Real Haunted Houses » North Carolina

The Pirate Blackbeard’s Ghost

Saoirse Redgrave — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:12:12 +0000

His legend lives on well beyond his earthly time, and now, with the resurgence of pirate literature, pirate movies and a general fascination with all things pirate, it seems only fitting we introduce the legend of Blackbeard’s ghost.

Edward Teach is thought to have been an educated Englishman, though debate will always rage over his actual origins (and even his last name—Teach, Thatch, Tash?). What is known of Edward Teach is that while he generally tolerated people who cooperated with him, he was a fearsome pirate figure during the two years he ruled the southeastern coast of what would eventually become the United States. Teach was interested in loot, not vengeance, not bloodshed. He was just in it for the money. One of Blackbeard’s best-remembered adventures was the blockade of Charleston harbor when his men desperately needed medicine. Blackbeard held a few people (a councilman and his young son among them) for ransom until a fully equipped medicine chest was delivered.

But beyond the blockade and the parties Blackbeard and his men participated in around the Carolina coast, Blackbeard is most well remembered for his stunning appearance. Tall and with long dark hair and a bushy black beard, he loved to scare sailors on ships he was attacking, and so, to make his appearance even more powerful, he wove fuses of slow burning hemp into his hair and beard and hung some around his shoulders so he was nearly enveloped in an otherworldly smoke. He was always heavily armed—several pistols and knives were always at his waist. Looking like the Devil himself, the pirate Blackbeard would attack and many sailors surrendered at the site of him.

In 1717 Blackbeard obtained a British ship called the Concorde. Outfitting her with 40 cannons (feeling 26 was simply too modest) Blackbeard renamed her The Queen Anne’s Revenge.

Although fearsome in battle, some claim Blackbeard was a lover at heart. He supposedly took more than a dozen wives and treated each one like a doting lover might—making each feel as if she was his first and only love—until he spotted the next one.

Blackbeard briefly retired, married his last wife, and lived a comfortable life until the ways of pirating lured him back into action. While partying in pirate camp near Ocracoke, North Carolina with Charles Vane’s crew (including Jack Rackham—later Calico Jack), Blackbeard and the pirates caused enough of a disturbance that the nearby citizens of Virginia demanded something be done. The governor of Virginia, Alexander Spotswood, hired Lieutenant Robert Maynard of the ship “Jane” to capture Blackbeard.

On November 22, 1718 a fierce battle began between Maynard and Blackbeard. While Blackbeard fired his cannons, Maynard supposedly ordered many of his so-far-unseen men below decks and amid a damaged and nearly deserted ship, enticed the pirates to board. As they did British sailors swarmed out of the hold and into the bloody fray. Maynard and Blackbeard fought each other—Blackbeard suffering approximately twenty stab wounds and cuts and 5 gunshots before collapsing on the deck in his own slick blood. The pirate succumbed due to blood loss.

Blackbeard’s head was cut off and hung from the Jane’s bowsprit—his body thrown overboard.

And this was when the weirdness began. According to legend, Blackbeard’s headless corpse swam around the Jane three times while his suspended head shrieked. Since that time, Blackbeard’s ghost has been spotted in the cove at Ocracoke Island (Teach’s Hole).

Locals claim to have seen Blackbeard’s headless body floating on the waves and occasionally swimming in circles while glowing with a phosphorescent light. Some claim to have seen the body even rise up out of the water, holding a lantern, and come ashore to search for its head. Where Blackbeard’s ghost walks his boots leave no footprints and now any strange light on or near the beach is commonly called “Teach’s Light” in reference to the ghostly search Blackbeard’s headless ghost still makes.

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Grandma Will Care For You

justin — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 03:26:18 +0000

In 1969, a woman lived with her daughter and her grandchildren. She was known to tell stories that could keep you on the edge of your seat, or shed tears for a sweet love story. She became sick with thyroid fever suffered until she finally stop breathing. Her family was devastated. Even the 4 year old little girl missed her grandmother.

A couple of months later, the little girl grew happier. Her mother wandered into the little girls room to find the little girl sitting on the bed, talking to the rocking chair that slowly rocked and she looked up smiling.

“Do you see her mama?” she questioned. The family left to move to Florida later because her mother feared what the house was doing to her daughter.

Thirty years later, the little girl became a mother, she came back to that old house and still felt the same comforting feeling. She decided to build a two story house next to it. In the great room of that old house, the wood around the fireplace feels warm to the touch, like it was burning wood recently. If you stand near the windows on the outside the blinds are bent slightly like someone is watching you. Then when you look away and suddenly look back, the blinds are straight. The grandmother’s spirit must still reside in that house to this day, watching over it.

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Morpheus Bridge

justin — Sun, 24 Jul 2005 01:47:53 +0000

A family of three was driving along this bridge, when they crashed into the side, being ejected from the car and falling to the murky depths below. As a result of this tragic incident, the woman and child died, leaving only the father. It is said that if one parks his car on the bridge on Halloween, it car will shut off, and the woman will appear, searching for her lost child.

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The Mayo House

justin — Sun, 24 Jul 2005 01:47:31 +0000

The house is reported to be haunted by the Mayo family. In a fit of rage, Mr. Mayo killed his family and then hanged himself. It is said that if one approaches the house at night, he will be chased by dogs. The family will then come outside, get the dog, and invite the person inside. It is said that upon entering the house one will see a rope dangling the stair well. Suddenly, the rope and the family will vanish.

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Devils Tramping Ground

justin — Sun, 24 Jul 2005 01:47:15 +0000

In these woods, there is a perfect circle in which no grass grows. Many have placed large stones inside the circle, only to find them gone the next day. It is said that at night the devil walks around the circle and thus moves everything outside the circle. In one report, a scout set up a tent in the middle of the circle and the next morning found the tent outside of it.

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The Duke’s House

justin — Sun, 24 Jul 2005 01:46:47 +0000

Built in the 1920’s for a wealthy tobacco executive, this house was once the site of extremely lavish parties. People would get very drunk and then drive home. One night in 1927, it is said that a car carrying three young women and their driver ran off the Ashe Bridge, crashing onto the train tracks below. The three women and their driver died instantly-the latter being decapitated. It is said that the three women can still be seen on the “Duke’s” front porch, waiting for him to answer the door. The driver is said to still wander the tracks in search of his head.

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House across from Victoria Cemetery

justin — Sun, 24 Jul 2005 01:46:16 +0000

In this house, the lonely wife of a fisherman began having an affair. Soon, she gave birth to her lover’s baby. As she heard her the fisherman approaching, she killed the baby and buried it under the porch. Eventually, the woman went insane because she kept hearing the baby’s cries. It is said that if one stands on the porch, the baby’s cries may still be heard.

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East McDowell Jr. High

justin — Sun, 24 Jul 2005 01:45:54 +0000

Presently the site of East McDowell Jr. High, an orphanage once stood on these grounds. One night, the orphanage was set ablaze. Everyone escaped safely, but six small children returned to the inferno to save their pets. Only three of the six survived. It is said that if one stands on the tennis courts of the school around midnight, the screeching of burning animals and children may be heard.

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Lake Tahoma Dam

justin — Sun, 24 Jul 2005 01:45:30 +0000

Not able to deal with her pregnancy, legend has it that, on prom night, a teenaged girl jumped from the dam to her death. Now, she haunts the damn. It is said that on prom night if one goes to the damn and places his keys on the hood of the car and then walks around it, when he returns, they keys will have disappeared.

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Jamestown Bridge

justin — Sun, 24 Jul 2005 01:45:12 +0000

During stormy and foggy nights, a young girl has been spotted standing under the bridge. She was supposedly killed on her way to the prom, and is still wearing her prom dress. She now attempts to get a ride home from passing motorists, but on the way, she vanishes. No related posts. Related posts brought to [...] No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.