Mystery behind 'blue lady' who haunts South Carolina island revealed

The mysterious 'blue lady' who haunts a South Carolina island has been revealed.

As one of the deadliest hurricanes in America made landfall in Savannah and Hilton Head on August 27, 1893, Adam Fripp was working as the lighthouse keeper, working diligently to keep ships safe.

'During the hurricane, trying to man the lighthouse, keep it going, actually fell down the stairs. He unfortunately passed,' Charles Pejeau, the food and beverage director and executive chef at Palmetto Dunes Resort, told WJCL.

Legend has it, Fripp's daughter, Caroline, put her father to bed and he had one dying request.

'Rumor has it that on his kind of his last breath, he told her to make sure she stays at the lighthouse and keeps it functioning,' and she did just that.

Caroline, wearing a blue dress, worked throughout the night to keep the lanterns lit for the incoming ships, according to legend.

But she died one week later from exhaustion, and was said to be buried in her blue dress.

She now reportedly haunts the area as the island's Blue Lady.

'When it'll get stormy out, I think it probably drums up those bad memories for her,' Pejeau said. 'And that's when she kind of pops out, when it's dark and stormy out.'

Some have even reported seeing The Blue Lady near the top of the lighthouse or pacing outside of it.

'I have a couple kitchen staff that have, thinks maybe, the kitchen can have a visit from her every once in a while,' Pejeau said.

'Maybe early, early in the morning or late at night. Kind of, some lights will flip on and off, or the sink will turn on randomly.'

Others have claimed she shakes liquor bottles, turns on faucets and makes mysterious phone calls, according to The Hilton Head Island Packet.

To honor the local legend, Palmetto Dunes created the Blue Lady IPA in partnership with local brewery Shellring Ale Works.

The beer is served at all Palmetto Dunes golf courses and grills, and is especially popular around Halloween.

Meanwhile, the lighthouse sits near the fifth hole of Arthur Hills Golf Course in Palmetto Dunes.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, and was refurbished in 2019.