At right, a historical photo of City Federal. IMPORTANT NOTE: Many of the sites listed below are on private property; others may be condemned or located in dangerous locations. From lost burial grounds to haunted theaters, the Haunted Decatur Tour is much more than just a run-of-the-mill ghost tour! Apr 16, 2018 - Explore Kelly Kazek's board "Abandoned Alabama", followed by 561 people on Pinterest. Here is a look at 21 of the most photographed abandoned sites in Alabama. 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. She is buried in Birminghams Elmwood Cemetery. It once consisted of 25 buildings constructed in the 1870s or 1880. And why? Dicksonia Plantation in Lowndesboro had a reputation in its day as a stately mansion in picturesque surroundings. Railroad tracks run alongside the backs of the surviving buildings, parallel to the dirt lane called Robinson Switch Road. 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. Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. The population in 2010 census was 55,683. Sardis is home to a truly creepy rumor claiming that a man with fiery red eyes and the ghostly figure of a Confederate soldier has also been spotted wandering the property of the Adams Grove Presbyterian Church. Nancys spirit is distraught over not being able to bury her son. They are evidence of past lives and of the history we are in danger of losing. Some claim to see the orb today. 2 bedrooms (5 homes) $159,629. TOURS OFFERED FOR THE 2023 SEASON: Haunted History Bus Tours: $32 Per Person 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. (Illustration from historic photo/AL.com file). 133 Fourth Avenue NE, Decatur, Alabama 35601, Phone: 256-351-4505. Chalkville Training School for 'Incorrigible' Girls. The Rawls Hotel was built in 1903 by Capt. According toGhostsofAmerica.com: "We heard a sound like chains clinking together right behind us and beside us. 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. 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. There's legend here of a ghost who does housework! secret traditions. Possibly among the most inane of haunted reports, people claim to see a green light in the cemetery at night. 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. This home dates back to 1909 and is registered by the local historical society. Reportedly haunted by the ghost of a young singer who died on the night of her greatest triumph. The stately relics are located, oddly, on the outskirts of a neighborhood of beautifully restored turn-of-the-20th-century cottages, a beautifully restored 1925 elementary school, churches and a few businesses. For tour information and fees, visit the ghost town's websitehere. the inventory is constantly changing as new places come up for auction. This abandoned home on Watts Mill Road was built in 1905 by Charles and William Hudson for their brother, John. The press room in Dallas Compress Co. in Selma. However, that doesn't stop the tales from being told and retold. Have you visited any before? Sometimes its because they bring back memories of places they once loved. The most infamous haunted location in Alabama is The Tutwiler Hotel in downtown Birmingham. It is said to be haunted by former patients. 1890s commissary that served the mining families still stands but the vine-covered building is said the be the site of miners killed at the site. Visitors have claimed to have a feeling of being watched and cold chills even on the hottest days. Fort Crawford was built on a bluff in 1816. Many ghost hunters have visited the hotel. We're sure this Victorian home in rural Missouri was once quite beautiful. Currently, there are 14 new listings and 212 homes for sale in Decatur. 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. 4 bedrooms (42 homes) $317,230. The hangings were carried out inside the jail, and the spirits of those men reportedly never left. Today, it is a historical landmark and is open for tours. A little farther to the east is a waterway known as Gun Island Chute that leads to the Alabama River. It survives but the third story and its Romanesque embellishments were removed. . Due to the owner's financial difficulties, the house is run-down and in need of repair. The property is for sale. (Source: Historic Drish House Facebook page), This home was built by Dr. John R. Drish in 1837. Click hereto see more photos. Don Robinson State Park, Cedar Hill has a plethora of ruins. One truck driver said that he struck the bridge after a ghostly horse-drawn carriage crossed the interstate in front of him. Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge 159 Nature & Wildlife Areas By 460LizF Outstanding location to view wintering Sandhill Cranes. 1 of 16 1. After the main asylum became known as Bryce Hospitalin 1900, the Jemison Center was often called "Old Bryce Hospital," despite the fact that Bryce was built first. Today, the Old State Bank in Decatur is open for tours. It is located across fromShelby Iron Works Park, which has been preserved as an educational site. William J. Samford Hall in the Auburn University Historic District. During the Confederate occupation General John Bell resided there and during the Union occupation, General Sherman himself stayed at Wesleyan. The laws of the state of Alabama first and foremost follow the laws of the ARPA (the Archaeological Resources Protection Act). The spirit of a murdered woman is said to haunt a dirt road behind a Texaco station in this small community. That makes sense, because the fort was in use during the Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I and World War II. On October 27, Hood arranged his army as it arrived to encircle Decatur. We only offer a very limited number of these tours each season and it's one not to miss! Gen. John Brahan, a veteran of the War of 1812, began construction on Sweetwater Plantation in the 1830s. Listed below are eight creepy Alabama ghost towns worth a visit. 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. Legend claims a phantom woman would appear to children, but only at night. 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. The penthouse is still up for sale, he said. Passersby often say they can see the swings moving on their own volition, as well as orbs or spectral figures. All rights reserved (About Us). Decatur, Dothan, Hoover, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and more. It is also known as the Colby Building. As Ive discovered over the years, people are fascinated with abandoned places. Shelby Iron Co. began operations in the 1840s. People claim the churchs pastor went mad one day and murdered his entire family and their spirits haunt the grounds. In Huntsville, the Maple Hill Cemetery is also known as the Dead Children's Playground. Apparitions seen floating through the hotel are thought to be those of people who checked in but never checked out. If you have a specific location from the list below It is now home to the Lowndesboro Town Hall. Flatwoods was a settlement of freed slaves during Reconstruction but it was later burned. Decatur was one of the first mills to take advantage of river transportation of grain. After the capital was moved to Montgomery, the Tuscaloosa building was used as the Alabama Central Female College. At the heart of the Deep South, the state of Alabama offers a wealth of opportunities for urban explorers. The chemical plant was built by the company in 1918 to make wood alcohol from charcoal for World War I. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. Several witnesses have reported seeing the statues of Romeo and Juliet floating around The University of North Alabama's campus during a full moon. Hall Hotel dates to 1895 and residents of Gurley hope to restore it. When the Gold Rush began in California, residents headed west. This research was done using searches of a variety of sites about local haunts. 10.7K subscribers Exploring Abandoned Kmart Decatur Alabama Kmart is a chain of big box department stores headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States. The abandoned Memphis and Charleston Freight Depot at 303 Church St. in Huntsville. InsideEastern Bank of Alabama in Eufaula when it was abandoned. Before long he was drunk and, in his anger, he dragged his wife to the bridge and hanged her from the railing before jumping to his death. The oddest sighting is an apparition that appears to be half-wolf and half-man. 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. It is said to be haunted by slaves who died on the grounds and also by former owners. Legend says if someone says, We have your baby, she will attack. What are the creepiest cemeteries in Alabama? 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. 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. He is reportedly always looking toward the Tombigbee River, where his beloved steamboat exploded. The newly renovated inn is now called Hotel Finial. Supposedly you can still hear what sounds like the body swaying on the second floor. 2. Cook Museum. Residents hear screaming and footsteps and other ghostly sounds. It is reportedly haunted by men killed during training. Find . (Sources: Alabama Department of Youth Services, left; Kelly Kazek, right). ", 3. Support@storageauctoins.com (866) 944-8530 . Some people claim Sydneys ghost followed the drama students to the Telfair Peet Theater when it was constructed in the 1970s. This abandoned funeral home in Opelika still has hearses and caskets inside its casket showcase room. 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. In 2015, the church burned in a fire presumed to be caused by arson. She was struck by a truck and her body was later found beside the highway. Abandoned Places In Alabama 1. An abandoned property is usually a property whose original owner is no longer in possession of the home. (Historic American Buildings Survey/Library of Congress). 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. The ruins of the building that served as the Alabama Capitol from 1826-1846 have been preserved as Capitol Park in Tuscaloosa. Click here to read more. In life, she reportedly lived in a shack in the woods. People who cross the bridge hear the sounds of a babys cries. Read more 0 (Source: Namaan Fletcher/What's Left of Birmingham). It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County. 1888 as a private residence. Contact this Facility Decatur Mill 2050 Market St NE Decatur, AL 35601 256-280-4761 Number of Team Members: 40+ 16. If you'd like to see the "behind the scenes" drama of Decatur's haunted past, then this is the tour for you! (Alabama Department of Archives and History). At least, nothing human. One of the most important factors to keep in mind is that metal detecting on historical grounds is prohibited. The only things remaining in Bellefonte today are the cemetery, the chimney of the local inn (see picture), and piles of bricks. These, shown in 1935, were demolished but the main house remains. Located at 112 Moulton Street E Decatur, AL 35601; Scares start Friday, October 22, from 7-11 p.m. . When she finally reached her home and reported the accident to her husband, the man began drinking to soothe his grief. According to legend, she was driving her baby in a horse-drawn carriage one night. She would squeeze them tightly, then scream in their ears. People claim that her ghost still haunts her Bankhead Forest property, angry at anyone who trespasses. It is now a concert venue. It is no longer standing. Frederic Ravesies, Arcola's first settler, established himself at what later became known as the Hatch Plantation. The David Wade House on Bob Wade Lane in Huntsville shown in 1935. It served as the Jackson County seat from 1821 to 1859. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The first reports of a haunting was around 1919 after a teenage boy who slept at the house had a . Others claim to have seen the apparition of a man in a top hat in the parlor. Having promised her adoring audience she would return, she was killed in an accident on the way. We can promise that you'll never look at the city of Decatur in the same way again! InsideEastern Bank of Alabama in Eufaula. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. In the small south Alabama town of Mount Vernon, one of the state's greatest historical treasures is slowly being consumed by kudzu, time and apathy. At least two, possibly . The rare folk-art stones, declared historic sites by the National Park Service, have unfortunately been all but destroyed by vandals. That's right, allegedly there are sightings of a ghost sweeping. The slave quarters were demolished. Legend says the area is haunted by spirits of residents in the form of strange lights that float among surviving buildings. Abandoned rail shops at the Western Railway of Alabama at 701 North Perry St. in Montgomery are shown in the 1960s. Various urban legends have arisen around the claims that Cry Baby Hollow and the bridge going across it are haunted. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Many spooky tales surround Bear Creek Swamp. This building, constructed in 1856, has a rich and interesting history. All are on my list of favorites, but they are not listed in order of preference. Condie allegedly ran, screaming, with flames streaming from her. The spirit of an inmate who committed suicide in the building is reported to walk its halls. 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. Tales extend to the adjoining cemetery and even the churchs outhouse. (Source: Historic American Buildings Survey/Library of Congress). Water faucets that turn on and off. They will come with a title that will be put into the auction bidder's name. Members of Steel City Urbex were allowed into the bank area and the basement that are being developed for a business such as a restaurant or wine cellar, he said. The abandoned Hall Hotel building is among the loveliest - if spooky - structures in the Madison County town of Gurley. The Penney Building is a 31,000-square-foot structure in downtown Dothan. 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. Owners Bobby and Lynn Bright are refurbishing the film set of Spectre because public interest remains high. Stewartfield in Mobile. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The bank is defunct but the building is still in use. The hotel has been closed down. Today, the home has been beautifully restored by the City of Opelika and is the centerpiece of Spring Villa Park. His ghost has been sited several times by a lot of people. (Picture: St. Stephens Gravesite), Riverton, located in Colbert County, Alabama, was an old trade town that was destroyed when the Pickwick Landing Dam was built during the 1930s. Click hereto see more photos of Robinson's Switch. The city was the capital after Huntsville was the temporary capital city in 1819 so a Constitutional Convention could be held to choose the first official capital, which was Cahawba. "Forks of Cypress" ruins near Florence. HAUNTED DECATUR is part of AMERICAN HAUNTINGS INKEMAIL: GHOSTS@AMERICANHAUNTINGS.NET Copyright 2023 by American Hauntings Ink. Deaths include several from a cholera outbreak in 1900 and one from murder. It is to her that witnesses attribute the sound of footsteps, lights that turn on and off by themselves, cold spots, and a phantom Locals tell a tale of playground sounds that can be heard at night: children laughing, playing and having fun. This haunted house is huge and horrifyingso make sure to get your tickets ASAP. (Illustration from a photo of Old Cahawba/Will Elrick), Old Cahawba Archaeological Site is the preserved remnants of the ghost town of Alabamas first capital city. The building was constructed in 1930. In 1874, a tornado took the life of lady of the house Judith Winston, who was crushed beneath rubble. Vernon/Searcy Hospital site, shown here in 1935, with photo galleries. Others have claimed to see odd sights while driving the road, from lights darting through the trees to ghostly figures. The building is believed to be haunted by several apparitions and ghostly voices are heard. TheMcNab Bank Buildingin Eufaula, formerly Eastern Bank of Alabama. Bass Cemetery is located off a dirt road in the woods. The J.W. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. The courthouse burned in 1866 and was rebuilt. The original portrait of Miss Kirtley hangs in the freshman dorm, Kirtley Hall, but often makes surprise appearances in elevators, closets, and beds! His spirit has been seen wearing a white zoot suit, and he may try to catch a ride with you to Florence. Or they are shocked by the waste of still-useful homes and buildings. It was torn down in 1952. Rock Run is a residential community in Cherokee County where a small pocket of residents live in well-kept homes. She founded many of the things Judson students still love: theConversationalistyearbook, theTriangle(student newspaper), theScrimshawliterary magazine, the college archives, and several (shh!) Today, it is a historical landmark and is open for tours. Today, Jackson Lake Island is open to the public for camping and fishing. (Picture: Wheeler Dam Village - 1937). 1820 plantation house. 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. The story was told by author Kathryn Tucker Windham in 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey.. It was also a very thriving town. Cahawba, or Cahaba, was the state capital from 1820-1825 but was eventually abandoned because of flooding from the Alabama and Cahaba rivers. Legend says it is haunted by a woman named Annie, who acted as a nanny for the children in the home and was later the owners caretaker. According to the Chamber of Commerce website, a scarecrow apparition moves from room to room on this floor. The Gainesridge Dinner Club has been named the "Most Haunted Restaurant" in Alabama. (Picture: Hatch Plantation), Between the years 1819-1826, Cahawba was Alabama's state capital. Jemison Center, former insane asylum for African Americans. 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.