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Bingham's Light
Binghams's Light is probably the most famous paranormal occurance in the Pee Dee region. For nearly 100 years, people have been seeing this famed 'ghost light'.
Location:
Bingham Community, Dillon, South Carolina
The History:
The story of how this light came to be is unclear. Almost all stories of its origin claim that a man by the name of Bingham (some stories say his name was Bill, others say John, but all agree that his last name was Bingham) was some how killed by a train that used to run through the area. Some say he was trying to fix the tracks to prevent a derailing, others say he was trying to find his lost kids, others still have many other stories. Another thing they almost all have in common is that Mister Bingham carried a lantern with him on last night.
Now, on first glance, you'd come to think that it's all untrue because there simply are no train tracks in the woobs back there! The fact is, they were there but were no longer used so they were dug up. Personally, I'd heard they were dug up and still didn't believe it until I read more about Bingham. On one of the roads to the light, there's a historical landmark sign that goes to one of the dirt roads you go down to find the light. I thought that perhaps the marker was for the light but after doing some research, I found out that wasn't the case. In reality, the marker is for 'Reedy Creek Springs'. It was once a popular resort with a hotel and everything and I found out that there actually was train tracks back there and even a train depot for the people to come to the springs! The springs themselves were a place that many people would go to for their said healing powers. The springs former location is supposed to be marked and encircled by a ring of white stones, but I've never really looked for it myself.
I also read (before I found out about the springs) that the ruins of a hotel was still around back there. I'm not sure of its location, but it proves that it existed, I suppose. There's a few barns a little down the road from the light and another in another place that could be the location of the depot if it is still standing, but this is just personal speculation.
My Thoughts/Feelings/Findings/Opinions:
In any case, I can neither verify nor deny the light's existance. I have been down the dirt roads about 4 or 5 times but we only attempted to call on the light once. Usually we only were looking for the places were most folks see it close up (as there are three places you can see it, depending on how close-up you want to be). I have talked to many people who have claimed to have seen the light in person. I have also talked to a couple of people who have tried to find the light such as I have, but have had no success in seeing it for themselves.
On my last trip to the light, I became a believer. Although I have yet to see it with absolute certainty, I believe that I have experienced it and seen what it can do. Upon a group memeber cursing at the light, we thought we saw it move to his car and we later found his battery to be drained as well as a spot light that we left on his hood. You can read more about that experience and ghost hunt by clicking here.
Directions:
From I-95 North, take exit 190 onto highway 34. From the top of the ramp, you will turn left on Highway 34 and go 8.7 miles. After about the .4 mile, you should see a sign stating 'Bingham 10'. At about 3 miles, you'll pass 'Blessed Hope Baptist Church'. At about 8.5 miles, you will see a sign starting that you're in Bingham.
After 8.7 miles, you will see S. Butler Road which is a dirt road on the left. About 1.15 miles down this road, you will meet a 3 point intersection. Directly in front of you will be a field, and often many beer cans. You can look across this field and call for Mister Bingham and sometimes see the light near the tree line in a distance.
If you're feeling brave and want to see it a bit closer up, turn right when you get to the interestion and go down that dirt road for about .8 miles and then you turn left and go near some barns and call for it. I'm not sure where it is supposed to appear there, but be careful because there's someone's house down a little past the barns!
But if you want to see it REALLY close up, you'll want to turn right there instead of left. Then you'll go down about .2 miles until you see a yellow gate on the left. You will have to get out of your car at this point, so be sure to lock it and park on the side of the road. You used to be able to bypass the yellow gate with a 4x4 but I don't know if I'd risk it, personally.
So you go around the yellow gate on foot or with a 4x4 (bring bikes. You can slide them under the gate and ride instead of walking as it's a long walk!). After a great deal of walking, you'll come to another dirt road on the LEFT. That's the one you'll take. The other one is a little to the right and is more of a path. I went down there by mistake and we came upon at least 20 HUGE spiders and webs before realizing we were on the wrong road. Do not take that path!
At any rate, the dirt road on the left is the old railroad bed where John Bingham was supposed to have been killed. You walk down there about 1/2 mile and you'll run into a swamp. This is where you can call on Bingham and see the light really close up! I've never been down that way personally because we took the wrong road. But many people have told me that if you go down there, you can see the light right up in your face! I've had people tell me it came as close to 20 feet from them.
Another way to get to this yellow gate is to keep going straight instead of turning on S. Butler and go about 1.1 mile past that road until you come across ANOTHER dirt road on the left. I believe it is called 'Reed Creek Springs Road' but I'm not sure if that's the exact name. If not, the best way to find it is by going .5 miles after you see a brown sign stating that there is a historical landmark in 1/2 mile (sometimes the sign is stolen and taken to the crossroads where the light is seen. Last time I was there, it was there and apparently had been used to make a fire.). Regardless, you take that road for about .2 miles and this time, the yellow gate is on your right. You can go straight to get to the barns, of course, or turn left about .2 miles after the yellow gate to get on the road that leads back to S. Butler.
Another place I have been told you can see it is by going to the place where the wreck was supposed to have happened. After you reach the crossroads on S. Butler, go to the left and on the right, in the field, there will be a gravel road. Down there is suposed to be the origin point. I've heard there is a large hole along the road so be very careful.
Map:
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