The Haunted and Spooky Stories of Myrtle Beach

Since it’s Friday the 13^th, we wanted to share a few tall tales from The Beach that are a little spooky, very unlucky, and all around jinxed. These stories have been passed down by storyteller to storyteller, and it’s time we passed them on to you.

First, we have the sad ghost story of Alice Flagg. In the mid-1800s, Alice fell in love with a lumberman, however, Alice’s brother rejected him because of his low economic status. Even though her brother disapproved, she continued to keep her love a secret, and the lumberman proposed. Alice soon after died of malaria, and her bother found her wearing the engagement ring around her neck. Infuriated, he tossed the ring into the marsh. Legend has it that her ghost can still be seen wandering the All Saints Parish Cemetery looking for her ring. Her family’s house is called The Hermitage and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Murrells Inlet.

Next up, the Gray Man is seen in Pawleys Island to warn the residents of a severe storm or hurricane. In the early 1800s, the Gray Man was a solider returning home to marry his fiancée. He and his horse were tragically caught in the marsh pluff mud and died. His spirit now watches over the coast ever since he was first spotted in 1893.

Then, we have the famous story of Drunken Jack, a commonly known pirate around these parts. He was stranded by his crew on an island in Murrells Inlet with only rum to keep him alive. Well, the rum did not sustain him, and he can be seen wandering around the inlet looking for more rum – or maybe some food. The popular seafood restaurant along the MarshWalk, Drunken Jack’s, is named after the looming pirate himself. 

The Brentwood Restaurant and Wine Bistro in Little River is well known for their delicious food with a side of spooky sightings. Since the owners opened the restaurant in 2007, they have noticed items moving on their own, wine glasses mysteriously breaking, and ghostly images in upstairs windows. As the story goes, the owners of The Brentwood removed a photograph from the men's restroom and placed it somewhere else in the restaurant. After that, wine glasses and other spooky experiences in the kitchen continued to occur until they placed the photograph back in its original spot in the restroom - appeasing the ghosts. The house was built in 1910 and later served as a boarding house for fishermen in the area, possibly contributing to the number of ghosts and paranormal activity.

Now, don’t take these stories as bad omens – Myrtle Beach is the perfect beach destination for those craving adventure, some spookiness, a good history lesson, and more!

Find more information on Ghost Tours in the area on our website.