Back in the summer of 2016 a couple of us at The Carolinian's Archives decided to take a three night vacation in South Carolina, lounging on one of our favorite beaches - Hunting Island State Park. It's located off a larger isle called St. Helena's that contains one reportedly eerie road you'll soon be reading about and looking at. And that's the 64 sq. mile isle's haunted Land's End Road, with its Chapel of Ease, Fort Fremont, and ghost light.
Also, as a boy in the early 70s I remember one could spend almost an entire day walking or fishing on the ocean side of the State park's beach without seeing another soul.. For an example, a seared-in-the-memory-event was one afternoon walking out on a fifty or sixty foot narrow sand spit at low tide. After catching a sand shark, this lad become so engrossed that time slowly slipped by, until, on turning to walk back, the tide had risen enough to cover all but several feet of the spit! It was hairy wading back to shore, let me tell you, with the briny water at first being above knee level.
Now, to set the tone for the haunted road, lets quickly look at a few interesting factoids about St. Helena's Isle: the place was officially first explored by the Spanish in the early 15th century. As time went on from there it passed back and forth between the Spaniards, French, and eventually Britain. African-Americans have had a long presence in the area, with the ethnic Gullah group being notable. Here's the wiki link for a condensed and interesting history read of the area, including the old towns of Beaufort and Port Royal:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Helena_Island_%28South_Carolina%29
Also, as a boy in the early 70s I remember one could spend almost an entire day walking or fishing on the ocean side of the State park's beach without seeing another soul.. For an example, a seared-in-the-memory-event was one afternoon walking out on a fifty or sixty foot narrow sand spit at low tide. After catching a sand shark, this lad become so engrossed that time slowly slipped by, until, on turning to walk back, the tide had risen enough to cover all but several feet of the spit! It was hairy wading back to shore, let me tell you, with the briny water at first being above knee level.
Now, to set the tone for the haunted road, lets quickly look at a few interesting factoids about St. Helena's Isle: the place was officially first explored by the Spanish in the early 15th century. As time went on from there it passed back and forth between the Spaniards, French, and eventually Britain. African-Americans have had a long presence in the area, with the ethnic Gullah group being notable. Here's the wiki link for a condensed and interesting history read of the area, including the old towns of Beaufort and Port Royal:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Helena_Island_%28South_Carolina%29
This article wouldn't have been written had it not been for the three friends shown here. Highway 21 is the main road going across St. Helena's Isle. It leads to Hunting Island State Park and then across a bridge to the gated Fripp island. We made reservations at a Quality Inn, which is the last motel on Hwy. 21 before one comes to the aforementioned places.
It was late in the season so there weren't a lot of other travelers, which meant we were pretty much alone in a room at the back of the building. This situation was ideal for meeting and making friends with the three employees. Besides great service, they kept an eye out for our room(which was nice as the motel's keys were lost or stolen the first day we were there). But the best thing of all was getting to know and talk to them. Initially all we'd planed on doing was going to the beach and exploring historic Beaufort a bit. But come the morning of day two, something cool and totally unexpected was relayed to me by two of our new pals.
As we were chatting about the area they told me there was a ghost road almost directly across from the motel. Yes! Although not intending to go paranormal hunting on this trip, this was a temptation not to be missed. The road was maybe 8 or 9 miles long and was called Land's End. The haunted spots our new friends mentioned were the Chapel of Ease and a ghostly light that was around a curve somewhere past the chapel. According to the fellow on the left, the light would come up on people as it got bigger and bigger. So, no beach sand for us that afternoon, but a ride down what turned out to be a most intriguing and exceedingly old road.
Note: the digital camera that took these pics had not been updated, they were taken in 2016
It was late in the season so there weren't a lot of other travelers, which meant we were pretty much alone in a room at the back of the building. This situation was ideal for meeting and making friends with the three employees. Besides great service, they kept an eye out for our room(which was nice as the motel's keys were lost or stolen the first day we were there). But the best thing of all was getting to know and talk to them. Initially all we'd planed on doing was going to the beach and exploring historic Beaufort a bit. But come the morning of day two, something cool and totally unexpected was relayed to me by two of our new pals.
As we were chatting about the area they told me there was a ghost road almost directly across from the motel. Yes! Although not intending to go paranormal hunting on this trip, this was a temptation not to be missed. The road was maybe 8 or 9 miles long and was called Land's End. The haunted spots our new friends mentioned were the Chapel of Ease and a ghostly light that was around a curve somewhere past the chapel. According to the fellow on the left, the light would come up on people as it got bigger and bigger. So, no beach sand for us that afternoon, but a ride down what turned out to be a most intriguing and exceedingly old road.
Note: the digital camera that took these pics had not been updated, they were taken in 2016
Unless otherwise indicated all photos by The Carolinian's Archives
Since I sometimes write stories on The Carolinian's Archives from a first person perspective, we'll let the State marker handle the basic history about this place. A more detailed history concerning the chapel can be found on numerous pages via the net. There are ghost tales too, like hymn singing and whispers that emanate from inside the chapel, and a lady in white seen cradling a baby as she strolls about the tombstones.
This was the first ghost spot told to me and it came up on the left of the road fairly quick. Walking around it wasn't particularly anything other than just interesting and mundane. Maybe the darkness of night would have changed these descriptions? There is a strange smoke or misty looking image captured at night near the small vault on another person's article about this historic site.
The really interesting thing to us, was indeed, that vault. It did give off a rather weird vibe, an uncomfortable feeling in other words. Especially when I thrust forward my upper body inside it to take a few pics. More on the creepy goings-on reported over time in relation to it after some gallery photos.
This was the first ghost spot told to me and it came up on the left of the road fairly quick. Walking around it wasn't particularly anything other than just interesting and mundane. Maybe the darkness of night would have changed these descriptions? There is a strange smoke or misty looking image captured at night near the small vault on another person's article about this historic site.
The really interesting thing to us, was indeed, that vault. It did give off a rather weird vibe, an uncomfortable feeling in other words. Especially when I thrust forward my upper body inside it to take a few pics. More on the creepy goings-on reported over time in relation to it after some gallery photos.
During the Civil War Union soldiers apparently damaged the door to the vault, so later on it was bricked-up. The workers did such a good job sealing it as to make themselves proud. Come the next morning however, the men found that some of the bricks had been removed and stacked up neatly against one side of the structure. To say the brickmasons were befuddled, is putting it lightly. No doubt, something supernatural seemed to be afoot to at least some of them.
It really is rather eerie looking inside this structure. Can you imagine someone spending the night in it!
http://www.sciway.net/hist/lands-end-light-st-helena-island.html THE LAND'S END LIGHT
The employees told us the ghost light was around a bend in the road near an old tree. Driving on down after visiting the church we never really came to a bend with any unusual tree. After returning home and researching it, the reason why became apparent. The tree is nearer the bastion and not on a curve in the road, but its branches do overhang the road.
The history of St Helena's Island goes way back and this spot is part of its legend and lore. There had been hangings on it in the past: like escaped bondspeople, and some have thought this the answer to what the Land's End light is. Others have speculated it was a Civil War soldier who died on the limb for some reason and his fluidal energy is the source of the ball of light.
The phenomena seems to start as a small ball of white light that approaches the tree all the while gaining size. Apparently electro-magnetism is involved with it for when it passes an idle auto folks' neck and arm hair stands up on end. In decades past, dozens of cars would sometimes park along the road on Saturday nights to experience this, pardon the pun, literally hair-raising event.
The employees told us the ghost light was around a bend in the road near an old tree. Driving on down after visiting the church we never really came to a bend with any unusual tree. After returning home and researching it, the reason why became apparent. The tree is nearer the bastion and not on a curve in the road, but its branches do overhang the road.
The history of St Helena's Island goes way back and this spot is part of its legend and lore. There had been hangings on it in the past: like escaped bondspeople, and some have thought this the answer to what the Land's End light is. Others have speculated it was a Civil War soldier who died on the limb for some reason and his fluidal energy is the source of the ball of light.
The phenomena seems to start as a small ball of white light that approaches the tree all the while gaining size. Apparently electro-magnetism is involved with it for when it passes an idle auto folks' neck and arm hair stands up on end. In decades past, dozens of cars would sometimes park along the road on Saturday nights to experience this, pardon the pun, literally hair-raising event.
Here's something that can make putting out these Mists and Moonlight articles extra interesting. I hadn't noticed the unusual looking two room pics in the last gallery above until now. Let's image them up and see what we have. There wasn't any smoke, fog or mist about that we noticed when exploring. We were the only folks present for one thing. It was late summer, a bit cool with all the tall trees surrounding the place, and we could feel a sleight ocean breeze coming through them once in a while up on top. The ocean was maybe 150-to 200 feet away, and the entrance to underneath the structure was facing away from the water.
Also, the humidity in the rooms and walkway under the gun emplacements felt low. When this military fort was made almost a hundred and twenty years ago it was built very, very solidly. It had to have been to support the four massive swivel artillery guns atop it. The bastion was surely made to last, and it most certainly has.
Also, the humidity in the rooms and walkway under the gun emplacements felt low. When this military fort was made almost a hundred and twenty years ago it was built very, very solidly. It had to have been to support the four massive swivel artillery guns atop it. The bastion was surely made to last, and it most certainly has.
Well, maybe, maybe not? At least to me, the whitish swirls are unexplained. Thinking back, it seems when they were first taken I didn't look at them closely enough and just assumed they were paint on the floors and walls. You just never know what a digital photo might catch, especially in a place like this one is. Thinking about it right now, I sub-consciously hurried through, just long enough to stop and snap the pics at each room. Considering some of the graffiti on the walls, maybe it was just as well there was no lingering about. In other words, just the place for one's neutral energy to quickly turn negative had the strange images and sicko writings been clearly visible in the semi-darkness.
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