The Old Charleston Jail, located in downtown Charleston, South Carolina is a sight to see if you’re ever in low country. Nestled between neighborhoods and on the outskirts of the posh historic district, the jail looks horrifyingly out of place. Across the street, an apartment building with children playing on the green has this large fortress for a view. In this area, the horrifying past of Charlestonians from long ago literally collides with residents of today.
History of the Old Charleston Jail
The area where the jail currently sits was once a four-acre parcel for public use in 1680. The jail itself operated from 1802-1939. When the jail was first constructed in 1802, it had four floors with a two-story octagonal tower. In 1855, Charleston architects Barbot & Seyle added an octagonal rear wing and expanded the main building, adding Romanesque Revival details. A fireproof wing with individual cells was designed and added by Robert Mills in 1822.
In 1886, the tower and top story were severely damaged by an earthquake, so they were removed.
The Notorious People of the Old Charleston Jail
The Old City Jail housed some notorious figures in Charleston’s history. It even kept Lavinia Fisher—which you may remember from Episode 16. John and Lavinia Fisher were convicted of highway robbery and imprisoned in the jail from 1819-1820.
Some of the high-seas pirates were kept there in 1822 while they awaited their fate at the gallows.
Denmark Vesey was kept here after he was accused of planning a slave riot. It is said that Denmark spent his last days in the tower before his hanging.
Both Union and Confederate soldiers spent time in the jail. Many African American men from the 54thMassachusetts Regiment ended up here after the assault on Fort Wagner in July of 1863.
The Old Charleston City Jail Today
The jail was decommissioned in 1939. In 2000, the American College of the Building Arts acquired the building. They stabilized the structure and planned to use it as its campus and headquarters. By 2016, the college had moved from the jail, and Old City Jail, LLC, purchased it.
Tours have been available since 2003, and it’s been visited by notable paranormal investigators, including Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, Ghost Brothers, and Buzzfeed Unsolved.
Remembering the Old Charleston Jail with Whitney Zahar
My friend Whitney Zahar and I visited Charleston in August 2020. We were both feeling a little bit of cabin fever at the time, so we planned a weekend away, hoping we’d feel reinspired after taking some history and ghost tours. And boy, were we inspired!
I’m joined today by Whitney Zahar. She’s a writer and cohost of The ParaUnity Podcast. Whitney and I discuss:
- A little about our trip.
- Why did we want to go to Charleston?
- What were our initial thoughts walking up to it?
- What sort of vibes or feelings did we have while walking through?
- The weather was wild that day.
- Would we go back?
Where to find Whitney Zahar online:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitneyzahar/
The ParaUnity podcast: https://paraunitypodcast.wixsite.com/paraunity
Books: https://www.amazon.com/Whitney-Zahar/e/B01AJY8YFY?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1666105133&sr=8-1
Many thanks to Bulldog Tours for a wonderful tour of the jail.
Other Fabled Collective Episodes mentioned:
Lavinia Fisher
St. Albans
Sorrel-Weed House
Other Podcasts Mentioned:
Pleasing Terrors
Haunted Happenstance
Music:
Loss by Kevin MacLeod
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4003-loss
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist website: https://incompetech.com
“Ghostpocalypse – 6 Crossing the Threshold” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
