Hear tales of the haunted museum at Richland Library

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A museum filled with artifacts from every war in which South Carolinians have fought since the American Revolution inevitably contains many artifacts that were once the treasured possessions of people who, alas, are now long dead and gone. Or are they?

Particularly at this time of year, we all contemplate tales of “the departed” who apparently have not, well, departed. In a museum filled with the things that once played critical roles in the lives of those same people, things sometimes happen that are hard to explain.

So it is that at noon on October 31, in the theater of the Richland Library main location on Assembly Street in Columbia, Joe Long – curator of education at the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum – will present “Tales of Gore and Folklore.” The lecture is free and open to all, and should prove an excellent way of getting in a proper frame of mind for trick-or-treating when the sun goes down.

Note that these programs have been on Fridays in the past, but this one will be on a Thursday instead. Weird stuff happens at Halloween.

Joe will speak about things that extend beyond spooks, covering for instance the history of the holiday itself in South Carolina. He will explain how most of the customs we associate with Halloween were unknown in the first half of our state’s history, but developed during the 20th century.

But quite a few of the specific ghostly South Carolina legends he will speak of occurred well before that. He will tell about such mysteries as:

• The general who had not lost his foot after all.
• The ghost who was missing his cane, and sought it in the museum.
• The bullet that wounded a horse – “Old Jim” of Aiken – but didn’t stop him from being a legend later on.
• How South Carolina sailors during the First World War helped create the legend of the Bermuda Triangle.
• Weirdness arising from some of the many deadly duels fought in the Palmetto State.

Yes, those descriptions are sketchy. But as Joe says, if he spelled out in advance the surprises in store for those who attend the talk, why would they come? Does a haunted house tell you exactly what is behind that door you are tempted to open? Of course not.

In the past, similar programs have been hosted at the Relic Room itself, amid the artifacts that fuel such tales. But the museum has been closed to general admission for several months for renovation and reorganization of artifacts, and while it is expected to reopen soon, that won’t quite happen in time for Halloween.

Richland Library has lent the museum its beautiful theater for several live programs during the closure, and these events have been well attended. Come on out on All Hallows Eve to help make this one a success as well. You will be glad you did.