Poll of 3,004 asking: Which graveyard would you be least prepared to visit alone at night?
St. Philip’s Church Cemetery (Charleston) emerged in top spot, followed by Old Sheldon Church Ruins Cemetery (Yemassee), and Magnolia Cemetery (Charleston).
Even the most skeptical Americans tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to haunted places. Ghost believer or not, many will go out of their way to avoid sites steeped in eerie legends. From the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado – the real-life inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining – to New Orleans’ St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, where locals report ghostly figures, whispers between crypts, and unseen hands brushing past, America is full of locations people refuse to enter, especially alone.
Ahead of Halloween, Choice Mutual, a life insurance agency that specializes in final expense insurance, surveyed 3,004 Americans asking a simple question:
Which graveyard would you be least prepared to visit alone at night?
The top 3 scariest graveyards listed in South Carolina were:
#1. St. Philip’s Church Cemetery, Charleston
By day, the stone walls of St. Philip’s gleam in Charleston’s old light. At night, some say a faint chill lingers near the gate, a whisper of footsteps along the side of the church, and spectral silhouettes near tombs of old families. Visitors on ghost tours speak of sudden cold spots by the walls and a sorrowful presence at the graves of long-gone parishioners. The city’s carriages still roll nearby — but in darkness, the sound sometimes seems heavier, as if echoing from another time.
#2. Old Sheldon Church Ruins Cemetery, Yemassee
Once a grand brick church, now a shell open to the sky, its adjoining cemetery feels swallowed by history. Visitors report glowing blue lights moving between the ruins and voices echoing when the air is still. It’s not a tourist spot — it’s a warning wrapped in ivy.
#3. Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston
Dating back to 1850, Magnolia sits among tidal marshes and moss-hung oaks. It’s hauntingly beautiful, and locals claim to see Confederate soldiers walking the levees at night. Even skeptics admit it’s hard to shake the feeling that you’re being followed between the tombs.
The top 10 scariest graveyards in the country were:
#1. Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Sleepy Hollow, New York
The scariest graveyard in America? Yes, that Sleepy Hollow – Washington Irving is buried here, and some claim his Headless Horseman still rides through on misty nights. Lantern light glints off the Hudson, hooves echo on the bridge, and every rustle in the trees feels a little too deliberate. The line between fiction and folklore is never quite settled.
#2. Gettysburg National Cemetery, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Beautiful, solemn, and saturated with ghosts, Gettysburg’s cemetery stands on ground that still feels alive with movement. Visitors have heard distant cannon fire, smelled gunpowder, and seen men in blue pacing through the fog. The line between battlefield and burial ground never really hardened here – it just blurred.
#3. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Los Angeles, California
By day, it’s a celebrity landmark, but by night, the glamour fades into something stranger. Groundskeepers tell of voices drifting from the mausoleums and a phantom woman seen pacing near the lake. Even in death, old Hollywood knows how to keep an audience – and some say these spirits still crave the spotlight.
#4. Pine Hill Cemetery (“Blood Cemetery”), Hollis, New Hampshire
Probably New Hampshire’s most notorious haunt, Pine Hill is nicknamed “Blood Cemetery” for Abel Blood, whose name and eerie gravestone carving supposedly glow red under the moon. Visitors swear the angel’s hand points up by day and down by night. Even the bravest ghost-hunters tend to leave before midnight.
#5. Boothill Graveyard, Tombstone, Arizona
It’s tourist-friendly by day, but after dark, Boothill’s bravado gives way to something colder. The wind hums through tilted wooden crosses, and some swear they’ve heard bootsteps crunching the gravel long after the gates close. Buried here are outlaws, gunfighters, and innocents caught in between – all reminders that Tombstone’s Wild West never really went quiet.
#6. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum Cemetery, Weston, West Virginia
Behind the vast stone asylum lies a quiet memorial field where former patients were buried without names – only numbers once marked the ground. The markers are gone now, but visitors still speak of faint singing and a trace of antiseptic in the still air. It isn’t the asylum’s echoing halls that feel most haunted – it’s the hush that lingers just beyond them.
#7. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, New Orleans, Louisiana
Crumbling walls, candlelight flickers, and crypts stacked like chess pieces in the humidity – it’s the most famous haunted cemetery in America for a reason. Visitors whisper about the spirit of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, whose tomb is marked by mysterious Xs. Entry is only by guided tour, including a few that brave the night.
#8. Old City Cemetery (Historic City Cemetery), Sacramento, California
One of the oldest municipal cemeteries in the South, Old City mixes beauty and unease. Guests say voices drift from the Pest House Museum after midnight, and lamps turn on by themselves. It’s part graveyard, part museum – and both parts seem to breathe.
#9. Salem Cemetery, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Set behind the Moravian church buildings, Old Salem Cemetery is hauntingly orderly – identical flat stones, no grand markers. According to legend, residents often say a woman in gray glides silently through the rows at night, stopping where her child once rested. It’s peaceful in daylight, but at dusk the stillness hums.
#10. Old Hill Burying Ground, Concord, Massachusetts
A small coastal cemetery overlooking the Cape Fear River, it’s lined with seashells and stories. Mariners have seen lanterns swaying among the graves on foggy nights – lights that vanish the moment anyone calls out. The tide seems to breathe with the place.
“You don’t need to believe in ghosts to feel something in these places,” says Anthony Martin, founder of Choice Mutual. “Cemeteries are where stories outlive the people who told them – and that’s what really makes them haunting. The fear is just the surface; underneath it is memory.”
SCARY TIME ON THE ROADS:
South Carolina Among Top 10 U.S. States With Highest Fatal Pedestrian Crashes During the Halloween Month
http://www.courtroomproven.com
A new study reveals that South Carolina has the second highest rate of fatal pedestrian crashes in October between 2019 to 2023.
The research by personal injury lawyers H&P Law analyzed fatal pedestrian crash data during the month of October across U.S. states between 2019 and 2023, sourced from the NHTSA (CDAN) database. By evaluating the average number of October fatal pedestrian crashes per million residents, the study identifies the most dangerous states for pedestrians – and, by extension, for trick-or-treaters.
South Carolina ranks second with an annual average of 3.98 fatal pedestrian crashes per million residents each October, which is 98% higher than the national average of 2.01. With a population of 5,225,552, the Palmetto State averaged 21 pedestrian fatalities each Halloween month between 2019 and 2023. South Carolina recorded its highest number of crashes in 2020 (28) and its lowest in 2019 (13).
Looking at the study, a spokesperson from H&P Law commented,
“Halloween should be a time for fun, family, and creativity – not tragedy. These findings serve as a stark reminder for drivers to stay alert and for parents to take extra precautions when accompanying their children. States like South Carolina with second highest pedestrian crash rates highlight the urgent need for improved visibility, stricter enforcement, and better pedestrian safety infrastructure.”
The study was conducted by H&P Law, an experienced personal injury law firm dedicated to protecting clients' rights and maximizing claim value.
Methodology
This research analyzed fatal pedestrian crash data in October from 2019 to 2023, comparing selected U.S. states using information from the NHTSA (CDAN) database. By examining state populations alongside crashes per million residents, the study identified the states with the highest risk for trick-or-treaters during Halloween.
Data Source:
South Carolina Among Top 10 U.S. States With the Most Deadly Intersection Crashes During Halloween Month, Study Finds
A new study reveals that South Carolina has the ninth-highest rate of fatal intersection accidents during the month of Halloween (October) in the United States.
The research by personal injury law firm Simmrin Law Group analyzed federal highway data on fatal intersection crashes occurring in October from 2019 to 2023, sourced from CDAN. The data was normalized per million residents using average state population estimates to identify where drivers and pedestrians face the greatest risks at intersections during Halloween.
South Carolina ranks ninth with an average of 3.67 fatal intersection crashes per million residents, 35.9% higher than the national average of 2.70 fatal intersection crashes per million residents. Between 2019 and 2023, the Palmetto State recorded an annual average of 19 fatal intersection crashes each October, within a population of 5,225,552. The highest number of crashes occurred in 2020 (26 crashes), while the lowest was 11 in 2019.
Looking at the study, a spokesperson at Simmrin Law Group commented:
"South Carolina consistently ranks high due to a dangerous mix of outdated road infrastructure and speeding culture. Many fatal crashes happen on secondary roads without clear lane markings or signage. As October invites more nighttime driving, limited visibility compounds these ongoing safety challenges."
The study was conducted by Simmrin Law Group, an experienced personal injury law firm dedicated to protecting clients' rights and maximizing claim value.
Methodology
The research analyzed fatal intersection crash data across U.S. states for October between 2019 and 2023, sourced from CDAN. Average crash counts and average state population estimates were calculated to determine crash rates per million residents. Rankings reflect where residents face the greatest risk of intersection fatalities during Halloween.
Data Sources
