first battles of the revolutionary war, as well as an active site during the civil war. With all of this history, it is little wonder Greenwood comes alive with reports of ghosts and spirits, as well as many myths and superstitions. Our Haunted Greenwood section attempts to record and report these legends, sightings of specters, and things that go bump in the night.
Greenwood
Brewer School Building - It is said the ghost of a cheerleader haunts the area below the gym and near the furnace. According to the legend, some time ago, when Brewer was still a High School, she was killed under the gym by a football player after a game. The girl is known to turn lights on and off and people have seen her eyes peering at them from various places. Brewer has since become a middle school, and is today privately held.
The Blue Baby - You will find many historic sites along Cokesbury Road, one of these is a Civil War graveyard titled Tabernacle Cemetery. This cemetery hosts some major names, including Brigadier General Nathan George "Shanks" Evans and Confederate Brigadier General Martin Witherspoon Gary. With so much history it is no wonder that people have been report the graveyard as haunted for many years. Some visitors have heard weeping and groaning from inside the crypts, while many have seen a range of spectral phenomena, ranging from unusual mists to fully fledged transparent figures. However one apparition dominates all others; the entity only known as “The Blue Baby”.
The apparition known as “The Blue Baby” has been seen by multiple witnesses for many years, these visitors to the Tabernacle Cemetery have reported hearing crying coming from the forest surrounding the graves, some of these and others have seen a young boy, no older than 3, passing in-between the grave markers – the child seems to always be slightly transparent and have a blue aura about him.
Lander's Old Main - A sharp contrast to Lander's modern day university, the Old Main Bell Tower is Lander's oldest structure still standing. Student throughout the years have reported hearing screams and the sound of running footsteps within these halls. According to some sources these sounds are link to Old Mains past. During the Vietnam conflict, many attempted to escape the draft by use of the education system. To correct this loophole, failing students would be drafted regardless, and grades would be check periodically for this purpose. It is said that these screams and running are linked to the heightened emotions of that era.
The Cat Lady of Greenwood County - Legend tells that a moderately wealthy couple owned the Gothic styled home on Reynolds Avenue. After her husband’s death the wife became distraught. Some say that she buried her husband in the large yard of the home. She began taking in stray cats and as time passed she became more and more reclusive. Years later she suffered from a fatal heart attack, but her body was not found for several days. According to the legend when the body was found it had be partially consumed by the numerous cats living within the home. All these cats had to be put sleep because of bizarre behavior. Some say that her apparition still haunts the house and other have reported to have seen phantom cats within the area.
Deadfall Rd. - A trickster phantom has been repeatly seen allong Deadfall Rd. East, near the Greenwood Airport. Typical sightings report that the elderly gentleman, dressed in raggs, will spit at and run along beside cars traviling the road after dusk. He will typacally chase the car at high speeds and pop up more that once along the road, seeming to travel faster than any normal person. Brave, or unknowing, travelers who stop the car and confront the man have seen a fairly translucent figure who will attempt to draw them further and further into the surounding forest.
Magnolia Ave. Post Office - The ghost of a man in his late 40s has been seen dressed in a 1970s era security guard uniform. The spirit has supposedly been observed on one or two occasions mailing a letter at the Greenwood post office. According to locals this man once lived in the area, although nothing is know about him. Late night visitors to the post office have additionally reported flickering lights from inside the building.
Troy
Woodland Lights - Some in Troy clam to have seen bright lights rising into the sky from wooded areas. These circular lights are reported to be huge and have no noise. These lights seem to have no specific origin point, other than in most accounts rising from older, heavily wooded areas.
Sumter National Forest, the Wood Gatherer - Over the years visitors to the Sumter National Forest have reported seeing a young, silvered haired, female in various location through out the park. Several have seen this girl darting from tree to tree gathering wood. Others have reported seeing the spirit piling this wood underneath a menacing, narled tree at the heart of the forest. When asked by others to return to this tree none can.
Ware Shoals
Ware Shoals High School - Many report to have seen the ghost of the first superintendent roaming through the gym at night. Additional reports have placed the same ghost on the balcony in the auditorium. Some have also said that when one drives around the front of the school that the light will suddenly and mysteriously glow.
Bright Objects Reported in Sky - Ware Shoals has been a reported sight for UFO activity. According to at least one account a strange circular disk appeared in the sky for approximately 2 minutes, it then became very bright before again fading back into the skyline.
Looking for more? We have a few more hauntings and strange tales concerning the areas surrounding Greenwood County.
