SPRING BREAK- JACKSONVILLE to CHARLESTON

For our Spring vacation, I felt I had to experience some place new which led us to the Holy City of Charleston, South Carolina for our next pitstop to explore. 

CHARLESTON SIGHTS AND HISTORY- RAINBOW ROW 

We were not in Charleston for long but me and my mini were determined to get some steps in to experience as much of the city as we could for the evening. 

As a Jacksonville native, I grew up in a city that is so spread out with no functional form of public transportation, I very much appreciate a walkable and safe city and Charleston was just that. We observed beautiful coastal boardwalks and clean streets filled with beautiful architecture dating back from colonial to early 19th century styles. A prime example of this is Rainbow Row which is a series of 13 pastel-colored historic homes located on East Bay Street, just along the Battery. These houses built in 1740 are a great example of Charleston single houses which were inspired by English townhouses to utilize space . These townhouses often had a business on the bottom floor with living space above their shop. Rainbow Row now draws tourists from around the world and you will often spot brides and tourists having photoshoots for their pastel backdrop. It’s not quite known why these homes were painted pastel but some theories include: the bright colors helped guide drunken sailors back home, the light colors helped reduce heat absorption during the summer, or each color may have indicated what type of store was based in each building. Regardless, Rainbow Row is a beautiful example of Charleston history. 

After visiting Rainbow Row, take a stroll to the Public Peer and admire the coastal views and marsh along Concord Street which will lead you to another fun photo spot, the Pineapple Fountain. This fountain also welcomes visitors to dip their toes in the water so be ready to take some fun pictures!

THE HOLY CITY- HISTORY AND HAUNTS

What has become somewhat of a tradition when visiting a new city, we like to take part in the local ghost tours as a fun way to learn the history and lore of the area. 

We signed up for the a walking, nighttime ghost tour which started out in the courtyard of the Washington Square at 8PM. With little light and no one in sight, it set the mood for a spooky evening but I’d have to say I felt quite safe. We actually had several dressed officials walk through while we waited to meet our tour guide who approached us to welcome us to the city and ask how our visit was. They definitely exemplified Southern charm! Once our tour guide arrived, we learned he is a 16th generation Charlestonian and he provided us with a variety of stories both spooky and historical.

When going on a ghost tour, they tend to take you to specific locations to share the haunting claims and backstories as well as some historical info about death during past time periods. 

HAUNTING LOCATIONS

For haunting locations, we visited the Mills House hotel and learned about an affluent doctor of the area known for helping the poor and investing in the community but also had a penchant for investing in the time of other women besides his wife. One day, his late night doctor visits were investigated by his wife which lead her to this hotel and resulted in her getting her revenge on her husband and his lover. Unfortunately, she followed him to the hotel but not to the correct room leading to the end of an innocent couple- or so the story goes.

HAUNTING HISTORY

As for some haunting history, I have learned that making sure someone was truly dead was both a real fear and concern for families and their loved ones. Many illnesses that haunted the past led individuals to appear dead only for their family to discover they were alive during burial or even sadly, after it was too late. This led to some interesting safety practices such as setting up a cord from coffin to the surface attached to a bell. This acted as a way for those buried as a result of coma, paralysis, or severe sickness who were still kicking after burial to be able to reach out to those on top-side and let them know there was a mistake. It’s a popular rumor during ghost tours that this is where the saying “Saved by the bell” originated.

GULLAH AND THE BOO HAG

My favorite part of the tour was learning about the lore and culture of the Gullah people who were descendants of enslaved Africans who keep their distinctive traditions alive in their language, food, and stories. Probably the most famous cryptic of South Carolina originated from the Gullah culture who believed in the Boo Hag who was like an energy vampire who haunted you once you made eye contact and drained you of energy as you slept. She’s known for being a skinless creature who leaves you feeling exhausted every morning until you can’t go on any more and she would wear your skin during the day if you put up a fight. There are beliefs that you can get the Boo Hag away from you by distracting her with things to count like grains of rice (OCD much?) or the bristles of a broom. It is my opinion that the Boo Hag may have been the inspiration for the creature from the psychological thriller, Smile (2022).

Along with the tour, we learned some local gossip and modern advancements like their solar paneled trash cans that help keep the city clean and turn up profits which actually help reduce local property taxes. I can’t encourage ghost tours more. They are the most fun ways to learn about history and support local. 

If you’ve been on a ghost tour, how was your experience?