Alice Flagg’s Grave – Haunted Cemetery in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

All Saints Cemetery in Murrells Inlet holds one of South Carolina’s most romantic and tragic ghost stories. The grave of Alice Flagg has become a pilgrimage site for those seeking love and supernatural encounters. Her spirit reportedly wanders the cemetery grounds, searching eternally for the engagement ring her family took from her. Visitors from across the country come to leave offerings and walk backward around her grave thirteen times.

The weathered marble tombstone simply reads “Alice” with no last name or dates inscribed. This unusual marker reflects the family shame that followed her to the grave in 1849. The cemetery sits along the peaceful marshlands of Murrells Inlet, surrounded by ancient oak trees draped in Spanish moss. Despite its serene beauty during daylight hours, the graveyard transforms into something altogether different after sunset.

Alice’s story has been passed down through generations of Low country families. Her grave remains one of the most visited paranormal sites in South Carolina. The legend has inspired novels, historical societies, and countless paranormal investigation teams. Even skeptics often leave the cemetery with unexplainable photographs and eerie personal experiences.

Historical Background

Alice Flagg was born in 1833 to one of the wealthiest families in Georgetown County. Her brother Allard Flagg owned the magnificent Hermitage Plantation along the Waccamaw River. The family held prominent social standing in the pre-Civil War South. Their wealth came from rice cultivation on thousands of acres of plantation land.

Alice attended an exclusive boarding school in Charleston during her teenage years. There she met a young turpentine merchant or lumber dealer, depending on which version of the story you hear. The young man was hardworking and respectable but lacked the proper social standing her family demanded. Her brother Allard strongly disapproved of the relationship and forbade Alice from seeing her beloved.

Despite her family’s objections, the young couple became secretly engaged around 1848 or 1849. Alice wore her engagement ring on a ribbon hidden beneath her dress. She kept her promise to marry tucked close to her heart, literally and figuratively. The secret couldn’t last forever in the tight-knit society of the South Carolina Low country.

Alice fell gravely ill with typhoid fever or malaria in early 1849. Her brother brought her home from Charleston to the Hermitage to recover. Allard discovered the hidden engagement ring while Alice lay delirious with fever. He was absolutely furious at what he considered his sister’s betrayal of the family name.

Allard Flagg ripped the ring from Alice’s neck and either threw it away or hid it. Alice reportedly became hysterical despite her weakened condition, crying out for her ring and her beloved. Her condition worsened dramatically after losing the symbol of her love. She died at just fifteen or sixteen years old in 1849, never recovering from the fever.

Allard refused to acknowledge Alice’s engagement even in death, considering the match beneath the family’s station. He had her buried in All Saints Cemetery with only “Alice” carved on her tombstone. No last name was inscribed, as if to separate her from the Flagg family legacy. This ultimate rejection in death may be why Alice’s spirit remains so restless.

Paranormal Activity Summary

Visitors to Alice Flagg’s grave report a wide range of supernatural phenomena. The most common experience involves sudden temperature drops near her tombstone, even on hot summer days. People describe an invisible cold presence that seems to move around them. The cold spots often appear when someone mentions Alice’s ring or lost love.

Many witnesses have photographed unexplained orbs and mist formations around the grave. These anomalies appear most frequently in pictures taken at dusk or dawn. Some photographs show a glowing figure in a white dress standing near the tombstone. Digital cameras and cell phones often malfunction or drain completely of battery power near the site.

The scent of roses frequently appears without any source, overwhelming visitors with its sweetness. This phantom fragrance comes and goes within seconds, defying natural explanation. Some people report feeling invisible hands touching their shoulders or backs while standing at the grave. The touches are described as gentle, almost pleading in nature.

Alice’s apparition has been seen walking through the cemetery wearing a long white dress. She appears as a young girl with dark hair, looking exactly as she would have in 1849. Witnesses say she seems to be searching for something, wandering between the tombstones with an expression of sorrow. She never speaks but sometimes looks directly at visitors before fading away.

Objects left at Alice’s grave sometimes move on their own or disappear entirely. Coins, rings, and flowers placed carefully on the tombstone are found scattered about the next morning. Some visitors return to find their offerings arranged in perfect circles or patterns. This phenomenon happens so frequently that locals consider it normal activity at the site.

Ghost Stories & Reports

The most enduring legend involves walking backward around Alice’s grave thirteen times. According to tradition, you must complete thirteen counterclockwise circles while thinking of your beloved. Alice will then grant you true love or reunite you with a lost love. Many visitors report feeling dizzy or disoriented during this ritual, even though they’re walking slowly.

One popular account comes from a young woman in the 1970s who performed the ritual. She completed all thirteen circles and felt someone grab her hand tightly. Looking down, she saw no one, but the pressure on her hand remained undeniable. She ran from the cemetery and married her high school sweetheart within six months.

A paranormal investigation team from Charleston documented strange electromagnetic field spikes around the tombstone in 2003. Their equipment registered readings that indicated an intelligent presence responding to questions. When investigators asked about the ring, their meters went completely off the scale. One team member’s wedding ring flew off her finger and landed on Alice’s grave.

Local historian Nancy Bostick recorded dozens of firsthand accounts for her research on Alice Flagg. Multiple witnesses described seeing a young girl in antebellum dress near the grave after sunset. Some visitors reported hearing soft crying or whispered words they couldn’t quite make out. The emotional residue of Alice’s heartbreak seems permanently imprinted on the location.

A Georgetown couple visiting in 1998 brought their engagement ring to show Alice. They wanted to honor her lost love by sharing their happiness. As they stood by the grave, a sudden wind knocked the ring from the woman’s hand. They searched for over an hour but never found it, despite the area being flat and clear.

Tour guides from Murrells Inlet report that Alice seems more active during wedding season from May through October. Brides-to-be often visit to ask for Alice’s blessing on their marriages. Many of these visitors experience the strongest paranormal activity, including full-body apparitions. Alice appears particularly drawn to young women wearing white dresses or carrying flowers.

The Hermitage Plantation, Alice’s former home, also experiences paranormal activity related to her spirit. Guests at what is now a private residence report seeing a young woman in white on the stairs. She’s been spotted looking out from second-floor windows toward the direction of All Saints Cemetery. Some believe Alice divides her time between her grave and her former home.

Most Haunted Spot

Alice Flagg’s actual tombstone is unquestionably the most active paranormal location in All Saints Cemetery. The simple marble marker sits in the old section of the graveyard, approximately fifty feet from the main path. Visitors immediately sense a heavy, melancholic energy the moment they approach the grave.

The area directly surrounding the tombstone experiences the most dramatic temperature fluctuations and electromagnetic anomalies. Many psychic mediums claim they can feel Alice’s presence most strongly within a three-foot radius of the marker. The ground in front of her grave stays strangely worn despite the cemetery’s caretakers reseeding the grass regularly.

The oak tree standing about ten feet from Alice’s grave is another hotspot for activity. Its trunk reportedly bears the impressions of a young woman’s face in the bark patterns. Visitors who touch this tree often report feeling overwhelming sadness or experiencing sudden emotional reactions. Some people have burst into tears without understanding why.

Can You Visit?

All Saints Cemetery is open to the public for respectful visitation during daylight hours. The cemetery closes officially at dusk, though enforcement varies. There is no entry fee to visit the cemetery grounds. The church and cemetery maintain the property as an active burial ground, so visitors must be respectful.

Self-guided tours are permitted, and Alice Flagg’s grave is easy to locate with its distinctive simple marker. Several local tour companies in Murrells Inlet and Georgetown offer guided ghost tours that include the cemetery. These tours typically run on Friday and Saturday evenings during tourist season from March through November. Reservations are recommended for organized tours, which usually cost between twenty and thirty dollars per person.

Photography is allowed throughout the cemetery grounds for personal use. Many visitors come specifically to attempt capturing paranormal evidence on camera. Flash photography is permitted, though respectful behavior near other graves is expected. Commercial photography requires permission from the church that manages the property.

Daytime visiting hours are generally from dawn until dusk, approximately 7 AM to 7 PM depending on season. The cemetery technically prohibits visitors after dark due to safety and liability concerns. However, the rural location means enforcement is limited, and many paranormal enthusiasts visit at night anyway. Anyone visiting after dark does so at their own risk and may be asked to leave.

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity at Alice Flagg’s grave occurs year-round but peaks during specific times and conditions. Most supernatural encounters happen between dusk and midnight, particularly during the golden hour just after sunset. The romantic, soft light of this time seems to draw Alice’s spirit out more frequently.

Full moon nights generate significantly more paranormal reports than other times of the month. The additional natural light may make Alice’s apparition more visible to visitors. Many locals believe Alice is most active on moonlit nights because she continues searching for her lost ring. Overcast, misty evenings also produce heightened activity, perhaps because the atmosphere mirrors the sorrowful nature of her story.

The anniversary of Alice’s death in 1849 supposedly brings the most intense paranormal experiences. Unfortunately, the exact date of her death wasn’t recorded on her tombstone. Most researchers believe she died sometime between February and April based on historical records. Spring months generally see increased supernatural activity at the grave.

Wedding season from May through October draws Alice’s spirit more actively to her grave. She seems responsive to couples and brides visiting to share their happiness or ask for blessings. Valentine’s Day also generates numerous reports of paranormal activity, with many people leaving romantic offerings. The anniversary of her birthday on an unknown date in late summer may also trigger increased manifestations.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

Mary Ellen Thompson, a Charleston resident, visited Alice’s grave in October 2015 with her fiancé. She completed the thirteen backward circles around the tombstone while her fiancé filmed on his phone. When reviewing the video later, they discovered a glowing white figure standing behind Mary Ellen. The figure appeared in only three frames before vanishing completely.

Georgetown County historian Carrie Creel documented her experience at the grave in 2008. She was conducting research for a local history project on a warm afternoon in June. The temperature around Alice’s tombstone suddenly dropped so dramatically that Creel could see her breath. The cold lasted approximately thirty seconds before the temperature returned to normal summer heat.

A paranormal investigation group called Carolina Ghost Hunters spent the night near Alice’s grave in 2011. Lead investigator James Morrison reported capturing multiple EVP recordings of a young female voice. The clearest recording allegedly says “find my ring” in a pleading, desperate tone. The team also documented their compass spinning wildly whenever they asked about Alice’s lost engagement ring.

Local resident Patricia Henderson shared her grandmother’s story from the 1950s with the Georgetown Times. Her grandmother walked backward around the grave and felt someone take her hand gently. She described the touch as cold but comforting, like a friend offering support. Six weeks later, she met the man who would become her husband of fifty years.

A college student from Coastal Carolina University named Rebecca Martinez visited in 2019 for a class project. She left a small ring as an offering at the grave’s base. When she returned the next day to photograph the site, her offering had disappeared. In its place was a single white rose, though no roses grew anywhere in the cemetery.

Tourist David Fletcher from Ohio documented his 2017 visit in a viral Facebook post. His daughter performed the backward walking ritual while Fletcher photographed the scene. Every single photo showed strange light anomalies and orbs around his daughter. The family’s camera inexplicably deleted all the photos that same night, though Fletcher had uploaded several to social media first.

Local Legends & Myths

Beyond the traditional thirteen-circle ritual, local legends suggest alternative ways to contact Alice’s spirit. Some Low country families believe that leaving a ring at her grave will bring you dreams of your true love. Young women supposedly dream of their future husbands’ faces after making this offering. The rings left as offerings rarely remain more than a day or two before mysteriously vanishing.

Another legend claims that Alice appears to young women facing forbidden love or family disapproval of their relationships. She supposedly offers comfort to those experiencing similar heartbreak to her own tragic romance. Multiple women have reported feeling an invisible presence embrace them while crying at the grave. These witnesses describe feeling sudden peace and acceptance after their emotional encounters.

Some versions of the legend say Alice’s lover died of grief shortly after learning of her death. Local folklore suggests he’s buried in an unmarked grave somewhere in Georgetown County. Believers claim that if you help reunite Alice with knowledge of her lover’s grave location, she’ll grant any wish. However, no historical evidence confirms the young man’s identity or burial place.

A darker legend suggests that Alice curses anyone who disrespects her grave or mocks her story. Several accounts describe vandals or skeptics who damaged the tombstone experiencing runs of terrible luck. One story tells of teenagers who urinated on the grave in 1985 and died in a car accident that same night. While unverified, the tale serves as a cautionary warning to treat the site respectfully.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) investigated All Saints Cemetery for a potential Ghost Hunters episode in 2009. While the segment never aired, team members reportedly captured significant evidence of intelligent haunting. Their thermal imaging cameras detected a human-shaped cold spot moving independently through the cemetery. The anomaly registered approximately thirty degrees colder than the surrounding air temperature.

Paranormal researcher Joshua Warren included Alice Flagg’s grave in his 2005 book on Southern hauntings. Warren spent three nights conducting experiments at the location using electromagnetic field detectors and audio equipment. He documented consistent EMF spikes occurring in response to questions about Alice’s ring and lost love. Warren concluded that an intelligent entity definitely haunts the specific location of Alice’s grave.

Georgetown Ghost Tours has conducted over two hundred investigations at the cemetery since 2001. Owner Michael Rogers maintains detailed logs of paranormal activity reported by tour guests. Over seventy percent of evening tour groups report experiencing at least one unexplainable phenomenon. Rogers’ most compelling evidence includes photographs showing a translucent female figure near the tombstone on multiple occasions.

The University of South Carolina’s Caroliniana Library houses historical documents related to the Flagg family. Researchers have verified the basic facts of Alice’s life and death through plantation records and family letters. While the romantic details may have been embellished over generations, Alice Flagg definitely existed and died young. Her unmarked grave represents a verified historical tragedy that lends credibility to the haunting claims.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

All Saints Cemetery is an active burial ground that deserves respect from all visitors. Vandalism, littering, or disrespecting graves can result in criminal trespassing charges. Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office occasionally patrols the cemetery, especially after dark. Anyone caught on the property after closing may face fines or arrest.

The cemetery grounds include uneven terrain, exposed tree roots, and old tombstones that could cause trips and falls. Visitors should watch their footing carefully, especially when walking backward around Alice’s grave. The area has no lighting, making nighttime visits particularly hazardous. Bringing a flashlight is essential for safety, though many paranormal enthusiasts prefer minimal light for investigations.

Mosquitoes and other insects are extremely aggressive in the Low country, particularly near the marshlands surrounding the cemetery. Visitors should use insect repellent and wear appropriate clothing to prevent bites. The area also hosts venomous snakes including copperheads and cottonmouths that may be encountered in warmer months. Staying on established paths and watching where you step is crucial for safety.

The cemetery has no facilities, parking lot, or amenities of any kind. Visitors must park along the shoulder of Kings River Road and walk to the graveyard. Traffic moves quickly on this rural road, so extreme caution is necessary when parking and crossing. Bringing water and necessary supplies is recommended, as the nearest stores are several miles away in Murrells Inlet.

Cursed or Haunted Objects

Alice Flagg’s lost engagement ring has become the most famous cursed object in South Carolina paranormal lore. The ring was reportedly a simple gold band, modest by the Flagg family’s wealthy standards. Its exact location remains unknown after over 170 years, though many have searched the Hermitage grounds. Some paranormal researchers believe finding the ring would finally allow Alice’s spirit to rest peacefully.

The tombstone itself carries a reputation for unusual properties beyond just marking Alice’s grave. Visitors report that the marble feels unnaturally cold to the touch regardless of air temperature. Some claim the stone becomes warm when someone mentions Alice’s lover or expresses sympathy for her plight. The simple inscription of “Alice” seems to glow faintly in certain lighting conditions, though this may be explained by mineral content.

Rings left as offerings at Alice’s grave frequently disappear under mysterious circumstances. Cemetery caretakers claim they don’t remove these items, yet few offerings remain for more than a few days. Paranormal enthusiasts theorize that Alice’s spirit collects rings to replace her lost engagement band. Some visitors deliberately leave inexpensive rings, hoping their offering will somehow bring Alice peace and eternal rest.

The ribbon Alice wore to hide her engagement ring has never been found or preserved. Local legend suggests it was buried with her or destroyed by her furious brother. Some psychics claim to sense the ribbon’s presence at the grave, describing it as bright red or blue. If the ribbon still exists somewhere, it would certainly qualify as one of the most historically significant haunted artifacts in the American South.

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