History And Haunting – The Highlander A British Pub In North Augusta
The Highlander, a British Pub, in North Augusta, South Carolina is a unique spot that may also be a hotspot for paranormal activity. On Sunday evening, me and Ricky (with Paranormal Truth Seekers) had a chance to check out the building and talk to some of the employees and some of the regulars who have had some interesting experiences.
History Of The Highlander In North Augusta
One of the previous employees, Bobbie, told us so much about the history of the building. She talked about it being built by a doctor from MCG for his German girlfriend to make her feel more at home. Throughout the years, the building has housed various things, including a restaurant, possibly an inn, and even a dive school.
The Highlander is located at 133B Georgia Avenue in North Augusta. It is just across the bridge from downtown Augusta, and really close to SRP Park. It became known as “The Highlander” in 1979 when David and Celia Drakeley bought it. It’s the longest-running British pub in the CSRA.
David Drakeley was originally from England. He and his wife moved to North Augusta in 1977, and David became a regular at the bar. By 1978, he decided he wanted to buy it. And when he did, he wanted to bring a taste of home to the location.
David passed away in 2014, and his daughters continued to run the business the way their parents had. The menu still has items David and Celia added when they first opened.
During our tour, we learned the building was moved back a bit when they expanded Georgia Avenue. The building was also added onto at some point as well. Just from our brief time walking around, we were amazed at the interesting layout. There are a lot of little rooms and makes you wonder what it was like back when it was first built.
We also learned of various things that have taken place, like a man being shot by the fireplace (you can see that spot in the pictures below). And two other people were killed in the parking lot. There are also ashes of a patron who would visit from Wisconsin. He wanted part of his ashes to stay at The Highlander. They sit above the bar in a flask with his name and photo on it.
Paranormal Activity At The Highlander
With such a history, you’d have to expect there could be a potential for some paranormal activity at The Highlander. In fact, Ricky had asked about places to investigate, when someone mentioned this place. Neither he nor I had ever been there. I’ve driven by The Highlander numerous times but had never been in.
Kara, one of the employees, told us that to her knowledge, she didn’t know if anyone had ever investigated the building. I thought that was really exciting to have the opportunity to be among the first to follow up on some strange occurrences that employees and patrons have had throughout the years.
While we were there, Kara talked to us about being in the building alone prior to opening and often hearing someone call her name. But she’s not worried. She simply says hello and lets them know she’s there to work. She has also seen things fall off of the shelf above the bar.
Two other people in the bar told us about a time when a beer bottle was sitting on a shelf above the bar and just busted. Kara said she was there for that experience. Those same two people said they stayed overnight to see what would happen. While the woman had to leave early, her nephew stayed and fell asleep in the old office.
During the night, the guy was woken up by the sound of beer bottles rattling. He got up to investigate and didn’t find anyone. But shortly after that, he saw the front door on fire. Thankfully he was able to get the fire extinguisher and put out the fire before any major damage was done. They both said it was like something was trying to wake him up to warn him of the fire.
I’m sure there are many more stories that we haven’t heard yet. Bobbie actually connected us with Celia Drakeley, who we can’t wait to sit down with to hear her many stories from her years there. I’ll update you with any new stories we learn!
We didn’t have a lot of paranormal activity while we were there. The craziest thing that happened was we walked in this back hallway, and on our way back out, we saw a broken pool stick in the middle of the area we walked through. None of us remembered seeing it when we first walked through. We would have had to step over it or move it to the side.
We’re hoping to go back at some point, either prior to their opening or at closing, to do a more in-depth investigation. And I can’t wait. Even if we don’t pick up anything, I’m so glad I had a chance to check out this unique spot in North Augusta and learn about its history.
Visiting The Highlander
The Highlander is open every day from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. They host a variety of events throughout the week, including karaoke, open mic nights, trivia, and live music. You can see the latest events on their Facebook page.
Photos At The Highlander
