After almost 200 years, many claim this ghost still shows his fury

Constructed in 1786, the old Beaufort County Courthouse is the second oldest standing courthouse in North Carolina. It served as the court building until the early 1970s, when the new courthouse was erected around the corner. Today, this old building serves as the headquarters for the Beaufort-Hyde-Martin Regional Library system, located on the ground floor. The second floor is still the old courtroom. It’s a place where you can step back in time. It’s a place that is haunted.

Thus begins the tale of the old Beaufort County Courthouse as written and told by Washington’s ghost whisperer, Terry Rollins. Rollins, who works by day as a librarian at Washington’s Brown Library, is a lover of storytelling, history and the supernatural. For the last 13 years, he has been leading historic ghost walks on Saturdays from May through October.

A highlight of any visit to ‘Little’ Washington, these walks are about so much more than giving spooks and shivers. They are the true stories of an incredible history in a well-preserved town.

“Although we’ve had two great fires over time that have destroyed much of the original downtown, there are still survivors,” Rollins said. To illustrate, he points to the Old Bank of Washington, several historic homes, the St. Peter’s Church Cemetery and, of course, the old Beaufort County Courthouse.

Because of the historical nature, it is common for lovers of history to frequent these walks as much as lovers of the supernatural. Those who are looking for a ghost story come away with a richer sense of the history of Washington; those who came for the history, well, maybe they came away with a little more belief in the unknown.

“We stop and encourage people to take pictures. People show me images they have caught with orbs of light, flashes of things coming up from the ground, fully formed faces in windows and other things I can’t explain. Many times, we have stopped and, just as I’m getting ready to tell the story, the streetlight will go on and off, just at that one location,” said Rollins.

Specifically, the story and feel of the courthouse has shaken the coils of doubt off many skeptics. In 1853 Reverend George Carawan, a fire-and-brimstone preacher, was charged with the murder of schoolteacher Clement Lassiter. Reverend Carawan accused the teacher of indecent liberties with his wife, a charge the teacher and Carawan’s wife both vehemently denied. It was a story that rocked newspapers up and down the east coast, and the courthouse was packed on the day Carawan was found guilty.

Expecting the verdict, Carawan rose from his seat with two loaded pistols. He shot wildly about the room, causing raucous chaos, before turning a gun on himself and firing.

To this day, visitors to the courthouse feel the ominous presence of a bully, of someone filled with rage. For over 150 years, there have been reports of wild and unexplained sounds, from phantom gunshots to shattering glass. Often, librarians working downstairs have rushed up after hearing furniture being overturned, only to discover the courthouse still and empty and everything within, unmoved.

This is just one of the many stories shared on the historic ghost walks.

Beyond the incredibly packed history Washington offers, the setting for the walk is unmatched.

At the riverside, the fog often rolls in just in time to hear the tales of Blackbeard. And at St. Peter’s Church Cemetery, the moss hanging from the trees creates enough lacy shadow to question what’s just beyond focus.

“What we have here is spectacular. We are a hidden gem in so many ways. And these stories have been preserved and cared for over time,” said Rollins.

There are two unique ghost walks visitors can experience. The traditional walk takes place on the first Saturdays, May through October, and includes the stories of the old Beaufort County Courthouse, St. Peter’s Church cemetery, Blackbeard, and homes along Water Street.

The Downtown West Side Ghost Walk takes place on the third Saturdays and includes stories from Turnage Theatre, Brown Library, the Havens House, and the tale of General Grimes, who haunts the US-17 Business Bridge.

Additional walks are added during the Halloween season and guests are always invited to inquire about private walks for special events or group visits.

To learn more, visit their Facebook page: Washington Haunts – the historic ghost walk.