BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Every corner of the US has either a horror story or a haunted tale that has been passed down through generations, and the Golden Isles are no exception.
One act of horror that happened more than 100 years ago mirrors stories of present-day mass murder, and it’s known as the “Brunswick Massacre of 1915.”
The massacre happened in downtown Brunswick when a realtor named Monroe Phillips, who was upset over a money matter, entered what would later be called the Dunwoody Building and started a killing spree.
Phillips was armed with a shotgun when he shot 4 people, killing prominent attorney Harry Dunwoody and police officer R.N. Deaver, who had only been on the job for six days.
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Afterwards, Phillips went on a shooting rampage throughout downtown Brunswick, wounding 30 people and killing three more before he was finally shot and killed.
Another tale involves the St. Simons Island lighthouse that is said to be haunted following a murder in 1880.
Lighthouse Land and Sea tour guide, Harry Paisley, conducts haunted tours and knows the lighthouse’s history. He tells News4JAX that the murder involved Fredrick Osborn, the lighthouse keeper, and Osborn’s assistant John Stevens.
“They argued over a woman,” Paisley explained. “Fred got mad and pulled a pistol, and John went up to his room and grabbed a shotgun. He came back down and shot Fred.”
The lighthouse is believed to be haunted by Osborn’s spiritual presence. Strange, unexplained smells and appearances in a window at night have supposedly been documented and photographed by visitors.
“It looks like a human skull looking out the window,” said Paisley, who commented on a photo he was shown by a visitor.
To this day, St. Simons Island Lighthouse is ranked number three of the ten most haunted lighthouses in the country.
Also, on St. Simons Island is the tale of “Wandering Mary.” A night stroll along the St. Simons Island coastline can be therapeutic, unless you come across her ghost.
According to stories, when Mary was alive, she was in love with the son of a plantation owner who decided to disembark from the island to the mainland in a rowboat during a hurricane.
But he never made it to the mainland.
“He died at sea. She went down looking for him, and all she found was bits and pieces of his boat,” said Paisley, who went on to mention that Mary was so grief-stricken that she committed suicide by drowning herself.
Her ghost is believed to still be wandering at night in search of her lost loved one.
“She’s been seen everywhere on this island searching for him. Most of the time, carrying a lantern. Sometimes weeping,” said Paisley.
Wandering Mary is said to have scared away a dog being walked by its owner at night. She is also said to have been seen from the air by pilots making their final landing approach toward Saint Simons Island Airport.
Lighthouse Trolleys Land and Sea Tours is the only touring company on St. Simons Island that offers a 60-minute ghost tour , along with other types of
Paisley tells News4JAX that he has spent many years learning about the history and many stories of St. Simons Island, as well as Jekyll Island.
Anyone looking to go on a tour can reserve a spot online or call 912-638-3333.