Salem Black River Church and cemetery

Salem Black River Church and cemetery, Sumter SC

This church is one of the first brick churches built in the state, and was supposedly built around 1846. This place has a dark feel to it to some who have entered it's gates, and sometimes you will even get a feeling of fear rush over you. From the churches Greek Revival architecture, it's solid columns standing tall, it's brick walls scaling over you, the cemetery's mossy atmosphere full of trees and thick brush, it's easy to say that spirits do no rest here. The churches worship hall even has a slave gallery, and who knows what type of evil could have been committed on it's grounds. Many call this The Southern Belle ghost, but there are more spirits that await within the churches grounds.

It is said that the church and it's two graveyards are haunted by a priest from the 1900's, his family may even walk these grounds. A plague had come over his family and killed everyone except him, he was the last member alive, during this time, he began to curse god, start satanic seances, and commit satanic mischief within the churches grounds. There is an old shack behind the church that apparently used to be his, some have said they have seen a solid dark figure standing inside while the lights are on, considering there is no glass on the windows on it anymore, it can be seen easier. The first cemetery apparently just has normal people buried within it's grounds, but the graveyard in the back, is where all of the priests reside, though that cemetery seems to be covered by thick brush and to many plants and trees to get through. Though some people have said once they have gotten to the far end of the first graveyard to the gate in the back, they could hear slight talking and whispers coming from within those trees. 

It is also not uncommon for cold spots to show up and temperatures to drop in different spots, more so in the back of the cemetery, cell phones and cameras have lost battery life here, along with seeing orbs, lights, an over whelming feeling that something is watching you, hearing whispers and even seeing a glimpse of what people say is the priest, some have even said to see a woman like figure walking through the cemetery with what seems to be an antebellum type dress which looks like it can be from the Civil War era. 

Though there seems to be one active spirit which has been seen, and it seems to be the lonely spirit of a little boy, he appears to be in between the ages 6 to 8, and is often seen near the front of the graveyard near the front gate and was described as being very sad and depressed, some have said to have heard a faint crying sound coming from the gate, and by the sounds you can tell that this spirit is in pain and grieving.

With my experience at this church, I have noticed my phone and camera batteries being completely drained, along with an over whelming feeling that I was being watched, I know for sure that I have seen a figure in the very back that looked like a mans figure, but once I shined the last bit of light from my flashlight in that direction, something dashed out of it's way, I have also heard a faint crying sound, I have yet to see the woman that is claimed to be there, so I can't say that she is there for sure. I wanted to walk through to the back to see the gravestones, because I have seen some unmarked graves out there, but once I got close to where the trees line the path to the back, a very cold chill ran down my spine and a cold rush of air brushed against my face, it even happend to my friend that went with me at the time as well and we tried that at different times. When in fact no wind was blowing that night. 

Though this is still one of my favorite cemeteries to visit, it has a dark beauty within it's gates.