THE STORY
Reported Haunting
Washington Square in Charleston is associated with stories of a Woman in White, shadow figures, unexplained voices, cold spots and spirits connected to the city's long history.
Washington Square is a historic public park beside Charleston City Hall at the corner of Broad and Meeting streets. Paranormal traditions surrounding the square include sightings of a mysterious Woman in White and shadowy figures moving among the trees. Visitors and ghost-tour accounts also describe unexplained voices, children's laughter when no children are present, sudden cold spots and feelings of an unseen presence. One of the park's darker legends connects its old live oaks with executions said to have taken place in the area, and some accounts describe fleeting images of a hanging figure among the branches. These stories remain part of Charleston's local ghost lore rather than established historical fact.