Over 200 years ago, a massive storm hit Horry and Georgetown counties, marking a legendary ghost’s first sighting. The story is based on a tale of a man who falls into quicksand while traveling to see his fiance in 1822 and dies on Pawleys Island.
People in the Lowcountry have reported sightings of a gray figure on beaches to give warnings of bad weather. According to legend, those who see the Gray Man and heed his warning are spared from destruction from the storm. The legend has even appeared on the television show Unsolved Mysteries when a Pawley’s Island couple described seeing the Gray Man before Hurricane Hugo. They claimed the warning saved them and their home from Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
Many locals have said that sightings of the Gray Man have made them take action and evacuate before the storm. The Gray Man’s legacy will wander Pawley’s Island for eternity, protecting residents and visitors.
Want to learn more spooky stories about Charleston and the Lowcountry? Book your Ghost Tour today with Sandlapper and experience the chilling history of ships ravaged by storms, pirates haunting their conquests, and a headmistress who guards the grounds where she once lived.
