Some say theyve heard voices and felt cold spots inside the jail. Another legend says if an 18-wheeler travels down the road, her spirit can be seen hanging onto the side of the truck so she can look inside and see if it is being driven by the same person who killed her. The home was featured in the late Katherine Tucker Windham's book 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey., The skeletal facade ofan abandoned jail lurks in the woods in the community of Townley in Walker County, near Carbon Hill. An elevator that runs by itself. But by far the creepiest spot is the 200+-year-old Bass Cemetery in Irondale. A little farther to the east is a waterway known as Gun Island Chute that leads to the Alabama River. In this 1934 photo, renovation work had begun on Spring Villa in Opelika. In a little-known cemetery deep in the woods of Clarke County are tombstones created by a man who was ahead of his time. Vernon Hospital for the Colored Insane. (Source: Rivers Langley via Wikimedia Commons). Peacock said it's the "site of numerous unusual accidents over the years, including several that have resulted in fatalities and catastrophic fires. (Source: Namaan Fletcher/What's Left of Birmingham). Legends of hauntings in the home include one about a screaming woman dressed in Victorian clothing. Her ghost is said to look down from the upstairs window. The Gainesridge Dinner Club has been named the "Most Haunted Restaurant" in Alabama. Read more 0 Abbie's House Guntersville, Alabama 39.5 miles from Decatur, AL This home dates back to 1909 and is registered by the local historical society. The property is still owned by the Department of Mental Health and is trespassing is illegal. 2. According to Prattvilleal.gov: Pratt's "love of beauty is evidenced in Prattville in his manufactories which feature graceful arches, soaring ceilings and vast open spaces, interesting brick and stonework and a picturesque site alongside Autauga Creek. The burned-out shell of the Dicksonia mansion was left after a 1964 fire because the damage to the foundation was too extensive for repairs. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. However, they say eventually the happy noises turn to unhappy ones, as if the children are screaming for their lives. Soon, the family heard the sounds of Evelyn playing the piano down there and decided to send her body to Virginia to be buried in her familys cemetery. According to legend, the grounds are haunted by the ghost of a Confederate soldier. Remember, the majority of homes are occupied, private residences and those that are abandoned are marked "No Trespassing" and are a hazard. This gorgeous natural site is said to be haunted by the spirits of outlaws who once hid there. Get directions Red Hat Road Decatur , Alabama , 35601 USA Coordinates: 34.65420, -87.07780 Cemetery ID: 21888 Members have Contributed 3 Memorials 0% photographed 0% with gps About these numbers Photos No additional photos. It was designed in the Eastlake style of. Today, the home has been beautifully restored by the City of Opelika and is the centerpiece of Spring Villa Park. Built in 1842, the old Coosa County Jail, known as the Old Rock Jail, is the oldest surviving stone jail in Alabama. People who cross the bridge hear the sounds of a babys cries. Reportedly haunted by the ghost of a young singer who died on the night of her greatest triumph. We only offer a very limited number of these tours each season and it's one not to miss! The historic Josephine Hotel, built in 1880 in downtown Union Springs, now houses a cafe, art studio and gift shop. Nancys spirit is distraught over not being able to bury her son. This building, constructed in 1856, has a rich and interesting history. Prattville was founded by Daniel Pratt, a manufacturer of cotton gins. Abandoned Storage Unit Auctions. In the era of segregation, it was central to the cultural life of black Birmingham residents. 100+ Abandoned Places In Alabama | Explore Alabama 2023 Recent Locations Judge A. E. Singleton House February 27, 2023 | City/Town: Union Springs Judge Singleton House This home located on North Prairie Street in Union Springs, Alabama was built by Judge A. E. Singleton sometime between 1900 and 1903. Listed below are eight creepy Alabama ghost towns worth a visit. A shadow, a moan, a creak lead visitors to wonder if the five crew members who died in a 1944 turret explosion are still on duty, refusing to let even death end their watch. ", Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. This historic hotel is the home of a disruptive entity known only as 'the knocker.' It gets its name from the fact that when it appears on the sixth floor, knocking loudly on hotel room doors in the dead of night! You may experience the presence of a Native American ghost named Mary who knocks things over, plays electrical pranks, alters the temperature, and whispers over the drive-through speakers. At this playground set up near the cemetery, the ghosts of children play and swing on the swingsets. Decatur Mall is located in the southwest corridor of Decatur at the Beltline Road/Danville Road intersection, approximately 7 miles NW from I-65. The Jemison Center was built in the 1920s as part of Bryce Hospital, which opened in Tuscaloosa as the Alabama State Hospital for the Insane at the outset of the Civil War. An old well house at the Chalkville Training School for Girls. The Forks of Cypress Plantation in Florence was one of the most beautiful antebellum mansions in the state, built by the Jackson family who is buried on the plantation grounds. Haunted Places Decatur, Alabama Decatur High School Decatur High School was built in 1950. Col. Christopher Claudius Pegues built a stately home on the property between Pine and Chestnut streets. Dicksonia ruins have been used to film an opening scene in the 2003 movie"Big Fish,"was the site of a photo shoot by legendary celebrity photographerAnnie Leibovitz,who photographed actressNatalie Portmanfor the May 1999 issue of Vanity Fair magazine, and is now a sought-aftervenuefor artistic photography and weddings. After a sensational trial in Huntsville in 1884, two years after Jesse had been shot to death, Frank was acquitted of that crime. Now her ghost is often seen along the road. NOTE:This site was visited with permission and under supervision of the State Department of Mental Health. were demolished but the main house remains, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Click hereto see more. Scare-seekers with an appreciation for history will love this night-time walking tour of Gatlinburg's most "haunted" places. When Hood arrived at Decatur on October 26, he found a Federal infantry force of 3,000 to 5,000 men defending an entrenched line that included two forts and 1,600 yards of rifle pits; a much heavier force than Roddey had believed. When Huntingdon was a Methodist female college, a young woman allegedly committed suicide in the dorm and continues to haunt it. (Source: Edward Bennett/Gaines Ridge Dinner Club Facebook page). It is the property of the Department of Youth Services. It had no ballroom, no gold-leafed interior, no orchestra. This photo of the Alabama Capitol in Tuscaloosa was taken in the 1890s or early 1900s. The courthouse burned in 1866 and was rebuilt. In the 1900s, it was used as a YMCA and later as the college drama departments theater. Remnants of the town remain, including the courthouse, shown above, two cemeteries and the grave of an unknown War of 1812 soldier. Sloss Furnaces (Birmingham, AL) 20 32nd St. N., Birmingham, AL 35222 (205) 254-2025 In the years following the Civil War, Birmingham's Sloss Furnaces became the mecca of pig iron needed for thousands of steel products around the country. Stories of figures haunting cemeteries, ghostly marching soldiers, and mysterious music playing in empty abandoned buildings are told in every corner of our state. No matter what part of the state you are in, if you ask around youre sure to be pointed to a haunted site. Click here to read more. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Chalkville Training School for 'Incorrigible' Girls. Ghost towns, especially those that have been completely abandoned, can be a bit creepy. For the next 125 years, people claimed the hole would always return no matter how many times it was filled. Located in Decatur, Alabama, the Ardent Mills Decatur facility is a pneumatic mill and one of the most automated mills in the United States. Huntsville, Alabama 27.7 miles from Hartselle, AL The Cedarhurst Mansion Estate was originally built in 1823 by Stephen Ewing. The abandoned Memphis and Charleston Freight Depot in Huntsville. The J.W. Another popular tale is the appearance of theapparition of the ghost ship of the Eliza Battle, which burned on the Tombigbee River in 1858 killing more than 30 people. The Rawls Hotel was built in 1903 by Capt. This is not just a collection of ghost stories, but a true history of how the city became so haunted -- which means we also include local sites of death, unsolved murders, strange crimes, gambling parlors, vice districts and more plagued the city in days gone by. The once flourishing Eastern Bank of Alabama at 201 Broad Street in Eufaula, was abandoned and in bad shape when this photo was taken in 1935. The swings sometimes can be seen swinging by themselves, and the sounds of laughter Urban legend tells of a man who was hit by a car and killed while walking across this bridge. We hope to get permission to go photograph it very soon.. (Picture: Hatch Plantation), Between the years 1819-1826, Cahawba was Alabama's state capital. In 2020, Troy introduces the 25th Anniversary Edition of his first book! The spirit of an inmate who committed suicide in the building is reported to walk its halls. 14. Mining towns were abandoned when the mines closed; many due to the devaluation of silver in 1893. There are several websites out there that state something to the effect of "Aunt Johnson would hang anyone who trespassed on her property and the rope can still be seen to this day." It is named for a woman who lived in the area in the late 1800s or early 1900s and was thought to be a witch. The building is believed to be haunted by several apparitions and ghostly voices are heard. Furthermore, it is not allowed for any person to excavate . Each year, unclaimed or abandoned assets are turned over to Alabama Unclaimed Property by financial institutions and businesses that lose contact with the owners. This cemetery is reportedly haunted by the sweetheart of a real man named Robert Musgrove, who was killed in a train wreck in 1904. Decatur's sordid reputation also added to the ghostly stories of the city through incidents of murder and death. According to legend, many apparitions haunt the house. Following the deaths of John Drish and his wife Sarah, the home was used as a school from 1906 to 1925 and was used as an auto parts warehouse for several years. The 1833 Old State Bank of Alabama in Decatur as it was getting a coat of paint in 1934 after it had been abandoned for decades. 1820 plantation house. Others have reported seeing large, panther-like cats cross the highway in this area.". Every community has a ghost tale that everyone has heard, often related to an old or abandoned house, a spooky cemetery or a dark and creepy road. Decatur is the nearest city to the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, which includes 35,000 acres of land to provide a safe habitat for wintering and migrating birds in the eastern United States. Students and teachers alike have reported seeing white (no reviews) Haunted Places Decatur, Alabama Highway 11 In September 1934, a young man named Lonnie Stephens was wrongfully accused of murdering his (no reviews) BESbswy Matt Glasscock, who took the photo at left, and members of Steel City Urbex were invited by the owner to tour some of the closed portions of the City Federal building in downtown Birmingham. 3. The Cedarhurst Mansion Estate was originally built in 1823 by Stephen Ewing. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. Visitors here may see ghostly children coming out to play. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! It was also a very thriving town. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). This historic museum operated as a hospital during the civil war, so the rumours of haunting's appear to have a leg to stand on; which can't be said for some of the apparitions supposedly reported. In life, she reportedly lived in a shack in the woods. The face appeared on the grave of Thomas second wife, Mary Jane Kittrell. But this playground is different. People claim to hear knocking on the floors and walls. While visiting the house, a relative, Sally Carter, died of a short illness at the mansion in 1837. After a mummified woman was discovered in her home, people claimed she was a witch. Legend says the spirits of the children buried in the cemetery, founded in 1822, come there to play. On October 27, Hood arranged his army as it arrived to encircle Decatur. As Ive discovered over the years, people are fascinated with abandoned places. The Chamber of Commerce building, above right, was constructed in 1910 as a bank. Tuscumbia, Alabama 39 miles from Decatur, AL A former slave plantation, it is believed to be haunted by slaves that lived and died here and also possibly by the ghosts of its former owners. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Aunt Jenny Brooks Johnson, shown above, was a real mountain woman whose sons became outlaws. In 1861, Prairie Bluff was at its height. Frederic Ravesies, Arcola's first settler, established himself at what later became known as the Hatch Plantation. It is said to be haunted by former patients. When his spirit would pass people in the halls, they would feel cold. The abandoned P. D. Barker House at 109 Saint Anthony St. in Mobile in the 1930s.