Crystal Coast Vacation Rentals

Ghost Stories of the Crystal Coast

North Carolina’s Crystal Coast is 85 miles of picturesque vacation spots and locales, but it also has a dark side. Many of the areas along the Crystal Coast are rich in pirating history and have rumors of ghosts haunting the locals and tourists alike. If you’re looking for a spooky getaway this fall, the Crystal Coast might be your best bet, and our Atlantic Beach NC rentals offer the most premier place to experience it all.

crystal coast ghost stories

Morehead City

Morehead City is home to the Haunted Webb Memorial Library, the most paranormally investigated building in all of Crystal Coast. Built in 1929 by Earle W. Webb, Sr., it was first home to doctors’ offices downstairs and a garment factory upstairs.

The garment factory eventually relocated because of the doctors’ noise complaints, so Mrs. Webb asked if the Morehead Women’s Club could use the upstairs for its library. When the Webbs’ son died in 1936, the couple renamed the building in his honor and opened it to the public.

The building has been hosting tours since 2008 and will only allow those age 13 and older to participate. You’ll get the chance to see and use real paranormal investigative equipment, plus you can bring your camera and try to get evidence of a ghost yourself!

Atlantic Beach

Visit Atlantic Beach to see Historic Fort Macon. This Civil War fort was originally intended to keep the city of Beaufort safe from pirates. It was here in 1862 that Ben Combs, a 25-year-old Confederate soldier, met his untimely death.

It took him five days to die after a mortar shell exploded and blew open his back. After his death, his wife Eliza starting collecting a small offering from the state. Nothing much else ever came from this story until a woman in the early 1980s claimed that Combs spoke to her.

What makes this story even spookier? The woman, Linda Coats, answered the door one day to Ronald Gray, a Fort Bragg soldier needing to use her phone. He is now in federal prison for a string of murders, including Coats herself.

Fort Macon is perfect for those looking for a scare, but it can appeal to the whole family. You can learn about the nature and history of the area by going on a guided tour or watching a cannon and musket demonstration, a popular activity throughout the year. Best yet, these attractions are right near our top Atlantic Beach NC rentals.

Beaufort

Beaufort is another Crystal Coast attraction steeped in ghost sightings. Here, the Old Burying Grounds has graves dating back as far as 1711 and is home to the “Little Girl Buried in a Keg of Rum.”

In the mid-18th century, the Sloo family arrived in North Carolina from England and despite being rich and thriving in their new land, the mother was homesick and often talked of England.

The daughter, just an infant when they arrived, grew to hear her mother’s stories and longed to visit her birthplace. The father was a merchant captain, and, after years of begging, he agreed to take his daughter to England on one of his trips. The mother only consented after she made him promise that their daughter would return home.

Unfortunately, the girl died about a week into the return voyage. Though tradition would call for her to be buried at sea, the father couldn’t bear it and couldn’t break his promise to his wife. He used his limited resources and returned her home in a casket of rum to preserve her body. When they got home, Mr. Sloo didn’t want to expose his wife to their daughter’s condition, so she was buried with the rum keg as her casket.

Today the grave can be seen at the Old Burying Grounds in Beaufort near the back of the cemetery, and the graveyard is opened to the public. You can even book a tour with the Beaufort Historical Association.

There are countless other haunted attractions in Beaufort, such as the Hammock House, which may have connections to Blackbeard the Pirate. This is definitely a city for the ghost lover to see.

The Crystal Coast has so many more haunted places for you to experience. Contact us today for your Crystal Coast lodging needs, and we can tell you all about the rich history of the area and where to find the spookiest locations.

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