Ghostly Tales of McDuffie County

Photo: Inside the Old Dixie Inn Flickr

The Haunting of the Old Dixie Inn

Built in the 1840s, the old house at Boneville, GA, has always been a place of quiet whispers and lingering shadows. It was a mill owner's home, then a popular hotel called the Dixie Inn, drawing people from all over to its welcoming porch and the cool waters of Boneville Pond. But as the town faded, so did the Inn's charm, leaving behind a place rumored to be haunted by more than one restless spirit.

One chilling tale, whispered by locals for generations, says the Inn's grand staircase is cursed. The story goes that a heartbroken guest, tormented by sorrow, hung himself from the heavy oak railing. They say his despair remains, and if you dare to stand on that spot, you might feel a cold hand brush your cheek or a sudden push from a presence you can't see.

However, the most unsettling story is of the charred bride—a legend so vivid it has terrified generations of Boneville children. It's a tragic tale of betrayal and violence, centered on a newlywed couple who spent their wedding night at the Dixie Inn.

The husband, who had married his bride only for her money, waited until she was asleep before lighting her on fire. She awoke screaming, her wedding dress in flames. In a desperate attempt to extinguish herself, she leaped from the balcony, but the fall didn't kill her.

Her husband, furious, chased her to the edge of the pond across the street and murdered her in the dark, murky waters.

Locals say the bride's tormented spirit still haunts the Inn and the pond, forever seeking peace. On clear nights, if you stand by the water, you might see her. She's a ghostly figure in a charred and tattered wedding dress, walking across the surface of the pond, a silent specter forever tied to the house where her life—and her innocence—was stolen.

Sadly, the Old Dixie Inn no longer stands. It was lost to a fire in 2013, but the stories of the spirits who once walked its halls and grounds continue to be told.

AI image of the 1810 Inn with ghost

The Haunting of the 1810 Inn

In the heart of Thomson, GA, stood the old 1810 Inn, a grand house that was the source of whispered ghost stories for generations. It was a place where history wasn't just remembered; it was said to walk the halls.

The most famous spirit was the lady in the upstairs window. For decades, residents who lived nearby saw her figure staring out from an upstairs window on the front of the house. One local remembers seeing her as a child in the 1950s and 60s, convinced at the time that she was a living person. But the woman was dressed in clothing from a much earlier era—a detail that made it clear she was a ghost. Many guests who stayed at the Inn also reported seeing her, a silent watcher peering out at the world.

A House of Restless Spirits

But she was not the only spirit said to haunt the Inn. Guests reported frequent ghostly activity, from modern disturbances like televisions turning on and off by themselves, to more classic hauntings. A ghostly music box was often heard playing a phantom melody that was never found. Area rugs would be mysteriously moved as if someone had shuffled them around in an empty room.

On the same property, the Hobbs Cottage was also a site of paranormal activity. People who stayed there often woke to the unsettling sensation of their bed covers being pulled off them, only to find no one there.

However, the most chilling story of the 1810 Inn was not a whisper but a visible mark on the house's history. The legend goes that an attorney was shot and killed in the foyer. The bloodstain on the wooden floorboards would reappear no matter how many times it was cleaned, a permanent and terrifying reminder of a violent death.

Like many old places with a history, the 1810 Inn is now gone. It was dismantled in 2017, but the chilling tales of the lady in the window and the mysterious bloodstain on the floor live on in the memories of those who remember its long, haunted history.

The Haunting of the Thomson Depot

For years, the old Thomson Depot was a place of quiet, lingering spirits. Before its renovation, it was a building with a history you could feel—and a presence that was anything but friendly.

One local who worked there remembers a terrifying encounter on a winter evening after everyone else had left. As the sun set, the long hallway to the restrooms became a tunnel of darkness. As they walked toward the light switch, the temperature suddenly plummeted. An icy wave of goosebumps and an overwhelming sense of dread stopped them in their tracks. The feeling was so intense, so menacing, that they turned and ran out of the building as fast as they could, never staying alone in the Depot after dark again. Whatever spirit haunted that hall, it was not a kind one.

The Smoker in the Office

Years later, the same person worked in a different old building that had its own ghostly inhabitant. This ghost was far less frightening, though perhaps a bit rude. Out of nowhere, a strong smell of cigarette smoke would fill the room, as if someone were sitting right there, puffing away. The invisible smoker was nicknamed Horace, and his presence was more curious than scary.

As it turns out, the building's previous occupant was a chain smoker who had spent years working there. The living seemed to think that even after he died, he simply kept coming to work, his habit lingering long after he was gone. Horace was a far cry from the terrifying spirit at the Depot, proving that not all ghosts are meant to scare; some just can't seem to quit.

On set, filming “The Hill”

The Movie Crew’s Fright

Some places hold a history so deep it seems to linger in the air. Wrightsboro Church in Georgia is one of them, a historic site where a film crew for the movie "The Hill" had a chilling encounter that left them wondering if the building was haunted.

The crew was on location for over a week, and their time there was marked by strange occurrences. Batteries on their equipment drained at an impossible speed, and unusual static sounds crackled over their headsets, seemingly without cause. The most unsettling incident, however, was caught on camera.

The crew was filming a scene of a little girl getting into a car. The shot was simple, but as they reviewed the footage, they saw something that made their blood run cold. In the car's window, the reflection of the young actress wasn't what it should have been. Instead of a child's face, the camera had captured a ghoulish, skull-like figure staring back.

When the production wrapped, a crew member asked the local contact if the church was haunted, a question that made it clear they had experienced something they couldn't explain. Whatever spirit watches over Wrightsboro Church, it seems it wasn't a fan of the limelight.

Do you have a local ghost story that you want to share? Send it to us!