From haunted hotels to haunted bridges, the Palmetto State certainly has a lot of ghostly happenings. But did you know there’s an entire tiny little town in South Carolina with an insane amount of paranormal activity? From haunted inns, to a ghostly figure that wanders the beach and an apparition of a lovetorn maiden, this tiny town on the coast of South Carolina is a haven for haunted happenings.

Pawleys Island, South Carolina has a year-round population of barely more than 100 people.
Wikimedia Commons
But the tiny resort town supports much more than that during the busy season.
Flickr/Bob Ciminel
The town of Pawleys Island proper is only about three miles long and one-quarter mile wide. But most consider the unincorporated area just across the causeway on the mainland as part of Pawleys as well, although not legally so.
Google Maps [streetview]
The island is one of the oldest vacation spots on the east coast. The long history may partly explain the insane amount of paranormal activity found here.
For starters, there's a ghost the locals call "The Grey Man" who shows up when there's an impending hurricane.
Flickr/Michael Cramer
When there's a hurricane headed to the area people have reported The Grey Man shows up to warn them. One couple said they were staying at a bed and breakfast on the island when the man knocked on their door and told them they needed to leave. In the next instant, he vanished. A few days later there was indeed a hurricane.
Others see The Grey Man walking the beach. Seeing him is sometimes the first sign locals get when a hurricane is about to hit.
Flickr/Dennis Beentjes
Spooky? Yes. Reliable? Absolutely. Just ask the locals on Pawleys Island, all 100 of them.
Next up, the very inn where The Grey Man knocked on the door of the visitors to warn them of that approaching hurricane.
Facebook/The Pelican Inn
The Pelican Inn has a long and storied history on the island. The arrogantly shabby inn was built in 1858 and eventually owned by a lumber company who would let its employees vacation in the house.
In the first half of the 20th century the home was purchased and converted to The Pelican Inn.
Yelp/Michael T
Aside from visits from The Grey Man, The Pelican is known for other creepy paranormal activities.

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Namely, a pair of dogs that drowned when they went into the ocean to save a drowning boy. Their barks are often heard in the house and on the grounds of this historic inn. But there's even more paranormal activity here.
Yelp/Michael T
Visitors to the inn often report seeing the apparition of a woman wearing in a blue gingham dress.
Speaking of a woman in a dress, that leads us to another haunting for which the Pawleys Island area is notorious.
Flickr/Sam Fam
Her name was Alice Flagg. As a young woman Alice fell in love with a young suitor her elders felt was not from the proper sort of family. She and her love became secretly engaged. But when the family found out, her ring was ripped from her body and thrown in the marsh.
Alice died soon after. Some say she died of a broken heart.
TripAdvisor/Cheryl N
But a more plausible reason is that she simply fell ill and didn't have the strength to live without the love of her life.
There's a marker for Alice at this church, All Saints Church, near Pawleys Island.
TripAdvisor/spacemtndog69
To add fuel to this haunted fire, some say she's not even buried here and that her body is actually under a rock at another location in Pawleys Island.
Regardless of where Alice is buried, she chooses to haunt this marker placed at All Saints.
TripAdvisor/csecrisi95
Visitors leave rings and other round objects that represent a ring (coins work). Drop the ring on the marker as a gift to Alice and then circle the marker three times. If you're one of the lucky ones, then Alice will show herself to you in gratitude for bringing her ring back to her.
The fourth super haunted spot in the Pawleys Island area is Litchfield Plantation.
TripAdvisor/VFMPhotoImport
Now an event venue, this beautiful plantation house was built in 1740.
In 1796 the property was sold to the Tucker family and then passed through another two generations to Dr. Henry Tucker who is said to haunt this property today.
Facebook/Litchfield Plantation
Tucker was a doctor in the Confederate Army and served four years in the military. He's frequently seen wandering inside his old home as if he still lives here. Visitors see him most often in the home's "blue room" and report that he's a friendly ghost.
Some visitors to Litchfield report seeing maids that aren't really there.
Facebook/Litchfield Plantation
Others say this property definitely has some spooky vibes. From a friendly ghost to apparitions of maids, Litchfield Plantation is no doubt haunted - and a little creepy.

Pawley’s Island, South Carolina has an insane amount of paranormal activity for such a small town. In fact there’s so much activity that it’s spread across the causeway to the unincorporated area over on the mainland. From a ghostly “weatherman” to a heartbroken young woman who keeps looking for the engagement ring taken away from her, this tiny town in the Palmetto State is one seriously haunted place.

For more South Carolina haunted history, The Story Of This Haunted Fort In South Carolina Is Truly Creepy.

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