Come on boys and ghouls! It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip.
This week's stop is Soul's Harbor and our special guide is Angela Dennis author of the Soul's Harbor Pride series, including DANCE WITH THE DEVIL.
Soul's Harbor's Top 5 Spooky Places
Soul’s Harbor is a small island off the coast of South Carolina and it is crawling with lion shifters. Among the North American Prides, Soul’s Harbor is known for its violent history and somewhat unstable inhabitants. But even before the Pride took over the land, local folklore was filled with tales of ghost sightings and other strange happenings. As for haunted places—they’re all over—but here are the top five.
Winter Plantation – When Reginald Winter was appointed Alpha of his own Pride, he took the monetary allowance given to him by the Conclave and, combining it with his own familial inheritance, bought the island of Soul’s Harbor. His first project was to restore the Civil War era plantation house back to its original splendour. But the more he worked, the more the house seemed to resist. Contractors and carpenters began to report hearing screams and having to avoid flying objects. But even when three workers fell to their deaths from the roof, Reginald refused to stop. The house was eventually rebuilt, but the stories of its supernatural inhabitants continued to escalate, culminating in the death of his wife. Refusing to accept the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death, Reginald blamed it on his first enforcer and rival, Anthony. This decision led to the destruction of the Pride and bloody feud which would destroy the sanity of both men.
Fort Espy – Long before the Pride came to Soul’s Harbor, it was a military base. Confederate soldiers occupied the island, securing the coast for trade. Unbeknownst to their commanders, several of the soldiers were also using the Fort as a base for bootlegging moonshine. They had a hidden still in the underground caverns. One night after imbibing too much of their own product, one of the soldiers thought he saw a Union soldier in the caverns. He fired his weapon, igniting the still. The fire spread through the caverns to the Fort and fifteen men perished. Rumor has it you can still see the drunken soldier wandering the ruins, drinking his moonshine and mourning the loss.
Caverns beneath the Winter Plantation – When he brought the Pride to Soul’s Harbor, Reginald was faced with a dilemma. Many of his lions didn’t feel comfortable shifting in the open without a secure compound where they would be protected from human detection. So Reginald created a series of underground tunnels where his Pride could shift without fear of detection. Years later when his daughter, Jillian, returned to the Pride she came across the body of a lioness in the caverns. Murdered, her body ravaged beyond recognition, she was never identified and was buried in an unmarked grave in the woods. It is said her spirit still wanders the tunnels trying to find its way home.
Lester’s Cove – Named after an infamous ship captain, Lester’s Cover is known for its flickering lights, ghostly apparitions, and enormous ghost ship. Legend has it that Captain Lester was travelling down the coast of South Carolina when he came upon a pirate ship smuggling goods off the island. Steering his vessel toward them, Captain Lester opened fire, killing several men, but doing little damage to the other ship. Irate, the pirates set out after him, boarding the civilian captain’s ship and running it aground in the cove...after killing everyone a board. Lester’s spirit still wanders the cove taking out his revenge on everyone he meets.
Clear Creek Chapel – Located in the ruins of Fort Espsy, Clear Creek Chapel was both a place of refuge for the soldiers and a clandestine meeting place for lovers. In the early years of the war, Elizabeth Sinclair, the daughter of the local plantation owner, fell in love with a confederate soldier stationed at Fort Espy. When she found herself pregnant, she convinced her lover to flee with her to the North. The night they had planned to meet, she waited for him in the chapel until sunrise, but he never came. At dawn she left the chapel heartbroken. As she stepped onto the porch of her family’s plantation house, she heard a gun discharge in the distance. Unbeknownst to the young lovers, Elizabeth’s father had discovered their plan and shared that knowledge with her lover’s commanding officers. Elizabeth’s young lover was jailed and executed for treason that very night. Legend has it his spirit wanders the chapel, waiting for his lover and child.
Thank you Angela for giving us such a haunting tour of Soul's Harbor!
To learn more about Angela Dennis and her books, please visit her website. Also don't miss our Q+A with Angela Dennis here. You can add Dance with the Devil here on Goodreads.
What did you think of Angela's picks for spooky places?
On our last Paranormal Road Trip we visited Inner Sea with Howard Andrew Jones. Next week we begin our holiday hiatus from our Paranormal Road Trip series, but don't worry, we have some fantastic guest posts and giveaways in store for you! When we return after the holidays, we'll be traveling to Horry County, South Carolina with Jay Wilburn.
Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!
if you dare!
