There’s something about the South Carolina Lowcountry that attracts ghosts, or at least provides a fertile environment for their legends to grow.

Even non-believers in the existence of ghosts must concede that their captivating stories are a very real part of coastal Georgetown County. In fact, the communities of Pawleys Island, Murrells Inlet and Georgetown seem to have more spirits per capita than an actual ghost town.

Perhaps it’s their colonial-era histories that are steeped in cross-cultural, supernatural lore, or their waterfront locations where seafarers shared tall tales from port to port over the centuries. Maybe it’s the South’s proud tradition of folklore and storytelling, or all of the above.

“The seaports of South Carolina date back to the early 1700s, way before the Revolutionary War, so there’s a lot of history here,” said Ghosts of Georgetown guide Elizabeth Huntsinger. “The old newspapers are filled with these tragic sea stories. The waterfront seems to attract spirits.”

Christine Vernon, owner, operator and chief storyteller of Miss Chris’ Inlet Walking Tours in Murrells Inlet, says the local wayward spirits go back even farther in time and reflect the cultural diversity of the area. The Waccamaw Neck became a melting pot for romantic tales of mystery.

“The Wachesaw people built mounds and burial grounds here long before anyone else arrived,” said Vernon, who daylights as an artist, author and instructor at Coastal Carolina University, “and then we had settlers, slaves, pirates, the Gullah and Geechee cultures. It all came together here.”

Whatever the reason, fall is peak season for local ghost tours. The crisp autumn nights and salty-mist air create a spooky setting for strolling the historic streets, haunted homes and creepy cemeteries. They aren’t the only things that may send a chill down your spine around Halloween time.

Locals and visitors alike can take the tours and learn more about the rich tradition of legends and lore in and around the Pawleys Island area. Here’s a look at some of the more popular stops on the ghost tours provided in the area, and the spirits and spooky stories that inspire them.

The Creepy-Crawlies of Pawleys

Two names come to mind when tracking the ghosts of the Waccamaw Neck – Alice Flagg and Gray Man. Although the former was a real-life local teenage girl and the latter a shadowy figure of unknown origins, they share more in common than just their notoriety as the foremost ghosts of our coast.

“Everybody wants to know about poor Alice and if she ever found her ring, and the Gray Man and if he has made any recent appearances,” said Vernon, who considers herself more of a storyteller than tour guide. “Both of their stories are about lost love and them trying to come back and find it.”

Alice was the daughter of Dr. Allard Flagg, the wealthy owner of The Hermitage who forbid her love for a commoner. Dr. Flagg threw her engagement in the marsh and she later died of malaria with a broken heart. Legend says she returns from her grave at the All Saints Episcopal Church Cemetery and often appears at The Hermitage to search for her lost ring. Visitors report their jewelry being pilfered or pulled on by a mysterious force.

Gray Man’s story is a little fuzzier on the details, but legend has it that the lovesick sailor returned to Pawleys Island to be reunited with his true love only to be thrown from a horse on the beach and perishing without seeing her face. For over two centuries tales of the shadowy figure have been spotted on the island – not for ill intent, but to warn locals of approaching hurricanes. He’s the local, mythological meteorologist.

Alice and Gray Man may be lonely, but they are not alone on the spiritual side of Pawleys Island. Litchfield Plantation boasts the friendly ghost of former (and current?) resident Dr. Henry Tucker. The Pelican Inn is inhabited by the spirits of two Boston Terriers and is visited by Gray Man.

Steel Town Ghost Town

Founded in 1729, Georgetown was once one of the busiest port cities on the East Coast, exporting more rice than Charleston or Savannah. The action attracted a polarizing mix over the years – aristocrats and slaves, merchant sailors and occupying soldiers, preachers and pirates, good and evil.

The Georgetown Harborwalk and historic district are filled with lore of lost lives and love, planters and slaves haunting their homes, and ships lost at sea. One of Huntsinger’s tour tales is of a British soldier who died falling down a flight of stairs and now helps others avoid the same fate.

“That’s one of the favorites on the tour, but there are so many (stops) that it’s hard to say,” said Huntsinger,  whose ancestors in Georgetown go back eight generations and are buried in a graveyard on the tour. “Some like the historic homes and cemeteries, others like the waterfront and sea stories.”

Like the tragic tale of Theodosia Burr Alston, the daughter of then-U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr, who disappeared along with the crew of the Patriot. The pilot ship departed Georgetown on New Year’s Eve 1812 and washed ashore in the Outer Banks days later, leaving a mystery in its wake. And the poor souls aboard the USS Harvest Moon, which sank in Winyah Bay while blockading the harbor and striking a mine during the Civil War.

Huntsinger, who dons period dress for her tours, leads groups through the harborwalk and historic district on Fridays. Walking Shadows Ghost Tours also serves the Georgetown area. Reservations are required for both.

The Island, the Inlet and Inland – Oh My!

Vernon, who is best known as “The Pirate Lady” and dresses accordingly, says the spirits are even more active inland on former plantations and Native American sites along the Waccamaw River. But her tours take place on the beaten path of the Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk, where tales of pirates and buried treasure are as intoxicating as they are spooky.

“People love the story of Drunken Jack,” Vernon said of the poor pirate who was stranded on his now-namesake island with only 32 bottles of rum to survive. He didn’t, of course, although legend has it that his bleached bones were found surrounded by empty bottles with a smile on his face.

And the legend of the Dead Dog Saloon, said to be haunted by mythical mascot Dudley (hence the unappetizing name). The bar has changed locations over the years so the beagle must be a bloodhound in the afterlife. Dudley was even jokingly blamed for the 2012 fire that destroyed the Dead Dog.

But not all the stories are as lighthearted, Vernon warned. “I’ve seen people go to Alice’s grave and make jokes about finding her ring,” she said. “I tell them they shouldn’t dabble in things they don’t understand. You don’t know what spirit you could awaken and have it follow you home.”

Better to take the tour without picking up an unwanted spiritual souvenir. Patrons also can pick up some good karma by attending an Oct. 12 fundraiser for the Children’s Recovery Center, or make reservations to take another tour.