Purrysburg

South Carolina's ghost towns are rice and indigo ports, textile mill villages, and railroad towns.

Purrysburg is an unincorporated community in Jasper County, South Carolina. While the town itself was abandoned, the settlers were successful. The town was located on the South Carolina bank of the Savannah River on 40,000 acres. Purrysburg (also spelled Purysburg, Purrysburgh, Purysburgh, Purisburg, Purisbourg) was named after Jean-Pierre Purry, of the De Pury family from Neuchâtel which during this time did not belong to Switzerland as it does today, but to the King of Prussia. Purry, a man using slave labor, led the first settlers there in 1731.

The on-the-ground condition of Purrysburg is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Purrysburg is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Purrysburg is roughly 32.2975, -81.1192 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.