Haunted Children's Graveyard

Regularly I like to check my go-stats page to see what people are Googling to find this blog. "Coal Fired Pizza" and "Swamp Rabbit Trail" are two popular phrases that lead people here. But last October, a number of people Googled the phrase, "Haunted Children's Graveyard, Greenville, SC" or something similar. This usually led them to this post about Graveyard Fields in North Carolina. Recently I noticed a few more hits from this search phrase so I decided to Google it myself and see what this was all about.

It turns out that there is a graveyard near Furman University with tomb stones dating back to the 1700's and supposedly it's haunted and supposedly it contains mostly children. So I decided to stop by and check it out. What I found was disturbing. First I should say that it appears that the tombs were for people of all ages, not just children although most of them were impossible to read so maybe I'm wrong. Also I should say that I saw no ghosts. Maybe they were hiding or maybe they just don't show up for skeptics. What I did witness was massive vandalism of the graveyard. In addition there was a large amount of trash which consisted mostly of beer cans and items of clothing, making me wonder what kind of people were partying there.

I also found a grave that someone had clearly robbed, for God knows what reason.









If this kind of thing interests you then you may find the following of interest as well:
Haunted Asheville Ghost Tour
Charleston Ghost Tours

Also check out local blogger Tom's Ghost Towns of South Carolina. Also Tom has created a cool KMZ file that opens up in Google Earth showing the various so-called haunted sites around town: South Carolina Hauntings

Distance from downtown Greenville: 5.3 miles.


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John Rock

Like Looking Glass Rock, John Rock is a pluton. Located a half mile or so from Looking Glass, the hike to the top of John Rock is a little shorter than the one to Looking Glass. You start at a fish hatchery built by the Works Progress Administration. A five mile loop to John Rock via the Cat's Gap Trail, is detailed here. There are many great campsites along the way.

Looking Glass Rock as seen from the summit of John Rock.

As with many places in the Pisgah National Forest, the beavers have been very industrious.

Beaver Dam.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 60 miles.


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Best Downtown Restaurants

In keeping with the theme of A Day's Walk in Greenville I thought I'd include a list of the best restaurants within a block of Main Street. This is not an exhaustive list. It's a list of my favorites and it only includes non-chain restaurants.

Image above from the media gallery from the website of one of Greenville's newest restaurants, Stellar Wine Bar.

Click here for detailed information of each restaurant targeted below.


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Greenville Pub Crawl

Considering the high price of gas, I thought a couple of posts focusing on a Day's Walk in Greenville might be in order.

There was a time not too long ago when finding beer that didn't have the words Bud, Miller or Coors on the label would require a drive to Saluda, Flat Rock or Asheville, but no more. Greenville is now an ideal place for a Saturday afternoon pub crawl. Obviously as a responsible drinker you wouldn't want to hit all of these in one afternoon, nor would you want to drive yourself  home afterwards, but here's a suggestion for some potential places to find an excellent variety of craft beer. (Stay tuned for the Asheville Pub Crawl in an upcoming post.) Think you might like to learn how to make your own craft beer? Check out the Upstate Brewtopians.

The following locations are all within a block of Main Street and cover approximately two miles. Click here for details of each location.


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Roan Mountain

Roan Mountain is a treasure trove of wildlife and mountain flora. The summit of Roan sits at almost 6300 feet so even in the middle of summer the days are cool and crisp. The elevation also means that you'll experience a boreal forest of spruce, cedar and fir.

Roan is also known for it's rhododendron, which typically bloom in June. A series of very easy trails at the summit will allow you to explore the rhodos. Another trail will take you to Roan High Bluff, which offers a lookout (that on windy days can blow you right off the mountain).

The Appalachian Trail also runs across the summit of Roan then continues over several balds.









The images to the left include, Round Bald, Jane's Bald, Little Hump Mountain and Hump Mountain. A state park with camping, cabins, and a pool is located at a lower elevation. For more images and further descriptions of the Roan Mountain area, please check out Mark Peacock's Blog.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 125 miles.


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Smiley's Acoustic Cafe

With the high price of gas, it's nice that there are so many great places within Greenville County. One such place is Smiley's Acoustic Cafe. One of the latest additions to the West End, Smiley's a great little pubish style restaurant offering good beer, wine and food selections. The store front may not be much to look at but the dining/listening area is comfortable and quaint.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 0 miles.


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On the Verandah

On the Verandah is a semi-casual restaurant with an upscale menu overlooking a serene mountain lake in HIghlands, NC. They offer an extensive wine list and a short but good beer list. The mountain trout with pecan butter sauce and the shrimp dumpling appetizer is superb. They also make a killer creme brulee.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 76 miles


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