The Goat Specter of Columbia's Old River House

Linocut by Brielle Hayes Howard

If you have ever been to Sesquicentennial State Park you have probably noticed the log cabin. That structure is the oldest in Columbia and Richland County dating to around 1756. It was moved from River Drive to the park in the 1960's. Many don't know its haunted past. 

It is believed that in its early days, the house acted as a popular tavern to travelers on the Broad River. Sometime shortly after the Civil War, the owner of the house was murdered and robbed of a large sum of money. After the house had became vacant for a long time it gained the name of the "Old River House" and also a reputation for supernatural activity. The most common being that the specter of a white goat would chase trespassers down the stairs and then vanish.

Late one night, thought to be between 1890-1900, a destitute man was trying to make his way back to the Dutch Fork after looking for employment in Columbia but was caught up in a violent storm and had to seek shelter. After finding that the Old River House was abandoned he decided to make it his home for the night. Searching through the empty house he found a room containing corn shucks which he piled in a corner to use as his bed.

Hours later he awoke to a clear sky and pale moon. Through the light of the moon he was shocked to see the glowing form of a phantom goat standing in the doorway. Terrified, the man began to pray nervously until he noticed the goat wasn't trying to hurt him but rather get his attention by repeatedly walking into the room, turning around and looking back at him.

After this the man followed the goat to the upstairs room that it had appeared to the others that had entered the house. The specter went to the hearth of the fireplace and began to lightly hit the bricks with its horns. It stopped, turned around and began stomping its cloven feet "striking an almost human attitude of anxious intensity". Then it disappeared. Investigating the fireplace, he found that underneath the bricks was sand. Digging through the sand he found an earthen jar containing a thousand dollars in gold coins ($25,000 in today's dollars), which he later used to buy a farm near Irmo and soon became successful. 

The goat was never seen again in the Old River House. It eventually became occupied and fixed up to where no one even knew it was an old house. In the 1960's some siding was removed from 3325 River Drive and the structure we know today was rediscovered. 

The house being put back together again after its move from River Drive in 1969. Photo from Mabel Payne Collection at Richland Library.

Source: Bradley, F.W. "Carolina Folklore" The State 22 Aug. 1965