1. IMPORTANT NOTE: Many of the sites listed below are on private property; others may be condemned or located in dangerous locations. Properly called Jackson Ford Bridge, there are currently plans to demolish the bridge due to vandalism and decay making for a safety hazard. 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. 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. Flickr/Jon Dickson. Rawls, who repeatedly took down window treatments he tried to install. The woods off Hinds Road are said the be haunted by a witch who sold her soul to the devil. In some cases, homes and buildings on the verge of collapse were saved. The abandoned Peerless Laundry building at Royal and Conti streets in Mobile. Those people still haunt the road. 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. Prairie Bluff is a ghost town in Wilcox County, Alabama that first appeared on maps in 1819. 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. Many people believe the ghost is that of the Governor's son who died in the Civil War. 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. Others have reported seeing large, panther-like cats cross the highway in this area.". This photo shows a casket on a top shelf that is rusted through the bottom. Before the settlement of the original St. Stephens was abandoned, it sat atop a limestone bluff overlooking the Tombigbee River. 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. The chain purchased Sears. This church on AvenueU in Pratt City has been empty since it was struck by a tornado. The slave quarters were demolished. The third floor of this historic courthouse formerly housed a row of cells, dating back to the early twentieth century. Nancys spirit is distraught over not being able to bury her son. It had no ballroom, no gold-leafed interior, no orchestra. Measured by other resorts built in Alabama in the 1800s, such as nearby Shelby Springs Hotel or Blount Springs Resort, the Dennemora Hotel offered a pared-down version of entertainment. Did you know about these Alabama ghost towns? It's notorious for the vast amount of caves, and also for the true cavers spirit among its inhabitants. Others claim to have seen the apparition of a man in a top hat in the parlor. She enjoys discovering new places and currently calls North Alabama home. secret traditions. (Namaan Fletcher/What's Left of Birmingham). A pearly white marble known as Chewacla Marble was mined in the quarry. (Source: Edward Bennett/Gaines Ridge Dinner Club Facebook page). The home was completed in 1835 by Robert Patton, Brahan's son-in-law and former Alabama governor. It was also once the site of Castle Morgan, used to house prisoners of war during the Civil War. 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. They were holding candles, and her hair caught fire. Simp McGhee's The destruction of these burial mounds cast a mysterious pall over the city -- a darkness that continues to linger today. This building, constructed in 1856, has a rich and interesting history. ", Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Ghost towns, especially those that have been completely abandoned, can be a bit creepy. 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. Click hereto see more photos. 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. 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. Local writer and historian Lee Peacock said the 40-mile stretch of Interstate 65 between Evergreen and Greenville is known as "The Haunted Highway." It is said that a mysterious fog covers this area day or night, and it surrounds the gravestones. As the river trade continued to increase, the town continued to grow. Tales extend to the adjoining cemetery and even the churchs outhouse. She is said to have died instantly. If you'd like to see the "behind the scenes" drama of Decatur's haunted past, then this is the tour for you! Combined, the TAG area contains more than 14,000 caves (9,200 in Tennessee and 600 in Georgia). Are the former owners of this home-turned-library angry at the intrusion into their afterlives or just trying to say hello? 2 bedrooms (5 homes) $159,629. Completely inundated, this abandoned town exists in a watery grave. Jesse James is rumored to have holed up in the canyon. The neglected building is Birmingham's Masonic Temple, also once known as the Colored Masonic Lodge. "Abandoned Alabama: Exploring The Heart of Dixie," by Leland Kent, (Arcadia Publishing), 2021, 96 pages, softcover. 12 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama. Scare-seekers with an appreciation for history will love this night-time walking tour of Gatlinburg's most "haunted" places. Ruins of theMemphis and Charleston Freight Depot at 303 Church St. in Huntsville. Haunted Places Decatur, Alabama Decatur High School Decatur High School was built in 1950. (Picture: Hatch Plantation), Between the years 1819-1826, Cahawba was Alabama's state capital. 14. Abandoned rail shops at the Western Railway of Alabama at 701 North Perry St. in Montgomery are shown in the 1960s. Perrins, Alfonso's, Josie's, and Let's Do Lunch are very casual. 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. Boshells Mill was built in 1902 beside Lost Creek on Alabama Route 124 in Townley, Ala. Deaths include several from a cholera outbreak in 1900 and one from murder. Each tour gets on and off the bus during the evening and we do go inside some of Decatur's most haunted locations. Each year, unclaimed or abandoned assets are turned over to Alabama Unclaimed Property by financial institutions and businesses that lose contact with the owners. Many ghost hunters have visited the hotel. Cemeteries near Decatur, AL Decatur, Dothan, Hoover, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and more. The activity is reportedly caused by the spirit of a woman who died on the top floor in the 1950s. If you have a specific location from the list below Legend says the area is haunted by spirits of residents in the form of strange lights that float among surviving buildings. The Marengo House was originally built in 1847 in Autauga County before being disassembled in 1854 and moved to its current location. Princess Theatre in Decatur, Alabama M MSNHA Storage Buildings Old Barns Built In Storage Lauderdale Garages Sheds Beautiful Things Old Barn on Spring Avenue, Decatur, Alabama B Bonnie Goodman Little Theatre Old Signs Once In A Lifetime Movie Theater Performance Art Decatur Alabama great little Theater C Coil Billingsley Southern Homes 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. See the last slide for links to more photos of abandoned sites in Alabama. The Cedarhurst Mansion Estate was originally built in 1823 by Stephen Ewing. At the site of Mount Vernon Arsenal, founded in 1828, more than 30 historic buildings are rotting where they stand, including those that housed, at differing times, Geronimo, a Civil War militia,Dr. Walter Reedand African American mental patients when it was the Mount Vernon Asylum for the Colored Insane, later known as Searcy Hospital. It served as the Jackson County seat from 1821 to 1859. (Source: Judyanne Waters via FindaGrave.com), Grave of Norman Staples and Ghost Ship, Bladon Springs. 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 house is reportedly haunted by the spirit of an invalid woman who killed herself in the home in the 1960s. The Knight Sanitorium is a three-story brick building. Legend says the face of a woman appears on a tombstone in Sandlin Cemetery. And if you consider yourself a ghost hunter, youll love this creepy road trip in Alabama. A little farther to the east is a waterway known as Gun Island Chute that leads to the Alabama River. According to legend, a female student was killed while she was trying to sneak out after curfew. 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. It is reportedly haunted by men killed during training. Vernon Hospital for the Colored Insane. Cahawba, or Cahaba, was the state capital from 1820-1825 but was eventually abandoned because of flooding from the Alabama and Cahaba rivers. People have claimed to see a ghostly face in the windows of this historic covered bridge, known as the Livingston Covered Bridge and the Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge. This photo was taken in 1934 when the home was abandoned. The son of former Alabama governor, Robert Patton is said to be one of many ghosts to haunt the Sweetwater Mansion in Florence. You may even stumble upon an old, abandoned homestead site in the woods. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. They will come with a title that will be put into the auction bidder's name. Some report that is you park on the bridge, your car will begin to rock. More history, more hauntings, and more off-the-bus locations, this 4-hour tour delves into the most ghost-infested people and places in Decatur's history. The cemetery remains. Locals get an eerie feeling around this building. These buildings are the longest continuously occupied industrial buildings in the state. (Source: Library of Congress/Historic American Buildings Survey). The ROW can still be made out in many places . St. Clair's Bait & Tackle, Grocery and Hardware. He is known to flush toilets, independently operate ice machines and brush past people leaving them with chills. Her spirit can also be seen floating past windows on the second floor. Farming towns on the eastern plains were often deserted due to rural depopulation. Many people claim theyve seen a face behind the barred windows of the second floor but the building was empty. (Illustration from historic photo/AL.com file). The Italianate mansion was built for James Turner Kendall but decades later, the home was used as an inn. People have claimed to hear wails of banshees and see ghostly hell hounds and apparitions of Confederate soldiers. It is named for war veteran and politician Joseph Wheeler, as is nearby Wheeler Lake. Stewartfield in Mobile. Apr 16, 2018 - Explore Kelly Kazek's board "Abandoned Alabama", followed by 561 people on Pinterest. 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. 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. Bellefonte is a ghost town in Jackson County, Alabama and is situated near the site of the Bellefonte Nuclear Generating Station. Legend says a girl named Sally hung herself in a stairwell on the third floor of the building. 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. 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. 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. The site has two city cemeteries as well as a slave cemetery. When Huntingdon was a Methodist female college, a young woman allegedly committed suicide in the dorm and continues to haunt it. Once the world's most expensive prison, from 1829 this Philadelphia facility boasted grand architecture, modern luxuries and notorious inmates including Al Capone. (Source: Spyder_Monkey via Wikimedia Commons). The ruins of Fort Morgan, built in 1819, are spooky on their own. Contact this Facility Decatur Mill 2050 Market St NE Decatur, AL 35601 256-280-4761 Number of Team Members: 40+ It is no longer standing. The building is believed to be haunted by several apparitions and ghostly voices are heard. 15. Trespassing is illegal. 1914. Bellefonte is a ghost town in Jackson County, Alabama and is situated near the site of the Bellefonte Nuclear Generating Station. 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). Mary survived. The Tennessee River railroad bridge on Alabama Highway 43 in Florence is shown in the late 1960s. InsideEastern Bank of Alabama in Eufaula. We have the list of places to check out! Located at 112 Moulton Street E Decatur, AL 35601; Scares start Friday, October 22, from 7-11 p.m. . The church is now a ruin but the adjoining cemetery remains. Decatur was one of the first mills to take advantage of river transportation of grain. Construction on Kendall Manor began before the Civil War but it could not be completed until 1867. See more onSteel City Urbex's Facebook page. If you stop on the bridge and turn off your lights, the couple will enter your car and leave behind a wet stain on your car seat. The bank is defunct but the building is still in use. Fort Crawford was built on a bluff in 1816. Chalkville Training School for 'Incorrigible' Girls. What are the most haunted places in Alabama? It would go on to boast others, including the "Second Most Corrupt City in Illinois." In Huntsville, the Maple Hill Cemetery is also known as the Dead Children's Playground. Molly was bittem by her puppy, which had contracted rabies. It is now a concert venue. During the American Civil War, the town suffered a lot of damage and it was completely abandoned by the 1920s. Click here to see a five-part history of the Mt. Abandoned Marshall Space Flight Center power plant test stand in the east test area in Huntsville shown in 1968. Today, only its stone foundations remain. 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. Read more 0 Local residents have reported seeing a strange mist rise up in the area in front of the statue of boxing great Joe Louis, who was born in Chambers County. (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. (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. Nebo Baptist Church. The property is still owned by the Department of Mental Health and is trespassing is illegal. The newly renovated inn is now called Hotel Finial. 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. Col. Christopher Claudius Pegues built a stately home on the property between Pine and Chestnut streets. The original portrait of Miss Kirtley hangs in the freshman dorm, Kirtley Hall, but often makes surprise appearances in elevators, closets, and beds! Battleship Island, Japan. Share your experiences with us in the comments below! The Rawls Hotel was built in 1903 by Capt. Although the haunting of Sloss Furnaces is oft repeated, legends surrounding Bass Cemetery in Irondale are definitely the spookiest. Due to the owner's financial difficulties, the house is run-down and in need of repair. There's legend here of a ghost who does housework! In the 1850s, the settlement had disappeared and was replaced by adjoining plantations. 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. 16) You Can Search for Gold in Several Public Places Gold mining and treasure hunting locations in Alabama start in Chilton County and continue northeast to the Georgia State line. CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY! The building was constructed in Northport on what was once called Cherokee Plantation, owned by Robert Jemison. The press room in Dallas Compress Co. in Selma. 2. It is said to be haunted by the men and women who died during the raid. In 2015, the church burned in a fire presumed to be caused by arson. In the 1830s, settlers continued to move into the area to use Arcola as a river landing. A curved staircase inside the 1850 Carpenter Gothic-style home called Spring Villa in Opelika. were demolished but the main house remains, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. At the heart of the Deep South, the state of Alabama offers a wealth of opportunities for urban explorers. 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. The furnace was destroyed by the Union army during the Civil War but was rebuilt around 1879. The last of our abandoned places: Balaklava, Ukraine. After a mummified woman was discovered in her home, people claimed she was a witch. 1830s to 1866. According to legend, she was driving her baby in a horse-drawn carriage one night. Others claim to have witnessed the spirit of a mysterious mist, a crying baby and a strange man dressed in black. Murder Creek Bridge is located on this stretch. 5) Higdon Hotel Joy Castello / Flickr The Higdon Hotel has been closed for business since 1920, but the beautiful building still stands. Abandoned Storage Unit Auctions. Some have heard footsteps from the second floor and the sound of the piano playing when no one is there. The ghost of a woman who died after being hit by a truck is said to haunt this stretch of road.