9 Best . The Jemison Center changed focusin the 1970s because of desegregation laws and closed in the 1980s. Reportedly, an unusually high number people who lived along the road have died; some say 68 since 1890. Don't Edit The two-story structure made of brick is said to be haunted by the souls of those who were incarcerated there. 14. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Hall Hotel dates to 1895 and residents of Gurley hope to restore it. Hayden Pursley spent three years restoring the historic hotel and had several stories he often told to include seeing a girl around the age of 12 running down the halls. He also experienced a ghost, thought to Capt. It had no ballroom, no gold-leafed interior, no orchestra. Abandoned slave quarters and workshops behind the Cabaniss House at 603 Randolph St. in Huntsville. Location: 1205 Tennessee St., Courtland, Alabama Hours: 7 to 10 p.m. The home was reportedly built atop old slave quarters and a cemetery. Folks say that when you stand outside the crypt, you can hear the rocking chair rocking. People claim to hear disembodied laughter. The hotel closed in the 1970s. The training school, shown when it was in use at left, was abandoned after a tornado destroyed several buildings and a new facility was built in 2015. With its troubling past of murder, manslaughter and illegal activity, it isn't that hard to believe either. Stories of figures haunting cemeteries, ghostly marching soldiers, and mysterious music playing in empty abandoned buildings are told in every corner of our state. Inside Alabama's abandoned Ruffner Mountain mine, site of 1971 explosion, These abandoned Alabama bridges will make you wonder what's on the other side, Eerie abandoned campus of Alabama's girls reform school, Ghost boats: Abandoned Alabama watercraft, Inside the spooky skeleton of Bryce, Alabama's historic insane hospital, 15 riveting ruins that recount Alabama's past, Crumbling Shelby Hotel gives spooky glimpse into Alabama's resort era. This was the exact same year Alabama was admitted to the Union as a state. According to the Chamber of Commerce website, a scarecrow apparition moves from room to room on this floor. Connie Pearson 1. What is now a non-denominational chapel was built in 1850 as a Presbyterian church. Read more 0 (Source: Rivers Langley via Wikimedia Commons). Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Prairie Bluff disappeared from maps around 1900. You may even stumble upon an old, abandoned homestead site in the woods. Trespassing is illegal. Oct 13, 2016; Decatur has a sordid reputation and a . Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. He was arrested January 1878, and confined to the garret of the present building. Jesse James is rumored to have holed up in the canyon. Click hereto see more. It produced plating for Civil War-era ironclad vessels, as well as pig iron for munitions and other wartime materials. The face appeared on the grave of Thomas second wife, Mary Jane Kittrell. In the absence of documented fact, people are free to claim their own version of history and never is that more Reported sightings of paranormal activity at this cemetery include a fiery orb that floats through the air. Now it looks like something from a horror movie. Others claim to have seen the apparition of a man in a top hat in the parlor. Prairie Bluff is a ghost town in Wilcox County, Alabama that first appeared on maps in 1819. 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). 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. 1 of 16 1. Have you visited any before? While visiting the house, a relative, Sally Carter, died of a short illness at the mansion in 1837. 1820 plantation house. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. When they turn to look, nothing is there. Alabamas many historic cemetery sites can be bone-chilling, especially those with an eerie legend associated with it. These assets may be in the form of cash, stocks, bonds, insurance benefits or even valuables from safe deposit boxes. The cotton press in the Dallas Compress Co. in Selma. Legends often say that he was hanged on trumped-up charges for deserting the Confederate army, although details vary. These are cars, trucks, and SUVs that were abandoned or otherwise not claimed by their owners after a period of time. The bank was founded in the 1850s. Take I-65 to Decatur, Exit 334. Cook Museum. (Source: ecjmartin1 via Wikimedia Commons). A stretch of Highway 5 between Natural Bridge and Jasper is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a teenage girl who was killed while returning from prom. From lost burial grounds to haunted theaters, the Haunted Decatur Tour is much more than just a run-of-the-mill ghost tour! Many people claim theyve seen a face behind the barred windows of the second floor but the building was empty. Sketoe's Hole is the site where Methodist minister William "Bill" Sketoe Sr. (1818- 1864) was hanged during the Civil War. CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY! One truck driver said that he struck the bridge after a ghostly horse-drawn carriage crossed the interstate in front of him. In the 1930s, this beautiful 1842 home known as the Bethea-Strother House, located on Alabama Highway 28 in Camden, was abandoned and deteriorating. Today, it is a historical landmark and is open for tours. 10. Flickr/Renee May. The Italianate mansion was built for James Turner Kendall but decades later, the home was used as an inn. Winter Place is actually a complex with two huge homes; the second is that both homes are in dire need of renovation. The home was completed in 1835 by Robert Patton, Brahan's son-in-law and former Alabama governor. Chalkville Training School for 'Incorrigible' Girls. Huggin Mollys restaurant in downtown Abbeville is named for the legend. Legends surrounding this church are astounding in number and scope. Posted: (10 days ago) Decatur, AL: 1802 Central Pkwy SW Decatur, AL 35601-5808 1 520.30 Haywood County, NC: 2147 Asheville Rd Waynesville, NC 28786-3139 1 520.90 Rogers Water Utilities, AR: 601 S 2nd St Rogers, AR 72756-4608 3 521.10 Galax, VA: 111 E Grayson St Galax, VA 24333-2903 View Details Govdeals.com Fitness View More Youve Never Experienced Anything Like The Epic Old Railroad Bed Trail, An Abandoned Railroad Hike In Alabama, The Alabama Ghost Town Thats Perfect For An Autumn Day Trip, A Haunting Road Trip Through Alabama Ghost Towns To Take If You Dare, Most People Have Long Forgotten About This Vacant Ghost Town In Rural Alabama, This Small Alabama Town Is One Of The Creepiest Ghost Towns In America, This Abandoned Funeral Home In Alabama Will Chill You To The Bone, Nature Is Reclaiming This Deserted Alabama Resort And Its Actually Amazing, Everyone In Alabama Should See What This Abandoned Film Set Looks Like. Local legend claims that a woman appears should a visitor kiss the tallest tombstone. Some sources sayit opened in the 1890s as a mental hospital. (Source: Namaan Fletcher/What's Left of Birmingham). One version of the story claims Molly was the ghost of a woman who had lost an infant who dealt with the tragedy by hugging local children. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Construction on Kendall Manor began before the Civil War but it could not be completed until 1867. Others claim to have witnessed the spirit of a mysterious mist, a crying baby and a strange man dressed in black. Jack Cole Road is a dirt road in a densely wooded area off Highway 7. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Montevallo, established in 1896, is reportedly haunted by the spirit of student Condie Cunningham. This Greek Revival-style mansion was built in 1837 by Dr. John R. Drish who died in 1867. It is alleged that you can hear the screams of soldiers who died in the Civil War at this cemetery. Or they are shocked by the waste of still-useful homes and buildings. However, the house was saved and restored and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Shelby Iron Co. began operations in the 1840s. 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. All Rights Reserved. The historic Josephine Hotel, built in 1880 in downtown Union Springs, now houses a cafe, art studio and gift shop. Updated at 1 p.m. after the owner of the home previously mentioned said the details were incorrect and there are no legends surrounding his home. Did you know about these Alabama ghost towns? People also love vintage photos that show what those past lives were like in Alabama. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. (Sources: Alabama Department of Youth Services, left; Kelly Kazek, right). It survives but the third story and its Romanesque embellishments were removed. 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. Legend claims a phantom woman would appear to children, but only at night. Rural Southwest Alabama says, It was constructed using hand-hewn yellow pine timbers joined together with large wooden pegs. It has been moved twice and now rests across Duck Pond at the University of West Alabama. It was abandoned for years and is currently being refurbished. Many people believe the ghost is that of the Governor's son who died in the Civil War. Having promised her adoring audience she would return, she was killed in an accident on the way. 12 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama. 15 most haunted places in Decatur. Japeth Rawls. It's notorious for the vast amount of caves, and also for the true cavers spirit among its inhabitants. Athens State was founded in 1822 as the Athens Female Academy, making it the oldest higher learning institute in the state. Mrs. Locals tell a story that this building once was occupied by a young girl, Molly, who died in the 1930s or 1940s. She never harmed them, other than perhaps causing some ringing in their ears. These display caskets left inside Memorial Mound still had price tags on them. His wife Sarah was said to have become obsessed with planning an elaborate funeral for him and insisted on saving the candles from the funeral to be burned at her own. This account of the hauntings comes from RawlsBandB.com: Unusual occurrences are not uncommon in the historic Rawls hotel. We're sure this Victorian home in rural Missouri was once quite beautiful. He was buried in Bladon Springs Cemetery alongside the graves of his three children who died before the age of six, including Bertha Jaquetta, Mabel Clare, and James Alfred. After a fire and years of deterioration, only a few buildings remain but it has become a popular destination for tourists and photographers. Brick Deli specializes in sandwiches and live music at night. This cemetery is reportedly haunted by the sweetheart of a real man named Robert Musgrove, who was killed in a train wreck in 1904. Legends claim the captains spirit roams the cemetery, keeping watch over his children. It once consisted of 25 buildings constructed in the 1870s or 1880. This popular ghost town was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This slideshow includes photos gathered from state archives and from two federal programs that helped document our history: The Historic American Buildings Survey taken in the 1930s, and the Historic American Engineering Record from the late 1960s. We have the list of places to check out! Click herefor more photos. This floor is allegedly haunted by an inmate who hanged himself in one of the cells, where visitors have reported feeling a sad presence. 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. Today only ruins remain. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! 5. A hearse can be seen inside the garage of the abandoned Wards Funeral Home in Opelika. Brick Deli is housed in a building that dates back over a century. Allegedly there is a photo that shows a ghost in it. Visitors have claimed to have a feeling of being watched and cold chills even on the hottest days. 2. Either way, the photos are intriguing. On Feb. 4, a fellow student spilled cleaning fluid onto the open stove and the kitchen caught fire. It is also known as the Colby Building. On October 27, Hood arranged his army as it arrived to encircle Decatur. People have claimed to hear wails of banshees and see ghostly hell hounds and apparitions of Confederate soldiers. The vast majority of information provided on this web site is anecdotal, and as such, should be viewed in the same light as local folklore and urban legends. 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. She is said to have died instantly. As the tale goes, a couple's car drove off the bridge, plunging into the water below. When his spirit would pass people in the halls, they would feel cold. Located in Decatur, Alabama, the Ardent Mills Decatur facility is a pneumatic mill and one of the most automated mills in the United States. Each home has it's own unique style which makes it stand out amid the modern homes we see today. In 1908, Condie Cunningham came to Montevallo, then called the Alabama Girls Industrial School, and was known to make fudge in the Main Hall kitchen at night. All rights reserved (About Us). 112 Moulton St E, Decatur, AL 35601, United States // +1 256-355 Brick Deli is just around the corner from Josie's. It is open for lunch on Monday and Tuesday, lunch and supper on Wednesday through Saturday, and closed on Sunday. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. Furthermore, it is not allowed for any person to excavate . See more onSteel City Urbex's Facebook page. We can promise that you'll never look at the city of Decatur in the same way again! 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 original portrait of Miss Kirtley hangs in the freshman dorm, Kirtley Hall, but often makes surprise appearances in elevators, closets, and beds! Col. Christopher Claudius Pegues built a stately home on the property between Pine and Chestnut streets. Several abandoned mill sites remain in the town, although historic groups hope to re-purpose some of the factories. The home of a former Alabama governor, it is reportedly haunted. In the 1850s, the settlement had disappeared and was replaced by adjoining plantations. According . (Submitted by Callum Swift) Read more 0 Baker Mansion Weatherford, Texas 35.4 miles from Decatur, TX TheMcNab Bank Buildingin Eufaula, formerly Eastern Bank of Alabama. Parts of the building have been renovated into living space but the penthouse, basement and old bank area remain abandoned and off-limits, awaiting restoration. Prattville was founded by Daniel Pratt, a manufacturer of cotton gins. At least one of the buildings at Robinson's Switch has the shape of a depot and another long building appears to have been a railroad warehouse. (Picture: Wheeler Dam Village - 1937). The house has been restored and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Canabiss House in Huntsville today. Apr 16, 2018 - Explore Kelly Kazek's board "Abandoned Alabama", followed by 561 people on Pinterest. For decades, even before the great ship's arrival in Mobile Bay in 1965 when she was established as a tourist attraction, people have reported hearing strange noises and seeing shadowy figures below decks. Find museums in Decatur, AL, Dead Children's Playground - Maple Hill Cemetery, Off Campus Book Store - University of North Alabama, University of North Alabama - Romeo and Juliet statues, Wesleyan Hall - University of North Alabama, Norton Auditorium - University of North Alabama. At right, a historical photo of City Federal. The historic, two-story jail was built in ca. A defunct prison said to have been in operation from 1945 to 1995. All the locals know it as "Abbie's House," as it was built and lived in by Abbie Smith, who founded the United Methodist church in nearby Warrenton, AL. Apparently the entire length of Main Street is haunted by the ghosts of tornado victims. 42 places sorted by traveler favorites 1. After the Jemison Center was built, the hospitals were kept segregated. The three-story tower was added to the home after the Civil War. This airfield built in 1941, shown above in aerial view, was used to train the famous Tuskegee Airmen. Penn's and Big Bob's have the greatest longevity and are synonymous with Decatur. It is now home to the Lowndesboro Town Hall. The remains were removed in 2015. The reason there are all these caves . It was destroyed by Union forces in 1865. The first reports of a haunting was around 1919 after a teenage boy who slept at the house had a . For information, contact Craig Drescher,info@historicwinterplace.com. It was reportedly closed in 1924 and was later opened as a medical hospital. Abandoned Places In Alabama 1. were demolished but the main house remains, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The ROW can still be made out in many places . Go north on AL-67 approximately 7 miles. It is now an event venue. Molly was bittem by her puppy, which had contracted rabies. Some have heard footsteps from the second floor and the sound of the piano playing when no one is there. Although the haunting of Sloss Furnaces is oft repeated, legends surrounding Bass Cemetery in Irondale are definitely the spookiest. (Source: Historic Drish House Facebook page), This home was built by Dr. John R. Drish in 1837. St. Stephens is located nearly 70 miles north of Mobile and served as the capital of Alabama between the years 1817-1819, until Cahawba became the capital. Cemeteries near Decatur, AL It is thought to be the face of Sarah Kittrell, wife of Thomas Kittrell, who disappeared in 1904. Vernon Hospital for the Colored Insane. 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). (Source: Don and Susie via FindaGrave.com). The area is said to be haunted by the spirits of those who died in the mines. The population in 2010 census was 55,683. ", StrangeUSA.comsays ghosts of inmates can be heard: "Legend has it that their screams can be heard as they were being burned to death, and you can hear the laugher of the guards that stood by watching.". 3. The land this was built on was at one time a cemetery. During the Confederate occupation General John Bell resided there and during the Union occupation, General Sherman himself stayed at Wesleyan. Some say theyve heard voices and felt cold spots inside the jail. 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 When she finally reached her home and reported the accident to her husband, the man began drinking to soothe his grief. Flickr/Jon Dickson. The preserved ruins of Alabama's first permanent capital city can be toured at Old Cahawba Archaeological Site. Local Online Auctions in Alabama. The buildings flank Alabama Avenue.. But by far the creepiest spot is the 200+-year-old Bass Cemetery in Irondale. Click hereto see more photos. This private property houses the infamous ghost bridge that has numerous claims of haunting. She founded many of the things Judson students still love: theConversationalistyearbook, theTriangle(student newspaper), theScrimshawliterary magazine, the college archives, and several (shh!) Take a look. Here is a look at 21 of the most photographed abandoned sites in Alabama. The war ended before the plant went into operation. The home was built for Dr. Alexander Mitchell, who sold it to Isaac Winston in 1833. It's now underwater and the only remnant left of the town is a cemetery. This is one of the outbuildings at the site. (Alabama Department of Archives and History). In 1874, a tornado took the life of lady of the house Judith Winston, who was crushed beneath rubble. Flickr/Annie Chartrand. The Decatur Mall is anchored by Belk, jcpenney Outlet, Sears and Regal Cinemas. The hospital closed for good in 1957 and the building was later used for a variety of purposes, including Dorsey Yarbrough's National School of Music. No trespassing. The back of the dilapidated William Chancellor House in Harpersville in Shelby County is shown in 1935. Local lore says that this 1857 mansion built by cotton broker Foster Kirksey is haunted by the spirit of a woman who died on the property. Employees claim they've heard disembodied footsteps and voices. Click hereto see more from Cottage Hill. The spirit of a murdered woman is said to haunt a dirt road behind a Texaco station in this small community. Others claim to have seen phantom cars, strange balls of light and the apparition of a small figure, about 4 feet tall. Located in a beautiful 1820s home, the restaurant is known for its family of ghosts including a woman screaming and calling out as she floats past the windows and the ghostly reflection of a tall, bearded man in black, known as Old Ebeneezer Hearn. Home Value*. TOURS OFFERED FOR THE 2023 SEASON:Haunted History Bus Tours: $32 Per PersonGhost Hunter's Bus Tours: $42 Per PersonTOURS DEPART: Decatur Civic Center411 East William Street | South Parking LotFree Parking in Lot. When the Gold Rush began in California, residents headed west. Add Photos The family reportedly had the image sandblasted from the stone but it soon returned. Inside Alabama's abandoned Ruffner Mountain mine, site of 1971 explosion, These abandoned Alabama bridges will make you wonder what's on the other side, Eerie abandoned campus of Alabama's girls reform school, Ghost boats: Abandoned Alabama watercraft, Inside the spooky skeleton of Bryce, Alabama's historic insane hospital, 15 riveting ruins that recount Alabama's past, Crumbling Shelby Hotel gives spooky glimpse into Alabama's resort era. This cemetery, established in 1834, is said the be haunted by the spirits of Confederate and Union soldiers. (Picture: Old schoolhouse). 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. Rock Run is a residential community in Cherokee County where a small pocket of residents live in well-kept homes. Across fromSt. Clair's Bait & Tackle, Grocery and Hardware, a tiny catch-all store at the crossroads of Lowndes County Roads 29 and 40, is a narrow, shaded dirt lane that leads to one of Alabama's best-kept secrets. His ghost has been sited several times by a lot of people. There were a couple of towns that were flooded during the creation of the Norris Dam in 1936. Check out the 15 most haunted places in Decatur then learn more by visiting HauntedDecatur.com. What it did offer was good food, comfortable bedrooms, outdoor activities and, according toa history of Shelby Iron Works, the first accommodations with electricity and indoor plumbing in the state. Nancys spirit is distraught over not being able to bury her son. As the river trade continued to increase, the town continued to grow. Remnants of the town remain, including the courthouse, shown above, two cemeteries and the grave of an unknown War of 1812 soldier. If. Legend says the face of a woman appears on a tombstone in Sandlin Cemetery. The historic rock building is said to be haunted by two ghosts: one of an older man whose spirit reportedly sets things on fire and slams doors, and one of a little boy whose laughter is heard throughout the theater. Gold was discovered in Arbacoochee in the 1830s, causing the town to grow rapidly. Abandoned collapsing mines below the surface were to blame, but others suspect that the first building too closely resembled a grim medieval castle, and was scrapped for a more modern cottage design. Arcola, established in the early 1820s, is a ghost town on the Black Warrior River in Hale County, Alabama - formerly Marengo County. That might be a first. . 33.7 miles from Decatur, TX A former gambling parlour in 1910, the Bull Ring is located in the historic district of the Fort Worth Stockyards. . One-by-one, the boys killed anyone involved in the deaths of their family. The abandoned Memphis and Charleston Freight Depot at 303 Church St. in Huntsville. According to legend, the grounds are haunted by the ghost of a Confederate soldier. According to legend, a small bridge on an isolated road is haunted by a baby who died there. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Various urban legends have arisen around the claims that Cry Baby Hollow and the bridge going across it are haunted. Located among the graves is an open tomb missing its corpse. This abandoned railway line was originally chartered as the Rome and Decatur Railroad sometime after the Civil War to build a line from Rome, GA across Alabama to Decatur, starting in 1887. Jesse was thought to be in the area when his brother Frank were accused of robbery of a United States Army Corps of Engineers payroll in Muscle Shoals in 1881. The tale of its resident ghost, a Confederate soldier named Sydney Grimmett who died there, is the most popular ghost story on campus. Are the former owners of this home-turned-library angry at the intrusion into their afterlives or just trying to say hello? 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. For 50 years, the woman brought flowers and kneeled to pray at the foot of his 8-foot obelisk marker. This building now houses a geriatric treatment facility but when it was a hospital, employees claimed it was haunted by a ghost named Homer. Homer would roam the halls as a dark shape. Kids and adults will enjoy exploring various hands-on exhibits, including a gallery of bees, turtles, alligators and snakes, a recreated Alabama cave, insect galleries, a 15,000-gallon aquarium, and more. . According to the Dothan Eagle, employees noticed strange sights in Bella's and Colby's restaurants on the lower floors, including lights turning off and on by themselves and dishes crashing to the floor. According to legend, as Wells peered out of the north window, at a mob gathering below, lightning struck nearby, indelibly etching his image on the pane. Officials have marked the site with an arrow so visitors can spot the face.. The woods along here is reportedly the site where a group of freed black slaves set up a settlement following the Civil War that was burned out and destroyed by the KKK.