Virginia is positively brimming with historic homes. If you’ve ever toured one, you may have noticed that the porch ceiling was painted a very faint shade of light blue, also known as Haint blue. In fact, this is actually quite common with historic homes throughout the South. The reason is somewhat surprising and quite intriguing! Continue reading to learn more about why Virginia porch ceilings are painted light blue.

Front porches are always a welcome addition to homes, especially historic ones. If you've visited several of these throughout Virginia, you've likely noticed that many of them seem to have one thing in common: the ceilings are painted light blue!
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The shade is known as Haint blue, which is a collection of pale shades of blue-green.
lamblukas / flickr
You might assume the porch ceilings are painted this shade because it's reminiscent of a clear blue sky. Others have guessed that the color might ward off bugs or bees.
Sarah H. / flickr

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The real reason, however, is to ward off ghosts. It's a tradition that began with the Gullah-Geechee people in Georgia and South Carolina, who believed that the shade of blue would mimic water, which ghosts could not pass through.
Lake Lou / flickr
In addition to painting their ceilings, the Gullah-Geechee people would also paint doors, window frames, and shutters blue.
Chris Warren / flickr
The Gullah-Geechee were enslaved peoples, and therefore many of their beliefs were adopted by white southern culture, where the tradition of painting porch ceilings blue has become a common custom.
The next time you are touring a historic home in Richmond or another location in the south, see if you notice the distinctive light blue color of the porch ceilings.
Lake Lou / flickr

Did you know the reason Virginia porch ceilings are painted light blue? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below — we’d love to hear from you! For related content, check out our list of the most terrifying, haunted places in Virginia.

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