Many consider the Old Charleston Jail to be the most haunted prison in the world.
The building has housed scores of notorious criminals over the years, including America’s first female serial killer.
So it’s no surprise that ghost-hunters say that tortured spirits walk through its halls.
But is the South Carolina prison as haunted as its reputation suggests?
Daily Star Online caught up with Nikki DuBose, an author with a keen interest in the paranormal.
The scare-seeker spent a night at the spooky location – and describes the experience as terrifying.
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Nikki grew up in Charleston, so she’s familiar with all the folklore that surrounds the jail.
Growing up, she heard legends about inmates that were held in the prison.
One of the most notorious names is Lavinia Fisher, who was imprisoned from 1793-1820.
The murderess, who is believed to be the first female serial killer of the USA, was part of a large gang of highwaymen.
Her M.O. involved inviting lone travellers out for dinner with her.
And apparently, she’d poison her targets with tea if she found out they had any money.
The serial killer was given the death penalty in February 1820 and was hanged months later.
But two centuries on, Lavinia continues to cause terror.
Tourists of the Old Charleston Jail House claim they’ve seen the murderer’s ghoul.
This story was enough to deter Nikki from entering the prison when she was younger.
She admitted: “The very first time I visited the jail many years ago I didn't want to go inside.
“From the outside, the jail just feels demonic, it has a very menacing presence to it and it can be quite intimidating.”
Years on, Nikki feels braver about entering the prison
Last week, the 34-year-old faced her fears and spent a night at the location.
She was probably pleased that she didn’t run into the spirit of Lavinia when she visited, but her night wasn’t free from terror.
The ghost-hunter felt sick as soon as she walked into the jail – and noticed a “bad” feeling in the pit of her stomach.
She revealed: “I have personally encountered what I believe were paranormal experiences.
“I’ve had my hair pulled, been pushed by something that wasn't there, and have become extremely nauseous upon entering different rooms in the jail.
“I also consider myself to be highly sensitive to ghosts and can pick up which rooms are more haunted before the guide will say anything.
“I get a 'bad' feeling or hear a voice telling me beforehand, and it always checks out with the tour guide.”
Nikki snapped pictures as she perused the rooms – and believes she the manifestation of a ghost in one of them.
She said: “I have had the feeling of being watched in some of the rooms as I am walking by.
“In one of the recent photos I took I caught what I believe to be an orb.”
If that wasn’t enough to send a shiver down the writer’s spine, she also recalls being haunted by the spirit of a young boy.
She remembered: “Another experience really unnerved me though; as we were reaching the very end of our tour this last time, the guide was telling us about a young ghost boy who haunted the jail by the name of ‘Animal.’
“He liked to go around the room and pretend like he was a cat or a dog and scratch people's feet.
“Someone had even caught footage of a dark presence sulking around the room, similar to an animal.
“That was the only time where I really nearly lost my mind.”
As Charleston jail has housed so many troubled inmates, Nikki isn’t surprised that her experience was so chilling.
She explained: “Well I believe that places hold energy, and that can be good or bad.
“For example, if a crime is committed in a house, then that place is more likely to hold the energy of the person or people who died in that house.
“A jail can hold thousands of energy – and these are usually people who were not happy; think back to that time period in the early 1800s, and these are people who were murderers without proper medical care, running water and electricity.
"Miserable souls, plotting all the time to harm others and possibly themselves.
“These were people who were waiting to be hung right outside in the gallows and once they were, their souls kind of stayed there at the jail. It's so very sad.”
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This isn’t the first building that’s spooked Nikki in the past.
Previously, the author told Daily Star Online what it was like to visit America’s most haunted hotel.
Suicides, murders and mysterious deaths have all been linked to the location.
To find out more about Nikki and her adventures, follow her on Instagram or visit her website here.
- Ghosts
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