In the 1850s, the settlement had disappeared and was replaced by adjoining plantations. Decatur Mill | Ardent Mills All are on my list of favorites, but they are not listed in order of preference. According to legend, she was driving her baby in a horse-drawn carriage one night. Cook Museum. Today, it is a historical landmark and is open for tours. Each tour gets on and off the bus during the evening and we do go inside some of Decatur's most haunted locations. Add Photos The historic, two-story jail was built in ca. It is said to be haunted by the men and women who died during the raid. The legend was recorded by author Kathryn Tucker Windham in 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey.. Today, Jackson Lake Island is open to the public for camping and fishing. Once the world's most expensive prison, from 1829 this Philadelphia facility boasted grand architecture, modern luxuries and notorious inmates including Al Capone. According to the Chamber of Commerce website, a scarecrow apparition moves from room to room on this floor. You are reading "15 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama " Back to Top. Because the ground was frozen at the time, she was placed in a coffin in the cellar. The most haunted bridge in our state is aptly named Hell's Gate Bridge, located in Oxford. Pikeville was Marion Countys first county seat, serving from 1820-1882. 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. (Historic American Buildings Survey/Library of Congress). Owners Bobby and Lynn Bright are refurbishing the film set of Spectre because public interest remains high. The book, "Haunted Places: The National Directory" by Dennis William Hauck claims that this section of highway is haunted by the spirits of displaced Creek Indians and has resulted in an "accident rate that is well above average." 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. 12 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama. It was abandoned for years and is currently being refurbished. Scare-seekers with an appreciation for history will love this night-time walking tour of Gatlinburg's most "haunted" places. Have you visited any before? Decatur Alabama - Digital Alabama The A ghost named George is said to live here, a former construction worker who fell from a scaffold as the place was being built. Adjoining Huntsville's historic Maple Hill Cemetery is a playground that looks much like any other, featuring a swing set and slide. Crime truly came to Decatur in the 1850s with the arrival of the railroads. Following her death in 1962, people claimed to see a kneeling figure at the grave, according to "Haunted Places: The National Directory." Prattville was founded by Daniel Pratt, a manufacturer of cotton gins. Ive noted those of which I am aware. It is located on a street bordering Montgomery's quaint Cottage Hill district, which is filled with refurbished cottages. 15 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama - VacationIdea However, the house was saved and restored and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. We have the list of places to check out! InsideEastern Bank of Alabama in Eufaula. Click hereto see more from Cottage Hill. Kelly Kazek |kkazek@al.com. 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. Gold was discovered in Arbacoochee in the 1830s, causing the town to grow rapidly. At right, a historical photo of City Federal. Japeth Rawls. We can promise that you'll never look at the city of Decatur in the same way again! Some say they can hear the call of a bird that soon morphs into a young girls screams. Take a look. According toGhostsofAmerica.com: "We heard a sound like chains clinking together right behind us and beside us. It was restored and listed on the NRHP but its buildings burned in 1976 and 1986. the inventory is constantly changing as new places come up for auction. Because of the legends, the site was often vandalized. 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. (Alabama Department of Archives and History). 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. If you agree to give him a ride, witnesses Alabama is fond of getting into Hell it seems. The only things remaining in Bellefonte today are the cemetery, the chimney of the local inn (see picture), and piles of bricks. Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge 159 Nature & Wildlife Areas By 460LizF Outstanding location to view wintering Sandhill Cranes. 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. In 2020, Troy introduces the 25th Anniversary Edition of his first book! However, that doesn't stop the tales from being told and retold. In 1861, Prairie Bluff was at its height. For 50 years, the woman brought flowers and kneeled to pray at the foot of his 8-foot obelisk marker. Beelitz Military Hospital, Berlin. 28 Abandoned Alabama ideas | alabama, abandoned, historical - Pinterest But at night, people have reported seeing shadowy figures wandering inside the crumbling walls, as well as strange mists and odd noises. In 1909, Kirkseys wheelchair-bound daughter Margaretta Eliza, who was 29 years old, fell from the second-floor balcony. The abandoned Hall Hotel building is among the loveliest - if spooky - structures in the Madison County town of Gurley. From it's earliest days, the city of Decatur gained a reputation as a place where ghost stories were common -- from tales told by the settlers to haunted houses and hotels. Haunted houses, hospitals and hayrides: This list has all of North The property is still owned by the Department of Mental Health and is trespassing is illegal. This photo of the Alabama Capitol in Tuscaloosa was taken in the 1890s or early 1900s. (Source: ecjmartin1 via Wikimedia Commons). His ghost has been sited several times by a lot of people. Some claim to see the orb today. It survives but the third story and its Romanesque embellishments were removed. The Empire building was erected in 1909 on the site of the former Bank Saloon, according to Bham Wiki. Jennifer is the Alabama staff writer for Only In Your State and has nearly 15 years of professional writing experience. 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. Farming towns on the eastern plains were often deserted due to rural depopulation. 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. 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. In life, she reportedly lived in a shack in the woods. These buildings are the longest continuously occupied industrial buildings in the state. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. On October 27, Hood arranged his army as it arrived to encircle Decatur. IMPORTANT NOTE: Many of the sites listed below are on private property; others may be condemned or located in dangerous locations. Jack Cole Road is a dirt road in a densely wooded area off Highway 7. The house has been restored and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (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. List of Caves in Alabama: Locations and Map - startcaving.com Simp McGhee's William J. Samford Hall in the Auburn University Historic District. That's right, allegedly there are sightings of a ghost sweeping. 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. Rawls, who repeatedly took down window treatments he tried to install. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The grounds are maintained and the site is available to rent for photography and events from Dorothy Skipper Rental LLC. Since it was erected in 1922, the Masonicbuilding has a public library for black residents and home to offices for prominent black doctors and lawyers, as well as the local NAACP. (Picture: Wheeler Dam Village - 1937). On the third floor, people report doors opening and closing and furniture moving of its own accord. Did you know about these Alabama ghost towns? (Submitted by Callum Swift). This photo was taken in 1934 when the home was abandoned. The remains were removed in 2015. In some cases, homes and buildings on the verge of collapse were saved. People claim if they get out of their cars, they hear and feel a presence beside them. An abandoned property is usually a property whose original owner is no longer in possession of the home. Legend says a girl named Sally hung herself in a stairwell on the third floor of the building. 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. Jacksons Military Road passed through the town. Prairie Bluff is a ghost town in Wilcox County, Alabama that first appeared on maps in 1819. DECATUR MALL - $$ - 1801 Beltline Rd SW, Decatur, AL - Yelp The first Dennemora Hotel was built at the height of the Civil War, in 1863, along what is now Shelby County Road 42, five miles southwest of Columbiana. The population in 2010 census was 55,683. The building was constructed in Northport on what was once called Cherokee Plantation, owned by Robert Jemison. (Namaan Fletcher/What's Left of Birmingham). It's notorious for the vast amount of caves, and also for the true cavers spirit among its inhabitants. Others say they have experienced their cars rocking while on the bridge. 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. The home was reportedly built atop old slave quarters and a cemetery. It is no longer in use and the abandoned building is reportedly haunted. 18 Abandoned Places in Missouri That Nature is Reclaiming - OnlyInYourState Today, only its stone foundations remain. It was used during the Civil War as a hospital. 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. Rock Run is a residential community in Cherokee County where a small pocket of residents live in well-kept homes. 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 best-known ghost tale from each Alabama county - al.com The furnace was destroyed by the Union army during the Civil War but was rebuilt around 1879. But in the 1800s, it was a town that grew around the Rock Run Mine and Furnace. According to legend, many apparitions haunt the house. A pearly white marble known as Chewacla Marble was mined in the quarry. She is said to have died instantly. At least two, possibly . Tales extend to the adjoining cemetery and even the churchs outhouse. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. If. With its troubling past of murder, manslaughter and illegal activity, it isn't that hard to believe either. Sometimes its because they bring back memories of places they once loved. People report hearing maniacal screaming among other reported paranormal activity. Click hereto see more photos. But, after burning twice in its 186-year history, the elegant mansion is more famous in its ruinous state than it ever was as a family home. The firefighters felt that is simply wasn't worth the risk to aggressively try to stop the fire, and to let the fire burn itself. An abandoned 1913 schoolhouse in rural Cherokee County was photographed in the 1930s. The hotel closed in the 1970s. It was restored but is once again in need of repairs. It once consisted of 25 buildings constructed in the 1870s or 1880. HAUNTED DECATUR is part of AMERICAN HAUNTINGS INKEMAIL: GHOSTS@AMERICANHAUNTINGS.NET Copyright 2023 by American Hauntings Ink. The Decatur Mall is anchored by Belk, jcpenney Outlet, Sears and Regal Cinemas. The ghost of a woman who died after being hit by a truck is said to haunt this stretch of road. On Feb. 4, a fellow student spilled cleaning fluid onto the open stove and the kitchen caught fire. Some have been completely abandoned, making them TRUE ghost towns. 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. (Illustration from historic photo/AL.com file). The church is now a ruin but the adjoining cemetery remains. An obituary written by J. T. Melton states that Hall was born on March 3, 1830, in Lawrence County, Tennessee, although there is conflicting evidence that he was actually born on March 4, 1924. Legends of hauntings in the home include one about a screaming woman dressed in Victorian clothing. While visiting the house, a relative, Sally Carter, died of a short illness at the mansion in 1837. BOOK REVIEW: 'Abandoned Alabama' should be on historians' read list In 1874, a tornado took the life of lady of the house Judith Winston, who was crushed beneath rubble. This courthouse was built in 1868 when Seale was the county seat from 1866-1942. Shelby Iron Co. began operations in the 1840s. He was arrested January 1878, and confined to the garret of the present building. Home Size. Molly was bittem by her puppy, which had contracted rabies. This Greek Revival-style mansion was built in 1837 by Dr. John R. Drish who died in 1867. 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. 15 most haunted places in Decatur. If you have a specific location from the list below 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 interior of the Goode-Hall house in the 1930s. Some say theyve seen orbs of light that appear to float on the river. However, they say eventually the happy noises turn to unhappy ones, as if the children are screaming for their lives. St. Clair's Bait & Tackle, Grocery and Hardware. This abandoned home on Watts Mill Road was built in 1905 by Charles and William Hudson for their brother, John. 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 also home to numerous legends and ghost tales. While visiting the house, a relative, Sally Carter, died of a short illness at the mansion in 1837. The activity is reportedly caused by the spirit of a woman who died on the top floor in the 1950s. The last of our abandoned places: Balaklava, Ukraine. 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. Cahawba, or Cahaba, was the state capital from 1820-1825 but was eventually abandoned because of flooding from the Alabama and Cahaba rivers. The three-story tower was added to the home after the Civil War. 1820 plantation house. During the 1920s, Decatur would gain infamy as a place where murder, bootlegging, prostitution, kidnapping, gambling, corruption and, of course, ghosts, were commonplace. Spectre, Ala., is a fictional town built as a set for the 2003 movie "Big Fish." People claim that her ghost still haunts her Bankhead Forest property, angry at anyone who trespasses. B.B. Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. In 2015, the church burned in a fire presumed to be caused by arson. When Memorial Mound opened on Dartmouth Avenue in Bessemerin 1993, it was billed as a new method of laying loved ones to rest. Fort Crawford was built on a bluff in 1816. The Rawls Hotel was built in 1903 by Capt. Alabama, Should Be on Your Radar. Many ghost hunters have visited the hotel. Ruins of theMemphis and Charleston Freight Depot at 303 Church St. in Huntsville. Legend says the apparition of a woman named Nancy, for whom Nancys Mountain is named, haunts a path to the river on Haines Island, shown above. It is said that in one of the crypts stands an antique rocking chair, a favorite possession of a lady who was buried in her family crypt. Employees claim they've heard disembodied footsteps and voices. Mrs. Locals tell a story that this building once was occupied by a young girl, Molly, who died in the 1930s or 1940s. NOTE:This site was visited with permission and under supervision of the State Department of Mental Health. Mary survived. The press room in Dallas Compress Co. in Selma. Melton also writes that Hall married Mary E. Scruggs of Lawrence County, Tennessee in 1859 where they resided until his death on May 28, 1880. For the next 100 years,the mansion was owned by members of the Winston family. (Source: Matt Glasscock at left; Birmingham Public Library at right), http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2016/09/amazing_photos_show_abandoned.html. The newly renovated inn is now called Hotel Finial. Located at 112 Moulton Street E Decatur, AL 35601; Scares start Friday, October 22, from 7-11 p.m. . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The J.W. The war ended before the plant went into operation. Mining continued in Arbacoochee until the 1930s, but the town never recovered and became a ghost town by 1990. What are the most popular ghost stories in Alabama? Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama - Southern Living Months after Pegues was killed in battle in 1862, strolling lovers claimed to see an orb in the garden behind the home. One truck driver said that he struck the bridge after a ghostly horse-drawn carriage crossed the interstate in front of him. Many people claim theyve seen a face behind the barred windows of the second floor but the building was empty. Reportedly haunted by the ghost of a young singer who died on the night of her greatest triumph. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. According to the Library of Congress, The brick warehouses had 12 -inch firewalls and fire doors. It is now a concert venue. Now it looks like something from a horror movie. Dicksonia Plantation in Lowndesboro had a reputation in its day as a stately mansion in picturesque surroundings. 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. 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. Haunted Places in Decatur, Alabama The hotel's location next to the Shelby Iron Works, built in 1842 for access to a spring on the property, made it a popular weekend destination for the public but it was also used by employees of the Iron Works. Saunders Hall | 40+ Photos | Abandoned Alabama People who cross the bridge hear the sounds of a babys cries. The 13 Most Haunted Hotels in Alabama | Haunted Rooms America Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Unfortunately, the introduction of new railroads following the American Civil War really hurt the town. When the Gold Rush began in California, residents headed west. Cry Baby Hollow Bridge | Haunted Places | Hartselle, AL 35640 Legend says the area is haunted by spirits of residents in the form of strange lights that float among surviving buildings. The cemetery is said to be haunted by the ghost of Norman Staples, captain of a sternwheel steamer who killed himself with a shotgun in 1913 at the age of 44. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Ashland Place Historic District in Mobile. The Knight Sanitorium is a three-story brick building. List of ghost towns in Colorado - Wikipedia CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY! Listed below are eight creepy Alabama ghost towns worth a visit. Nancys spirit is distraught over not being able to bury her son. Furthermore, it is not allowed for any person to excavate . Haunted Places in Decatur, Texas Hall Hotel dates to 1895 and residents of Gurley hope to restore it. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. When Huntingdon was a Methodist female college, a young woman allegedly committed suicide in the dorm and continues to haunt it. 10. ", The Pickens County Courthouse in Carrollton is widely known as the site of hauntings by the spirit of Henry Wells, who was once incarcerated in a jail cell on the second floor. StorageAuctions is the best place to find online storage auctions. Peacock said it's the "site of numerous unusual accidents over the years, including several that have resulted in fatalities and catastrophic fires. The home was completed in 1835 by Robert Patton, Brahan's son-in-law and former Alabama governor. secret traditions. People report hearing strange noises and seeing apparitions at the site. Other times, its merely because they are so haunting and raise the questions: Who would leave such beautiful places to rot? 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. The site is beneath the Alabama Highway 134 bridge over the Choctawhatchee River. It is privately owned and closed to the public. Because after an entire life of drudgery and cleaning, that's how every woman wants to spend her afterlife. This photo shows a casket on a top shelf that is rusted through the bottom. Decatur Alabama is a city in Morgan and Limestone counties in the State of Alabama. At the heart of the Deep South, the state of Alabama offers a wealth of opportunities for urban explorers. These, shown in 1935, were demolished but the main house remains. ", Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. 2. According to legend, the site is haunted by spirits of numerous people hung from the limbs of the tree in its 200- to 300-year history.