Fort Gaines, a historic fort on Dauphin Island, was established in 1821 and is well known for its role in the Battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War. It is now home to the Lowndesboro Town Hall. 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). The home was reportedly built atop old slave quarters and a cemetery. For 75 years, the stone structures built by the Works Progress Administration in Chalkville sheltered girls labeled "incorrigible," "delinquent," or "wayward," although most arrived at the Alabama Training School for Girls because of behavioral and emotional problems and had committed no crimes, according toits superintendent in 1966. 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. The furnace was destroyed by the Union army during the Civil War but was rebuilt around 1879. Guests of the inn reported seeing apparitions on the porch and downstairs of a woman in Victorian dress and a little girl. Farming towns on the eastern plains were often deserted due to rural depopulation. The facility on Dartmouth Avenue in Bessemer was abandoned with bodies inside but they were removed in 2015. What is now a non-denominational chapel was built in 1850 as a Presbyterian church. These assets may be in the form of cash, stocks, bonds, insurance benefits or even valuables from safe deposit boxes. Within 15 years, the town had 5,000 residents. 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 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. When filming was completed, the owners of the property on Jackson Lake Island near Millbrook told director Tim Burton to leave the sets rather than bulldoze them. The courthouse burned in 1866 and was rebuilt. Locals get an eerie feeling around this building. Now it looks like something from a horror movie. Molly was bittem by her puppy, which had contracted rabies. The penthouse is still up for sale, he said. Legend says Evelyn Carter, the sister of a housekeeper, died on the grounds of Gaineswood Plantation in the late 1800s. The cotton press in the Dallas Compress Co. in Selma. On the third floor, people report doors opening and closing and furniture moving of its own accord. Bellefonte is a ghost town in Jackson County, Alabama and is situated near the site of the Bellefonte Nuclear Generating Station. Groups such as Main Street Birmingham, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation have attempted to find a use for it and funding to refurbish it. Decatur's sordid reputation also added to the ghostly stories of the city through incidents of murder and death. 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. In 1854, Colonel Dan Conklin started a whiskey distillery, racetrack and brothel on the outskirts of Decatur, which would earn the city its first unflattering nickname of "Hell's Half Acre." Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Because after an entire life of drudgery and cleaning, that's how every woman wants to spend her afterlife. The original portrait of Miss Kirtley hangs in the freshman dorm, Kirtley Hall, but often makes surprise appearances in elevators, closets, and beds! You'll receive your first newsletter soon! YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The Greek Revival and Italianate architecture is covered in stucco, making it one of the most unique homes in the state. 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. While visiting the house, a relative, Sally Carter, died of a short illness at the mansion in 1837. She would die from her burns on Feb. 6 at the age of 17. Click here to read more. Tales of Huggin' Molly also can be found in Louisiana and Florida, with variations. It served as the Jackson County seat from 1821 to 1859. (Picture: Wheeler Dam Village - 1937). Eerie screams have been heard and ghostly apparitions have been seen haunting the Moncrief cemetery. According to legend, a small bridge on an isolated road is haunted by a baby who died there. This cemetery, established in 1834, is said the be haunted by the spirits of Confederate and Union soldiers. Owners Bobby and Lynn Bright are refurbishing the film set of Spectre because public interest remains high. The neglected building is Birmingham's Masonic Temple, also once known as the Colored Masonic Lodge. In the 1830s, settlers continued to move into the area to use Arcola as a river landing. Local writer and historian Lee Peacock said the 40-mile stretch of Interstate 65 between Evergreen and Greenville is known as "The Haunted Highway." Legend says if you stop by the cemetery gate and put your car in neutral, the Lady in White will push you away from the spot where she was killed so youll be safe. Decatur Mall is located in the southwest corridor of Decatur at the Beltline Road/Danville Road intersection, approximately 7 miles NW from I-65. 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). It was named for nearby Sweetwater Creek. The land this was built on was at one time a cemetery. On Feb. 4, a fellow student spilled cleaning fluid onto the open stove and the kitchen caught fire. I worked there as a jailor in the county jail there in the old part when it was on the 2nd floor. Click here to see Robinson Switch Road on Google Maps. The national recognized museum first opened in 1980 and was reinvented and reopened in summer 2019. People claim to hear knocking on the floors and walls. In some cases, homes and buildings on the verge of collapse were saved. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. 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. During the Civil War, Nancy lived with her husband and son on a small farm but her son was killed in the war and his body was never recovered. The legend was recorded by author Kathryn Tucker Windham in 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey.. That might be a first. "Forks of Cypress" ruins near Florence. Allegedly there is a photo that shows a ghost in it. People who cross the bridge hear the sounds of a babys cries. People claim to hear disembodied laughter. Located among the graves is an open tomb missing its corpse. 1 of 16 1. 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. HAUNTED DECATUR is part of AMERICAN HAUNTINGS INKEMAIL: GHOSTS@AMERICANHAUNTINGS.NET Copyright 2023 by American Hauntings Ink. 35.2 miles from Decatur, IN This 1912 former hotel now houses the offices of a paranormal investigative team, who claim that the building is one of the most haunted in the entire state. Decatur, Dothan, Hoover, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and more. The image of a Confederate soldier appeared inside, which meant it may have been the ghost of one of Patton's sons. You are reading "15 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama " Back to Top. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and. The historic Josephine Hotel, built in 1880 in downtown Union Springs, now houses a cafe, art studio and gift shop. The Haunted Decatur Tours run either 3 or 4 hours in length -- depending on the tour - and travel by bus to various locations throughout the city. (Source: Historic American Buildings Survey/Library of Congress). . People claim to hear singing and voices in the area surrounding the property and some claim they have seen the apparition of a woman walking the grounds. We can promise that you'll never look at the city of Decatur in the same way again! Isaac Nettles Sr., a black inventor born in the 1880s, created cement masks of people in life and later used them to adorn headstones in the cemetery adjoining Mt. Trespassing is illegal. It would go on to boast others, including the "Second Most Corrupt City in Illinois." According to legend, Burns performed at the buildings opening night and was carrying a bouquet of roses as she boarded her carriage to return to her hotel in Huntsville. The remains were removed in 2015. Reportedly, visitors to the home can still hear the sounds of the piano Some have reported seeing the apparition of a woman walking around the home. Legend says a girl named Sally hung herself in a stairwell on the third floor of the building. Brick Deli specializes in sandwiches and live music at night. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. They are evidence of past lives and of the history we are in danger of losing. The three-story tower was added to the home after the Civil War. Col. Christopher Claudius Pegues built a stately home on the property between Pine and Chestnut streets. 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. This was the exact same year Alabama was admitted to the Union as a state. Jeff E. Newman of Steel City Urbex took photos. Don't Edit 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. Detail of the abandoned mansion on Goldthwaite. Supposedly you can still hear what sounds like the body swaying on the second floor. 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. Each home has it's own unique style which makes it stand out amid the modern homes we see today. One truck driver said that he struck the bridge after a ghostly horse-drawn carriage crossed the interstate in front of him. It was torn down in 1952. The rare folk-art stones, declared historic sites by the National Park Service, have unfortunately been all but destroyed by vandals. 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. To visit Norwood, take exit 126B off Interstate 20/59, just north of downtown Birmingham. Ive noted those of which I am aware. 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. In 2015, the church burned in a fire presumed to be caused by arson. If you'd like to see the "behind the scenes" drama of Decatur's haunted past, then this is the tour for you! He is reportedly always looking toward the Tombigbee River, where his beloved steamboat exploded. An abandoned 1913 schoolhouse in rural Cherokee County was photographed in the 1930s. 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. Inside a seven-story, Renaissance Revival-style building in downtown Birmingham, framed photos of unknown people linger on desks that haven't been used in three decades. Decatur Alabama is a city in Morgan and Limestone counties in the State of Alabama. It was used during the Civil War as a hospital. Although there are no detailed legends about this site, many believe it is haunted. 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. Legend says those who face the front of the house will feel a tap on their shoulders and see a dark figure running across the roof. For the next 100 years,the mansion was owned by members of the Winston family. The home was built for Dr. Alexander Mitchell, who sold it to Isaac Winston in 1833. 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 Location: 30338 Lester Road, Lester, Alabama Hours: 7 to 11 p.m. Website: Click here Haunted House of Horror About: Wander around an 8,000 square-foot town filled with supernatural scares. Simp McGhee's (Sources: Alabama Department of Youth Services, left; Kelly Kazek, right). But by far the creepiest spot is the 200+-year-old Bass Cemetery in Irondale. Local Online Auctions in Alabama. 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. Winter Place at 454 Goldthwaite Street is one of the most iconic properties in Montgomery and in the state, both because of its Second Empire-style beauty and its history, which includes acting as offices for the Confederate Army and, according to legend, being the place where F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre met, setting off one of the most fiery romances of the Jazz Age. By the end of 1888, the R&D had built 51 miles of track from Rome, GA to Attalla (west of Gadsden), AL. This Greek Revival-style mansion was built in 1837 by Dr. John R. Drish who died in 1867. The canyon's proximity to the Natchez Trace, which was known as the Devil's Backbone, made it a choice hideout for many outlaws who robbed and murdered travelers along the Trace. Best Restaurants in Decatur, AL - The RailYard, Two Fish & A Toad, The Moody Crab, Simp McGhee's, Brick Deli, Francesco's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, Bank Street Grill, Hard Dock, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Sushi Sumo Click hereto see more photos. The tale of its resident ghost, a Confederate soldier named Sydney Grimmett who died there, is the most popular ghost story on campus. People claim the churchs pastor went mad one day and murdered his entire family and their spirits haunt the grounds. A marker was erected nearby detailing the legend. Legends of hauntings in the home include one about a screaming woman dressed in Victorian clothing. Construction on Kendall Manor began before the Civil War but it could not be completed until 1867. Arcola, established in the early 1820s, is a ghost town on the Black Warrior River in Hale County, Alabama - formerly Marengo County. The bank is defunct but the building is still in use. Flickr/Annie Chartrand. 9. In the 1900s, it was used as a YMCA and later as the college drama departments theater. Some have heard footsteps from the second floor and the sound of the piano playing when no one is there. Sketoe's Hole is the site where Methodist minister William "Bill" Sketoe Sr. (1818- 1864) was hanged during the Civil War. 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. (Picture: Hatch Plantation), Between the years 1819-1826, Cahawba was Alabama's state capital. Are the former owners of this home-turned-library angry at the intrusion into their afterlives or just trying to say hello? ADVANCE PERMISSION REQUIRED. For tour information and fees, visit the ghost town's websitehere. A pyromaniac ghost? It survives but the third story and its Romanesque embellishments were removed. Now, join us for our award-winning tours of Decatur as we journey back in time to uncover the "other side" of the city's history and reveal not only the scandals and sins that haunt Decatur, but the many ghosts that linger here as well! This abandoned home on Watts Mill Road was built in 1905 by Charles and William Hudson for their brother, John. As the Drish mansion lore goes, the ghost of Sarah was furious about this and occasionally locals will see the third-story tower lit in flames. Rumored to be haunted by an old man ghost with a fondness for flammables as well as a young boy who is often heard laughing. Some say theyve seen orbs of light that appear to float on the river. NOTE: This site is continually monitored with video surveillance. This building, constructed in 1856, has a rich and interesting history.
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