Outdoor Exploration
Self-Guided Park Visit
Walk the live-oak shaded paths, view the Civil War cannons and pirate hanging memorial marker, and stand on the seawall where Ashley and Cooper rivers meet the harbor.
- Duration:
- 45 min
Outdoor / Natural Site
White Point Garden (The Battery)
Charleston's harbor-tip park, established as a public garden in 1837, was the 1718 hanging ground for 49 pirates including 29 of Stede Bonnet's crew - executions still echo in the live oaks.
2 Murray Boulevard, Charleston, SC 29401
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 4sources
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free public park.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Mostly level paved and shell-gravel paths under live oaks; some uneven ground near monuments.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1837 · Site of the 1718 mass execution of 49 pirates including Stede Bonnet and 29 crew of the Revenge · Established as a public park in 1837 · Civil War harbor-defense site; cannon and memorial-monument collection on the grounds · Anchor of Charleston's Battery promenade
The park occupies the southern tip of the Charleston peninsula, where the Ashley and Cooper rivers converge into Charleston Harbor. The 'white point' originally referred to a publicly owned site of oyster shoals visible at low tide. The City of Charleston formally established the area as a public park in 1837, and through the 19th century it filled with live oaks, walking paths, monuments, and an ornamental bandstand.
The site is best known for the autumn 1718 pirate executions. On November 8, 1718, twenty-nine pirates from the crew of the Revenge - the ship of Major Stede Bonnet - were hanged near the white point as a warning to other freebooters operating in southern Atlantic waters. Bonnet himself was hanged on December 10, 1718. Later in the month, nineteen more pirates from the crew of Captain Richard Worley were executed at the same place. Over roughly five weeks, forty-nine pirates were hanged at the water's edge, and their bodies were left on display in chains. A granite memorial marker was placed near the northeast corner of White Point Garden in 1943 to commemorate the executions.
The park also saw use during the Civil War for harbor defense. Today an array of Civil War-era cannons and several memorials and monuments dot the grounds. White Point Garden remains one of Charleston's most photographed public spaces and the anchor of the Battery promenade.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Point_Garden
- https://www.ccpl.org/charleston-time-machine/pirate-executions-1718
- https://charlestondaily.net/the-story-of-the-pirate-hangings-at-white-point-garden-historic-charleston-sc/
- https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pirate-hanging-site-monument
Apparitions among the live oaks at nightFaces seen in the harbor surface near the seawallDisembodied screams at nightSense of being watched while walking the grounds
Charleston's ghost-tour ecosystem treats White Point Garden as one of the city's foundational haunted sites. According to Ghost City Tours and Southern Spirit Guide, visitors most often report a heavy, watched-from-behind sensation while walking the seawall after dusk, and night strollers sometimes describe brief glimpses of dark figures swinging or standing motionless beneath the oldest live oaks - imagery tied directly to the 1718 mass hangings.
A more specific motif involves faces appearing in the harbor surface near Water Street and along the southern seawall, recounted across multiple Charleston-area paranormal sources. Disembodied screams attributed to the executed pirates and to victims of antebellum duels fought on the grounds are reported sporadically. Ghost-tour guides also point to lingering presences connected to Confederate dead from the harbor defenses.
With no central paranormal investigation organization on record at the site and the lore drawn primarily from tour-operator retellings of well-documented historical violence, the phenomena reported here are largely contemporary folk testimony rather than verified incidents. The historical anchor - the 1718 mass execution - is, however, unusually well-documented for an American haunted-site narrative.
Notable Entities
Stede Bonnet (the 'Gentleman Pirate', hanged December 10, 1718)Crew of the Revenge (29 hanged November 8, 1718)Crew of Captain Richard Worley (19 hanged later November 1718)
Media Appearances
- Atlas Obscura: Stede Bonnet Hanging Site
Plan Your Visit
2 ways to experience Walking Tour
Charleston Pirate & Ghost Walking Tour Stop
White Point Garden anchors most Charleston pirate and ghost walking tours, covering the 1718 executions of Stede Bonnet and his crew alongside Civil War and dueling history.
- Duration:
- 30 min
#south-carolina
#charleston
#outdoor-park
#pirate-history
#civil-war
#the-battery
#historic-district
Sources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is White Point Garden (The Battery) family-friendly?
Open public park; pirate-execution history is part of its draw and is age-appropriately discussed on tours. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit White Point Garden (The Battery)?
Free public park. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is White Point Garden (The Battery) wheelchair accessible?
Yes, White Point Garden (The Battery) is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Mostly level paved and shell-gravel paths under live oaks; some uneven ground near monuments..