Haunted Locations & Events in North Carolina to Inspire Your Next Thriller

You don’t have to look far for inspiration when setting out to write chilling content in North Carolina. Our state is home to a host of authors delivering freshly brewed horror tales. Read on, if you dare, for details on local meet-ups and frights to spur your creativity.

Seven Spooky Spots to Set a Horror Story in North Carolina

It’s no surprise that our state is teeming with horror stories. Just look at our rugged terrain and you’ll quickly see why a state known for riptides, shifting sandbars, and mountain passes might be home to souls with some gnarly last moments. Our state’s history is rife with pirates, Civil War battles, and countless hurricanes to spur stories for years to come. 

1. The Devil’s Tramping Ground is located in Chatham County. It’s a clearing where no plants grow that sparked local tales of nightly visits by the devil himself.

   
   

2. The Maco Light legend originated when a train conductor, Joe Baldwin, was decapitated in a train wreck and his lantern was thrown from the impact. It’s said to burn to this day. 

   
   

3. Chimney Rock is said to host an aerial battle of flying spirits. Multiple sources claim to have seen them. Check it out and add your personal twist to the ghost lore above the rock.

   
   

4. The Lawson Family Murder Museum, while not the scene of the crime, is believed to be haunted by the Lawson family, who was embalmed on the second floor. 

   
   

5. Brown Mountain Lights are unexplained lights appearing for centuries in the night sky in Morganton. Go see for yourself!

   
   

6. The North Carolina Executive Mansion is purportedly haunted by the spirit of its first dweller, David Fowle, who died in his bed a few months after moving into the residence. Later governors claimed to hear knocking sounds against the wall at 10 p.m. each night. 

   
   

7. The Oakwood Cemetery spans over seventy-two acres and is the final resting place for many Confederate soldiers. It is on land once owned by Henry Mordecai, whose house is also known for paranormal activity. Following the Civil War, Union soldiers demanded interred Confederate soldiers be dug up or they would be thrown in the road. This resulted in their graves being opened and their bodies moved; these spirits who were not allowed to rest made for great local ghost stories.

Five Horror Writing and Book Events in North Carolina

If it’s fiction for the fearless that you seek, you’re in luck with a great network of local authors and meet-up groups in our region. You can choose from a host of horror readings to hear the most recent work by local talent, or join a book club not fit for the faint of heart.

1. Nightmare Society Book Club at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill on October 27th from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The current book is Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. Book club attendees can claim a 15% discount at the link above. 

   
   

2. Quails from the Crypt is a horror book club at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh. This month they are reading Ray Bradbury’s The Halloween Tree and meeting on October 25th at 5:00 p.m. Meeting locations can vary, so reach out to their organizer, Jon, in advance.

3. Horror Book Club at Chapel of Bones in Raleigh has two reads this month. The first is on October 11th at 9:00 a.m., featuring Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. On October 25th at 9:00 a.m., they will discuss Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. 

   
   

4. The Devil’s Done Come Back live reading will be hosted at Scuppernong Books in Greensboro on October 17th at 6:00 p.m. Come out to hear local writers put their spin on local lore.

   
   

5. Morbid Tales: A Night of Horror & Heavy Metal is hosted by Durham County Libraries, but will take place offsite at Moon Dog Meadery on October 29th at 7:00 p.m. Come out to meet Garrett Boatman, author of Stage Fright.

Five Must-Read North Carolina Horror Authors

From queer horror to high school werewolves, these local authors don’t disappoint in their storytelling. And for the star struck among you, rest assured you can have your copy of their work signed or attend a reading at one of the many events they actively attend. Be sure to check your local library webpage, too, for free offerings on horror writing and author readings in the next month. 

1. Samantha Dunaway Bryant's Stories from Shadow Hill releases this week and features thirteen spooky stories set in suburbia. Get your copy here in time for her live reading at Moon Dog Meadery on October 18th at 7:00 p.m. Samantha recently shared insight into her writing in an interview with Ink & Oak that will go live next Friday, October 10th. She has some great upcoming Triangle events that you won’t want to miss! 

   
   

2. Michael Williams delivers a haunting story set in Appalachia in Children of Solitude when a gay man returns to his mother’s home after her death and discovers it’s haunted. Williams is also co-host of the Arcane Carolinas podcast. Have a listen to learn more about local and regional folklore. 

   
   

3. Richard Dansky portrays another homecoming story in Firefly Rain, when Jacob returns to the small town he grew up in and things go awry. The locals act strange around him, and fireflies die as soon as they get near the house. Pick up a copy to unravel the thread tying these sinister scenes together. 

   
   

4. Tony Bowman gives us a high school werewolf tale in Nine Fingers: Bedford Blues. Melissa Ames is a senior that has to hide her identity from her friends and fight off the ghost of a serial killing werewolf. Grab your copy to find out how she prevails against Clayton Truman Ambrose’s ghost. 

   
   

5. Robert Creekmore portrays a queer heroine in Prophet’s Debt. The protagonist, Naomi Pace, grapples with her parents sending her to a conversion camp in Appalachia. She will stop at nothing to escape and make her way back to her beloved, Tiffany.

Send Us Your Thrillers and Jump Scares

Maybe you feel called to place your protagonist in mortal peril off the coast of the Outer Banks and pay a visit to the Graveyard of the Atlantic, or perhaps you want to write about a werewolf at the Devil’s Tramping Ground. No matter where your story originates, North Carolina’s lore is sure to provide the sinister vibes it deserves. Once you’ve crafted the perfect piece, we hope you feel the itch to submit your short story to Ink & Oak and scare us out of our gourds.