Haunted Savannah: America's Most Spectral City

by James Caskey

Why is Savannah, Georgia the most haunted city in America? Historian and tour guide James Caskey answers this question and many more. This fully-revised and updated book details over forty of Savannah’s most infamous ghost stories, resulting in a paranormal compilation unlike any other. Discover the truth about Savannah’s haunted history as you explore spine-chilling tales about the Hostess City’s shadowy “Other Side,” as told by a master storyteller. This volume combines exhaustive searches of historical archives, detailed analysis, and engaging first-hand accounts of spectral activity as experienced by eyewitnesses, even by the author!
Haunted Savannah: America’s Most Spectral City is not a collection of dry facts, dates and folklore; it is an enlightening and entertaining journey for anyone interested in the paranormal, from magical mystery tourist to serious ghost hunter. Containing over 50 photos and a detailed map of Savannah’s Historic District, this book is the perfect ‘pocket tour guide’ for the do-it-yourself ghost seeker.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ghost Stories, Ghosts, Travel, Paranormal, Monsters

288 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2013

About the author

James Caskey is a tour owner, licensed guide, historian, and author in Savannah, Georgia. In 2001, he founded Cobblestone Tours, a walking ghost tour based in Savannah, Georgia. The tour company has always been devoted to telling the true history and real stories of Savannah. This search for accuracy naturally led to the world of writing: Caskey’s first book, Haunted Savannah, is a local best-seller, originally published in May 2005 (revised 2013). He has subsequently published three other books, 'The Haunted History of New Orleans: Ghosts of the French Quarter,' 'Charleston's Ghosts: Hauntings in the Holy City,' and 'St. Augustine Ghosts: Hauntings in the Ancient City,' published in 2013, 2014, and 2016, respectively.

He has been featured on the top-rated Savannah episode of TV’s 'Ghost Adventures,' as well as the Travel Channel, the New York Daily News, New York Magazine, Forbes Magazine, South Magazine, CNN, PBS, FSN, Destination America, InFlight Magazine, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Savannah Morning News, the Charleston Post & Courier, WSAV, WJCL, WSOK Radio, and local weekly ConnectSavannah.

Reviews

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a collection of short ghost stories in the most haunted city in America.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read if planning a trip to Savannah. This book could use some editing/proofing, but has a bunch of easy to read history and stories even if you still are skeptical of ghosts.

[Jim Dooley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read for the Halloween season!

This is more than a tour book. The writer takes care to share his research so that it is not just "another tale told 'round the campfire." The result is a collection of tales that feel real.

As the writer states in the Afterward, the charm of a Savannah ghost story isn't just the tale itself; it is also the sensations you experience by being where the ghostly visitations are supposed to occur. I can attest that Savannah has atmosphere aplenty, and there are more sides to he city than those found in the famous MIDNIGHT book.

I especially appreciated the time taken to debunk some of the most spurious stories. It is not only showing a respect for the customers, but also showing respect for the real life people being portrayed in the fabrications. After all, so many unusual things have happened in Savannah that there is no need to make up incidents.

It was also fun to learn how tour guides create delays when another tour is at the place they want to visit. Encouraging customers to take photographs of an otherwise innocuous vacant dwelling on the chance that a particular picture might capture "something" was amusing.

The rich history of Savannah is ripe for tales of "things that go bump in the night," and this book doesn't disappoint. ... Of course, I'll admit there were a number of places that that I was more than happy to read about rather than risk a chance encounter!

Recommended for the amateur ghost fancier in all of us.

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

Savannah is an interesting place! So much history! I love doing the "ghost" history tours in the cities where I visit. The tours are always at night and they take you to the sites that are presumed to be haunted. On a recent visit to Savannah, on the history tour, there were a few stories that enthralled me and I needed to know more. I read this book on the ride home, watched youtube videos when I got home and searched for news articles. The stories from the tours are definitely rewritten for entertainment value, sometimes they're condensed and there is so much more to the story OR the stories are inflated to make it so much more dramatic. This book really broke it down. It would be hard to read this book without traveling to the city, in my opinion. Being able to look at the places you're reading about provides clarity.

[Meri Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a long-standing tradition for me to buy a book of ghost stories every time I visit someplace new. I went to Savannah, GA for the first time this spring and acquired James Caskey's evocatively-named collection. The stories he includes are riveting, with few exceptions, and the included first-person experiences bring out his voice beautifully.

I was rather disappointed with the editing of the text. Typos here and there are no big deal, but the frequency of missed words, incorrect words, and transposed words was a bit too much. I kept tripping over them. It was always small words (a, the, is, at, on, etc.), but they were everywhere. I also noticed a few subject-verb disagreements and sentences with multiple clauses that did not connect in a grammatically correct manner. Even the final sentence was not free from error: "I promise you, it is an experience is worth having." Another of my favorite examples is "one early one evening" (page 70). This is the second edition, professionally published. There should not be that many errors.

Aside from the typo typhoon and a slight tendency towards redundancy, it was a really good book, and I do understand why it is consistently a bestseller. Caskey includes ample historical details to back up his claims, so much so that in one chapter he warns readers to skip a section if they don't want to read quite so much "boring" history. I don't mind lots of history in a ghost story. It makes it more believable and more chilling. On the flip side, Caskey also devoted much of Haunted Savannah to debunking common misconceptions and out-and-out lies about Savannah's supernatural phenomena. The stories are, as best I can tell, authentic, and often include stunning photographs of the haunted buildings. Perhaps more important than any of that, though, is how the author's enthusiasm for his work catapults off the page. The book could use a visit from the Editing Elves, I think, but it is nonetheless quite worth reading, and I'm glad to have it as a souvenir of my lovely vacation in the most haunted city in America.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for truly scary but these historical accounts of why places are haunted and whom they are haunted by was very interesting. Savannah's history is full of ghostly things, that is for certain!

[Leena Dbouk]

Haunted Savannah is a thorough investigation of Savannah urban legends. I appreicate that the author tries to put historical credibility to some of the old ghost stories of Savannah. Sometimes it can get a little dry but overall an interesting introduction to Savannah's history.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not really sure what to call this book. It's non-fiction, it's historical, and it could be fantasy or mystery as well. My wife and I visited Savannah, GA this past summer and loved it! It was the tail end of a trip to South Carolina to visit a friend.
Savannah is a beautiful city and to listen to those who live there it's full of ghosts as well.
We arrived in the evening and I just marveled at all of the ghost walks that were taking place around the city.
We visited a few of the spots mentioned in the book. One of my favorite spots was the Bonaventure Cemetary located a couple of miles outside the downtown area. It is full of beautiful statues and gravestones and is filled with trees with Spanish moss hanging from them giving an eerie feeling and beauty that you don't see elsewhere. The cemetary was a prominent feature, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" a book written by John Berendt and made into a film by Clint Eastwood. There are many historical buildings that have a long history of ghost sightings such as the Johnny Mercer home (also featured in the same book and movie), the Colonial Park Cemetary located in the center of town, the Hamilton-Turner Inn, Moon River Brewing Company, the 17Hundred90 Inn, and even the Harley-Davidson store. This is a great reference book if you plan to visit Savannah. I plan to go back armed with more information next time.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good ghost story. This book is a collection of ghost stories from around Savannah, which themselves aren't really very scary, mostly being of the "waiters claim to hear footsteps from unoccupied floors of the building" variety. The real standout feature is the author's attention to historical detail. For each location, he starts off with the local legends associated with the building/haunting, then delves into which parts of those stories are true and which are total fabrications based on his research. He states explicitly in the forward that this book was written for tour guides to finally get their facts straight, dammit, and his clear aggravation with tour guides that just make shit up and perpetuate obviously untrue stories is pretty amusing.

Anyway, the combination of well-researched Savannah history and eyewitness ghost stories (no matter how tame they might be) makes this a fun little read.

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, and it was hard for me to put it down! Savannah, GA is one of my favorite cities. It's history, and sheer beauty, are captivating. During my last visit I took one of it's famous "ghost tours", and was left wanting to know more. I did not want to just know the legends, I wanted to know the truths, and this book did an outstanding job of giving them to me in a format that kept me interested at the turn of each page. One of the book's best assets - in my opinion - is that in a few short pages per chapter every major landmark throughout the historical district is covered. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in those things that go bump in the night throughout Georgia's most beautiful city. Fantastic job James Caskey! I look forward to your future publications.

[Sarah Long (Kazee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good. I just returned from Savannah a couple weeks ago (where I bought the book in the first place.) I bought it because we took a couple tours during the day but never got around to the haunted tours. I thought the book would be the next best thing but I think the book was better if you really want to know the truth and history. It even corrected a couple things my husband and I were told on our tour that weren't related to hauntings. If you are visiting Savannah or just like ghost stories this is a must read before you go and if you have been you should definitely read it just to see how much history was edited while you were there.

[Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

My wife and I visited Savannah for our honeymoon and took several "ghost tours". After reading this book I realized that A) I wish I'd taken Mr. Caskey's tour, B) much of what some of the ghost tours told us was, in fact, bunk, and C) I wish I'd read this BEFORE visiting the city. The amount of research and dedication that was put into this book lifts it above a mere "paranormal" book. Not all of Savannah's hauntings are of the literal kind. Haunted Savannah is an excellent read that only whets my appetite to return to that dusky jewel of a city.

[Dennis Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were to recommend one book about the hauntings of Savannah to someone who was about to visit that lovely city or to someone who just liked a good ghost book this would be the one. It is exceptionally well written, highly interesting and well documented. There are a few stories that sort of stray from the subject but those stories are kept to a minimum and clearly reflect the author's love for his city. I am very impressed with this author and I hope that this isn't his last book. I will be on the lookout for more.

[Andy Felt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read (although it does get a little repetitive). I think the best thing I can say is that it made me want to meet the author and have a drink with him. The best bits are the moments he “debunks” his rival ghost tours...I’m always a fan of someone who actually does their research. There are also a ton of typos...really glaring ones that distract from enjoying the book. That said, I recommend it. There are a few truly bloodcurdling tales and you learn quite a bit about the history of Savannah. If I’m ever there again I’ll take the author’s ghost tour for sure!

[Lynette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read on hauntings in Savannah, and I thought it was wonderful! I'm a history buff, and there is a LOT of history recounted in this book. In addition to telling ghost stories, Caskey does a great job of debunking stories that have no basis in fact. I want to go down to Savannah now and see all of these places!

[Yashira Muñoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends gave me this book as a gift and is also autographed so that make it extra special ( my first autographed book yay!!!!!). The special-ness of this book is not gonna hold me back from an honest review, So here we go!!!!!...
Keep reading the review on my blog

https://twofriendsview.wordpress.com/...

[Danielle Vandehaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful book, but just go visit Savannah yourself.

[Linda]

loved it love savannah my fave place to visit

[Aaron Badgley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely well researched, easy read, well written, historical, excellent

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best ghost folklore collection, but not the worse either. Bonus points for correcting stories and doing research.

[Jimmie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love his books.

[Cheyenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book really informative and intriguing the whole way through. :)

[Taylor Rollo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book when it comes to the stories and folklore of the city. It even has lots of historical background, which is great to read in concert with the ghost stories. The author has some odd beliefs about the supernatural, which is not surprising. He assumes there is "psychic energy" (whatever that is) that can be contained in a building or area like a "battery" and can be released by renovations and other events. I do believe in demons and the possibility of their activity being construed as ghost encounters, but this author goes well beyond that into some general belief in ghosts with no real overriding, consistent explanation of how they may fit into the created order. However, what would one expect from a book like this?

That is why it is not a detergent nor should it be. The author's vauge, inconsistent theories about ghosts and "psychic energy" not withstanding, if you are looking for folklore and history behind it, this is a great and interesting book. That is what I was looking for.

[Elsa Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I accidentally stumbled across this book and couldn’t resist buying a copy; it’s not my usual type of book so it’s hard for me to give it a comparative rating. The town is truly one of my favorite places to visit during the cool seasons. This book covers the folklore and the facts surrounding the hauntings of Savannah. Each chapter explains a different location. It took me a while to get through because I wrote down the places I wanted to check out on my next trip; date unknown. A book worth reading with humor thrown in here and there at the end of chapters to lighten up the ghostly mood.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells many of Savannah's famous ghost stories. The author is concerned about the credibility of legends and stories. He seems to be a meticulous researcher. Caskey dispels many of the rumors and legends that are merely retold by other tour guides and not actually reinforced with veritable facts. I do, however, feel that he liked to extoll his own praises as a master story teller and researcher. The book was very interesting, but it came off as a tad arrogant at times. It was still well worth the read, especially if you are planning a trip to Savannah.

[LC Ahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know the true haunted city stories, this is the book to read. The author spent a long time researching the haunted stories told to tourists on the Trolley rides. Most are sensationalized, these are the true stories.
Highly recommend especially if you plan on visiting one of the most haunted cities in America

[Diane T. Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghosts

The author intertwined history with his stories of the supernatural giving his stories a feeling of depth and context most ghost books lack. I thoroughly enjoyed this book feeling I was actually in Savannah. Plus, I learned something. Thank you Mr. Caskey for being both entertaining and informative. Well done. Oh yes. I also think Mr. Williams did commit murder.

[Melissa Loucks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that the author is a ghost tour guide and wanted to find out the truth about all things haunted in Savannah one of the most haunted cities in the South. Its definitely a book you should check out if you're going to the city.

[Amanda Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really wish that I had read this BEFORE I visited Savannah but even so, it was a fantastic read. It kept my attention the entire time and it was intriguing to read about all the places that I had recently visited

[Theresa Sheridan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought & red this book when I went to Savannah several years ago. I have since been there 3 times and want to go back. There are lots of stories in this book and visiting all the locations f the stories would be great. If you read this, you are going to want to travel there.