Above ground mausoleum grave at historic Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston South Carolina. An old oak tree with moss hanging from its branches is in the background.
LCBallard / iStock / Getty Images PlusSince it is spooky season, it only makes sense to do a search for creepy stories and urban legends! That's when we discovered this story on Insider. They have a list of creepy urban legends from each state. But today, we'll take a look at the South Carolina Urban Legend.
South Carolina Urban Legend - Julia Legare
It's the story of the Legare Family. Have you heard about this one? While Edisto is a vacation spot for many people throughout the year, it is home to this urban legend. According to Insider, the Legares were a "well-to-do South Carolinian family" in the 1800s. They had homes on South Carolina's mainland, as well as on Edisto Island. At some point, a family member who was visiting the island, Julia, got sick and wound up passing away.
The family buried Julia inside their family mausoleum. But the story doesn't stop there. Another family member would pass away years later. When they opened up the mausoleum to bury this family member, Julia's remains were found OUTSIDE of her coffin.
As the legend says, it seems Julia may have been in a coma, instead of dead. Upon waking up from that coma, she may have tried to escape but did wind up dying.
Leave That Door Open!
That's not the only strange thing about the family's burial spot. After the first re-opening of the mausoleum, the door does not want to stay shut. Even after multiple doors were put in place, they continued to find the door open. Some people think Julia's ghost didn't want to stay locked inside the mausoleum. And now, according to the story on EdistoBeach.com, there is no door anymore. It's just broken marble in the grassy doorway on the tomb.
Some people believe Julia's spirit can now be at rest, while others believe she's keeping watch over the mausoleum to ensure no one puts a door back. Visitors often stop by the Edisto Island Presbyterian Church where the cemetery is located to take a look around. Some even walk inside the mausoleum. There are reports of strange feelings and unexplainable things captured on cameras. But for the most part, Julia's spirit doesn't seem to mind the visitors... just leave that door open!
