8 South Carolina’s Abandoned Wonders That Will Truly Captivate You

We created the Natural Wonders Road Trip earlier this year to show you, South Carolina like you’ve never seen it before. Now, we present to you eight abandoned wonders in South Carolina that will capture both your attention and your heart. These abandoned places offer a poetic glimpse into the past, and some even offer a glimpse into the future. Enjoy.

The Boynton Residence

The Boynton House is an abandoned farmhouse built by the Boynton family in the 1800s. It was reportedly abandoned during the depression and now sits poetically in ruins in what is now Colleton County’s Donnelley Wildlife Management Area. Examine the detail in the first photo of the beautiful roof.

Pinckney Castle

The ruins of South Carolina’s lost national park can be found on Shute’s Folly, an island in Charleston Harbor. During the Civil War, it served as a defense fortress as well as a prison for Union soldiers and officers.

South Carolina State Hospital

This facility, which was built in the mid-1800s, housed patients until 1989 and administrative offices until1996. Since then, it has been closed and abandoned. This grand old building, however, will soon see new life as a Greenville developer transforms it into a hip new mixed-use development.

Atalaya Castle

Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington spent their winters at Atalaya Castle. Archer was a businessman, and Anna was a sculptor from the United States. Anna could work in the “castle’s” 30 rooms and studio. There were also pens for the animals she would use as models, such as horses, dogs, and bears. Atalaya Castle is located in Murrells Inlet’s Huntington Beach State Park.

St. Simons Episcopal Church

The overgrown ruins of St. Simons Episcopal Church can be found in the small town of Peak, South Carolina. This church, a favorite among photographers, was built around 1900 and closed in the late1920s. It is situated on private land.

Lando’s old schoolhouse

Lando School was established in 1905 and closed in 1955. It was a school for the children of Manetta Mill workers. These photographs were taken in 2012 and 2010.

Glendale Mill

In March of 2004, a fire destroyed Glendale Mill. The ruins of this once-thriving Glendale community in Spartanburg County are a haunting reminder of the jobs that were once associated with the mill that operated on this site.

Building M17, Charleston Navy Base, has been abandoned

This building was officially closed in 1996 as part of the recommendations of the Base Realignment Closure Committee. It stands in ruins, haunting the landscape as a reminder of the devastating blow dealt to the community by the closure of the Navy Base in North Charleston.