Southern Byways

Hauntingly Good Time in the South: Ghosts on the Coast in North Carolina’s southern Outer Banks

by Apryl on October 7th, 2008

In the quest of finding some of the most haunting places in the South, you can’t overlook coastal destinations. There’s just something the presence of the sea that is the perfect setting for mayhem and mysteries.

North Carolina’s Crystal Coast has been privy to many happenings throughout its history. Located in the Southern Outer Banks of the Tar Heel state. Towns include Atlantic Beach, Beaufort, Morehead City and Swansboro. You’ll also find the beach communities of Salter Path, Pine Knoll Shore, Indian Beach and Emerald Isle.

So with the Atlantic as the backdrop, if you’re looking for some good individual scary and frightening stories that involve pirates, soliders, sailors and other characters -  this is the place for you. 

Now just a peak at what “Ghost on the Coast” stories you’ll discover, if you dare…

• The area is home to the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, which one of seven historic lighthouses in the state. It makes this particular one interesting is that it has seen the nearly 2,000 ships that have met their end in the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.”
• It is believe that not only do soldiers from the Civil War and World War II haunt the top of Fort Macon, but also Blackbeard’s crew. 
• The Hammock House just might be one of the more haunted houses in historic Beaufort. It has been reported that ghost activity has been seen from the young lady hung by Blackbeard from a live oak tree, three soldiers found buried under the porch and a mistress pushed down the stairs.

Piqued your any interest any? If you happen to be visiting Beaufort or the surrounding areas any time soon, consider taking the Beaufort Ghost Walk that goes into more detail about the town’s hauntings.

photo credits: (top left) Old Burying Grouds (Beaufort, N.C.), flickr, creative commons West of the Sounds: (mid right) Fort Macon, flickr, creative commons by gonemissing; (bottom right) Blackbeard’s House, flickr, creative commons by tommrkr

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POSTED IN: Haunted Places, Southern Byways, Things to See in North Carolina