An eerie feeling pulls at your insides as the lights go out and your eyes try to adjust to the darkness. Your ears hang on the tour guides gruesome story but your mind wanders around the abandoned jail cell that once housed some of Charleston’s most dangerous psychopaths. And then you start to hear footsteps…
History Over Horror
The Old City Jail in Charleston is supposedly one of the most haunted places within city limits. Once holding the likes of swashbuckling pirates, Civil War POWs, and murderous criminals, the jail is now abandoned but you can still take a tour and explore your inner paranormal investigator.
We recommend giving Bulldog Tours a try. They don’t pull any cheap gimmicks trying to scare you, so don’t expect the haunted house routine. The tour focuses more on the Jail’s history rather than paranormal activity but the two go hand in hand. Be sure to ask the tour guide about some of their heart-stopping moments. If anyone can tell a good ghost story it’s these guys.
The tours are a little short in our opinion, but it’s only $25 so you at least get what you pay for. Tours also overlap so you may hear footsteps on the floor above you. That being said, don’t immediately jump to conclusions and cry ghost.
Photographers Rejoice
Flash photography is permitted so try and catch as many mysterious shadows and floating orbs as your SD card will hold. Just remember to be respectful. The jail is very dark and your fellow tourists don’t want to be constantly blinded by your camera flash.
Overall
If you are interested in history and have a slight fascination for the paranormal, book the Haunted Jail Tour through Bull Dog Tours. During your brief time in the jail, you will hear the bloody history of Charleston’s most famous wrong-doers and, if you bring your camera, you may catch a ghost in the process.
Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.