Augusta Is Home To The #1 Museum In All Of Georgia

Author Darasha

December 19th, 2023 4:41 PM

Augusta truly has a little bit of everything. Have you ever heard of Pexcho’s American Dime Museum? If weird and unique artifacts are your thing, this is the place for you!

Pexcho’s American Dime Museum, which is owned by Peter Excho, was inspired by Dick Horne’s American Dime Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. That museum closed back in 2006, and this one here in Augusta is the closet thing to it. The museum here also is inspired by  P.T. Barnum’s 5-story American Museum in New York City, which Burned to the ground in 1865.

At the Dick Horne’s American Dime Museum, you would see things like the severed hand of the murderous Spider Lillie, who used a secret compartment in her ring to release poisonous spiders on her unsuspecting victims, paintings by chimps, and much more bizarre findings.

The museum here in Augusta is no different including natural history, an Aquarium that features Rare Exotic Fish, and Taxidermy Exhibits; Historic Photographs, Illustrations, Wax Figures, and Memorabilia.

Things you will find at Pexcho’s American Dime Museum in Augusta:

• A guitar made from a human skull with the horns of a ram stuck on.
• Cat guts wire attached to make a guitar.
• Dice made of human bone.
• coats made of real animal hair.

Pexcho’s American Dime Museum has also been rated by the Georgia Business Journal as the #1 Museum in all of Georgia.

For the 4^th year in the row they also received the Best Business of 2024 award by ThreeBestRated.

A tip when visiting a museum such as this is let your imagination run wild and let your curiosity guide you through the museum, not the constant question of is it real or not!

You don’t see many Dime Museums in America anymore so this here is one of the last of its kind – take it all in!

Haunted Old Churches, Creepy Cemeteries, and More Around Augusta To Explore

• Magnolia Cemetery - Augusta, GA

  This was probably one of the most common cemeteries that people mentioned when we asked for haunted places in the Augusta area. According to Augusta Recreation & Park’s this is “one of the more unique and interesting burial places of the South.” The land was once part of a plantation.  And the first official burial was in August 1818. The cemetery is over 60 acres, with 5 Jewish cemeteries, and one Greek cemetery included.

  There is a Crape Myrtle tree at the dead end of Third Street that’s said to be the oldest tree in the state. Also, the east wall of the cemetry was once fortified during the Civil War to protect the city.

  Address: 702 3rd Street, Augusta, GA

  At Magnolia Cemetery, you’ll find Wylly’s Mausoleum. Wylly Barron was a gambler, who was also very superstitious. In the 1860’s, Barron won in a gambling session and the loser was furious.  The loser placed a curse on Barron, saying when he died, he wouldn’t have a grave to shelter him.

  Wylly was terrified, but continued his gambling.  He attempted to gain favor with the Lord though, and began donating large sums of money to charities.

  He also bought a mausoleum at Augusta’s oldest cemetery- The Magnolia Cemetery.  He demanded his body to be sealed in the mausoleum when he died and the key be thrown into the Savannah River.

  His mausoleum is the only one that has no door, and no keyhole.  He was convinced he would outwit the curse the sore loser had placed upon him.

  Check out more about Wylly Barron here.

• Horn Creek Baptist Church - Edgefield, SC

  Horn Creek Baptist Church is located in Edgefield and is said to be one of the oldest churches in South Carolina.  It was founded in 1790 just after the Revolutionary War.  The actual meeting house was built in 1822.

  Inside the meeting house, the ceiling has a decorative painted desgn.  There are also angels painted in each corner.  Horn Creek is right behind the building and can be access from the single door behind the pulpit.  They often used the creek to baptize members.

  Efforts were made to restore the building once the Edgefield County Historical Society took ownership.

  Address: Old Stage Road, Trenton, SC

• Cry Baby Bridge - Edgefield, SC

  Apparently, Cry Baby Bridge is located near Horn Creek Baptist Church. To get there, you have to go down an old dirt road. Some say when you visit the bridge, you can call out into the darkness to let a spirit know you have their baby.

• Hotel Aiken - Downtown Aiken, SC

  According to South Carolina Haunted Houses, Hotel Aiken is home to many ghosts.  And Room 302 is supposedly the most haunted room.  The story is it’s the ghost of a man who commited suicide by jumping from the window.  Some guests have seen the ghost of a stooped over old woman.  There’s also a ghost who seems to have a fascination with turning on the television in Room 225.

  Some people have seen shadowy figures in the halls, heard toilets flush on their own, and doors open and close for no reason.  And other reports include hearing crying, whispering, or screaming. Maid carts have even mysteriously moved when left unattended!

  Address: 235 Richland Avenue West, Aiken, SC

• Partridge Inn - Augusta, GA

  The Partridge Inn has been a huge part of Augusta history for over a century.  This hotel’s historic appeal has drawn guests from all over.  But, it is apparently the most haunted hotel in Augusta.

  It was originally built as a private home in 1836.  It’s seen many renovations and conversions throughout the years.

  Legend has it that the ghost of a woman named Emily remains there.  The story is, she was getting ready for her wedding and found out her groom had been killed.

  His death was tragic– having been mistaken for a soldier wanted for treason, and shot on sight.

  The bride was devastated.  According to the story, she kept her wedding dress on for several weeks, before she eventually died.

  Staff and guest have reported seeing Emily in her wedding gown in the hallways and the rooms.

  More about The Partridge Inn Spirit, HERE.

• Sibley Mill - Augusta, GA

  Back in the 1800s, Augusta was a booming industrial center.  The canal contributed to many great things happening in the industrial arena.  During the Civil War, Powder Works was the most important, but after the canal expanded, the building was pulled down– except for the 153-foot tall chimney.  This served as a memorial to the Confederate dead.

  Sibley Mill was built on that site. Haunted Rooms America shares the story from the early 1900s.  At this time, men and women worked together on the weaving machines. One particular lady had an affair with a married co-worker.  In 1906 that co-worker would come barging into the mill to shoot the woman.  Apparently he did it because she had ended their relationship.

  That was all it took.  Since then, employees would report strange occurrences and sighting of the woman in the weaving room.

• Rosemary Hall - North Augusta, SC

  Rosemary Hall is located in North Augusta and was built around 1902. It’s said to be haunted by the spirit of Mrs. Jackson- wife of the original owner of the house. This ghost is most often spotted in room 205, but she’s also been seen walking up and down the main staircase as well.

  Some guests have reported strange occurrences happening– like items disappearing and reappearing in odd places, along with hearing footsteps and televisions that seem to turn on and off by themselves.

  More from Haunted Places.

• Ezekiel Harris House - Augusta, GA

  There are believed to be two different ghosts at the Ezekiel Harris House.  It’s thought to be one of the most haunted places in Augusta.

  One ghost is believed to be that of a soldier who was hanged from the stairwell during the Revolutionary War.  Some visitors have heard creaking sounds– much like that of something swinging from a rope.

  Some have seen this ghostly figure at times, and others report having a sensation that a rope is being tightened around their throats.

  The second ghost is that of a female spirit, although no one is quite sure who she is.

  More on the story with Haunted Rooms America.

   

• Augusta University - Augusta, GA

  Is Augusta University one of the most haunted buildings in the area?  Possibly!

  According to some, there are several spirits that dwell there.

  The most well-known spirit is that of Emily Galt.  She died over 140 years ago under terrible circumstances.  Her fiance had passed away, so she chose to join him and jumped to her death from a window in Bellevue Hall.  Emily, and her little sister, Lucy, apparently etched their names into a window pane, along with the date 1861.

  Some people say they’ve heard what sounds like a couple arguing.  This is believed to be because Emily didn’t want her fiance to fight in the war, but he felt it was his duty.

  Other weird occurrences include TVs turning on by themselves and phones that seem to have random issues.

  The Benet House, which is the university’s admissions office, is also thought to be haunted.  Some people report a gray figure flashing quickly by doorways, hearing footsteps, and a chair that rocks by itself.

  At Walker Cemetery, there are stories of the spirit of a Confederate soldier walking among the graves, wearing a long grey coat and yellow sash.

  The college campus was once the site of many Civil War-era homes, and a military arsenal, which may be a big factor in people believing it to be haunted.

  More on Augusta University spirits here.

• The Haunted Pillar - Augusta, GA

  When asking around about “haunted” places and things in Augusta… this one was the first that most people mentioned.  Since I’m not from here, I’d never actually heard about The Pillar, and was intrigued!

  Apparently there once was a farmers market at Fifth and Broad Streets.  This was wiped out from a rare tornado in 1878, but the pillar remained.  Many believe this was a result of a curse brought on by an evangelists.  He had tried to preach there, but was denied.  As a result, he declared the market would be destroyed.

  Sure enough, the tornado tore through the town, but left the pillar behind.

  Local legend was that if anyone tried to move the pillar, they would die immediately, or at least soon after.  Word was spread about the curse, and some accounts tell of unfortunate workers who were killed in the process of trying to move the pillar.

  It eventually came to be believed that anyone who touched the pillar would die.

  Unfortunately, this isn’t an attraction you can see anymore.  It was destroyed back in 2016 by an out-of-control car.

  Roadside America has more on the story HERE.

  Here, someone visited the site, and talks about the legend behind it!

• Long Cane Massacre Site - Troy, SC

  This site is significant in South Carolina history.  It’s associated with the Cherokee War of 1760-1761. The site houses gravestones marking where 23 Long Cane settlers were killed in a massacre by Cherokee Indians.

  Address: McCormick County, Troy, SC

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Author Darasha

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