Have You Encountered The Terrifying Ghosts of This Haunted S.C. Inn

As I took one last step at the top of the staircase, EMF meter in hand, I panicked. My foot missed the step, and with the hotel manager standing directly in front of me, I’ll admit that it would have been quite ironic if I found myself tumbling to the very bottom. Would it have killed me? I didn’t want to think about it for too long. It was the same staircase where the apparition of a Scotsman was seen multiple times by different guests over the years. I don’t know about you, but I’d want to remain in the land of the living.

The Belmont Inn in Abbeville, SC.Photo byJohn G. Clark Jr.

Alright, spirit. Nice try! Good one. Ghost: 1 - Me: 0

It was November 2019, and I was itching for another ghost hunt. But not just any ghost hunt. I wanted one at a historic location - A place that was known for its hauntings. I hit Google to see what I had within a two-hour drive. Abbeville? Huh, I thought. Admittedly, I wish I had done proper research on this town. There were way more haunted locations in this town. The opera house, for instance, sat right across from the Belmont Inn. And, of course, Abbeville itself.

Maybe it’s because I went there at night, but the entire town felt like it was hiding something. It felt like a club that I wasn’t a part of. As I parked my car and walked past the festive party in the streets, I found myself at the front of this luxurious piece of history. I won’t say I expected lighting to strike and for bats to come flying overhead, but the location was so beautiful I forgot it was a haunted hotspot.

After introducing myself to the manager in charge of the night, I was surprised to hear that she was ecstatic to give me a tour of the hotel. There was a first floor, a second floor, and a basement floor, which used to be the stables, according to the kitchen staff. There were two main ways to get to the second floor: The staircase and the elevator. And before you ask, yes. Both of these areas are haunted as hell. I had the privilege of finding this out firsthand. We’ll start with the elevator.

The manager insisted I take the stairs and the elevator to the top floor. When getting on the elevator, she explained that many guests experienced wonky little moments while riding in it. But just as the doors began to shut after hitting the button to go up, the elevator paused for several seconds. The doors proceeded to open back up, then shut again, and only then did we go to the second floor. The manager looked just as perplexed as I probably did.

“Has that ever happened before?” I asked.

“No,” she answered.

It was as if someone quickly ran up to the elevator, hit the button, and opened the doors again to step inside with us. Yeah, that was creepy.

But the elevator wasn’t the place where people experienced seeing apparitions. That would be the staircase. Would you have guessed this was a famous spot as well? Allegedly, guests have spotted the ghost of a Scotsman near the stairs.

“May I?” I asked, pointing to the staircase.

“Yep, follow me!” She happily replied.

I pulled out my EMF meter to check for any energy on the way up the stairs. The theory goes that since ghosts are disembodied spirits, they’re pure energy. And it just so happens that in our world, we can measure energy. Up the first flight of stairs, I continued getting consistent flickers, showing that something (or someone) was nearby. But it was when I turned to my left and proceeded up the second flight of stairs the device began lighting up like a Christmas tree.

“Has anyone died down these? Has anyone actually fell?” I asked, pointing down to the steps I was standing on.

And well, that’s when it happened.

Just as she began to give her answer, it was drowned out by the wave of panic that had rushed over me as my right foot missed the top step of the staircase. That would have been one hell of a way to go.

Eventually, it was time to shut myself in for the night. They gave me physical keys to the room. Nice touch. It makes me wonder if the electronics in the hotel will become a little unpredictable. Spirits and modern technology in the same space are like mixing oil with water. It just doesn’t work. Honestly, I can’t imagine having to manage an entire hotel along with its guests - both living and dead. Many have reported banging on their doors at night. I didn’t experience that. I did, however, hear what sounded like dishes falling to the floor above me.

But wait, I thought. I’m on the top floor.

Disclaimer: The Lantern does not profit from tourism or any businesses mentioned in our articles.

Written By: Izzy

Photo By: John G. Clark Jr.

Sources: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=7169

https://www.belmontinn.net/