Is Charleston really haunted? Decide for yourself ...

As one of the oldest cities in America, Charleston also has a reputation for being one of the most haunted. And what better time than Halloween to delve into the city's ghostly past.

Battery Carriage House Inn

Battery Carriage House Inn on South Battery has been called "Charleston's Most Haunted Inn" due to the fact that two different ghosts are in residence. One is the Gentleman Ghost also known as the Gentleman Caller who haunts Room 10 and is very fond of the ladies because he only makes himself known to female guests. Thought to be a young man with a broken heart who jumped to his death from the roof, he lies beside women in their beds and will sometimes drape a ghostly arm over them. Ever the gentleman, the ghost quickly disappears if a woman acts afraid.

The other ghost at the inn is the Headless Torso and has been spotted in Room 8. Wearing a gray Confederate uniform, it's likely that the ghost was a Civil War-era soldier who lost his head and limbs in an explosion. Menacing, the ghost will growl and mutter angrily if someone attempts to touch it. St. Philip's graveyard is home to the Gray Man who has been seen leaning against one of the markers, eyes fixed on the church steeple. It's believed that the ghost is the spirit of a former slave who saved the church from destruction when he put out a fire on the roof. His bravery won him his freedom. Supposedly, if you see the Gray Man, it means that death is coming for you soon.

Thomas Rose House

The Thomas Rose House, 59 Church St., is haunted by a doctor who was shot in a duel and died of his wounds several weeks later. It's said you can still hear him whistling on the stairs. James Heyward, who fought in the Revolutionary War and died in a hunting accident, haunts 31 Legare St. His mother saw his apparition in the library at the exact same moment he was killed. Since then, his ghost has returned from time to time, sitting in the library with his head in his hands.

Poogan's Porch

The popular restaurant Poogan's Porch at 72 Queen St. is haunted by the gentle presence of an old woman dressed in black with her silver hair pulled back from her face. Over the years, guests at the Mills House Hotel have reported seeing the elderly woman late at night, waving at them from inside the restaurant. Some sightings have included a sudden face to face encounter with the ghostly apparition in the restaurant itself, startling employees and customers alike.