Entry No. 33 — the Charleston file — filed under: folk-art

The Folly Boat

A rusted 10-ton steel-hulled boat washed ashore during Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and never left — it's been the area's unsanctioned communal graffiti canvas ever since, repainted constantly with birthday shoutouts, breakup rants, prom-posals, and RIPs, until a 140,000-lb crane had to rescue it from a marsh in December 2019 after Hurricane Irma stranded it against a resident's dock.

The move: Grab a can of spray paint and leave each other a message on the hull, then get a beer at the bar next door and watch strangers do the same to their own boat-graffiti in real time.

• 📍 James Island / Folly Road corridor
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 1859 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: charlestoncitypaper.com · Wikipedia

last checked: 2026-07-20