The Old City Jail: Charleston's Most Notorious Haunt

Few buildings in Charleston carry a darker reputation than the Old City Jail. Operating from 1802 to 1939, it housed some of the city's most infamous criminals, along with pirates, Civil War prisoners, and the enslaved. Disease, brutal conditions, and executions claimed countless lives within its walls.

The Legend of Lavinia Fisher

The jail's most famous prisoner was Lavinia Fisher, often called one of America's first female serial killers. Held here before her execution in 1820, her spirit is said to still roam the jail — and visitors report her presence along with the anguished energy of the many who died in captivity.

One of the South's Most Haunted Places

With its grim history and countless deaths, the Old City Jail is regularly named among the most haunted buildings in the American South, investigated by paranormal teams from around the country.

Hear the Story on a Charleston Ghost Tour

The dark tales of the Old City Jail and Lavinia Fisher are among the chilling stories your guide shares on our Charleston ghost tour and haunted pub crawl.