Ghost story writer comes to Hartsville Oct. 30

On Halloween eve, Tally Johnson, author of three books on South Carolina ghost stories, will be visiting Burry Bookstore from 4 to 5:30 p.m.  to share some of his favorite ghost tales and sign copies of his new book “Ghosts of the Pee Dee.” This is a free event.

“From the swamps of Kershaw County to an abandoned graveyard underneath South of the Border, the South Carolina’s Pee Dee is home to a rich heritage and a sometimes frightening past,” he writes.

Johnson begins the chapter on each county with a brief history and mentions some of the most famous people to have come from the area.

The storyteller and author examines whether there is a shred of truth behind the ghostly legends handed down in this region that has seen “revolution and war, tragedy and triumph.” The author’s glimpse into the Pee Dee’s past reveals that it is “far stranger than anyone ever imagined.”

Some of the stories he explores include the origin of the ghost tale of Lamar High School and the tale of Coker College’s legendary Madeline lurking in Memorial Hall. Have you heard the tale of the big, white house, now torn down, near Coker College that was supposedly haunted or the haunted cemetery in the county?

Johnson writes about all of these tales in his book and, in some cases, the lack of evidence to support such stories.

A graduate of Southern Methodist College and Wofford College, Johnson completed degrees in history at both institutions. In continuing his education, he pursued a master’s in history from Winthrop University. Johnson, a librarian at Great Falls Library, is also a journalist and writes a column on Chester County history for the Chester News & Reporter. Part of his outreach to local schools and the surrounding area began by telling stories of S.C. ghosts. “Ghosts of the South Carolina Upcountry” and “Ghosts of the South Carolina Midlands” are Johnson’s other two ghost books.

Info: (843) 332-2511 or .