The city of Cahaba, or Cahawba, located where the Cahaba and Alabama rivers meet, was abandoned in 1825 after severe flooding. Railroad tracks run alongside the backs of the surviving buildings, parallel to the dirt lane called Robinson Switch Road. (Historic American Buildings Survey/Library of Congress). A local storyteller dressed in period clothing leads the one-mile tour of haunted hotels, infamous murder sites, cemeteries, and more. We can promise that you'll never look at the city of Decatur in the same way again! Visitors here may see ghostly children coming out to play. Reportedly haunted by the ghost of a young singer who died on the night of her greatest triumph. Many people believe the ghost is that of the Governor's son who died in the Civil War. Shelby Iron Co. began operations in the 1840s. Legends often say that he was hanged on trumped-up charges for deserting the Confederate army, although details vary. 17 Abandoned Places In Alabama [MAP] - Urbex Her ghost is said to look down from the upstairs window. After Old Main burned in 1887, the Chapel was used for classrooms until Samford Hall was built. Abandoned Storage Unit Auctions. This is not just a collection of ghost stories, but a true history of how the city became so haunted -- which means we also include local sites of death, unsolved murders, strange crimes, gambling parlors, vice districts and more plagued the city in days gone by. Some people say theyve heard a baby cry or a dog panting or growling while on the property. 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. What are the most popular ghost stories in Alabama? What is now a non-denominational chapel was built in 1850 as a Presbyterian church. The most haunted bridge in our state is aptly named Hell's Gate Bridge, located in Oxford. A defunct prison said to have been in operation from 1945 to 1995. It was restored and listed on the NRHP but its buildings burned in 1976 and 1986. 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. 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. 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. McCandless Hall auditorium, which opened in 1914, is said to be haunted by the spirit of Abigail Burns, an opera singer. Some have been completely abandoned, making them TRUE ghost towns. According to legend, a small bridge on an isolated road is haunted by a baby who died there. Cripple Creek - Palace Hotel - Like much of Cripple Creek, the Palace Hotel has a long history. Alabamas many historic cemetery sites can be bone-chilling, especially those with an eerie legend associated with it. For information, contact Craig Drescher,info@historicwinterplace.com. The area is said to be haunted by the spirits of those who died in the mines. An old bridge off Mothershed Road is known as Mary Daniel Bridge. It is said that a mysterious fog covers this area day or night, and it surrounds the gravestones. Click hereto see more photos of Robinson's Switch. Apparitions have been seen, and captured on film by paranormal society investigations; orbs have been reported as well. As the tale goes, a couple's car drove off the bridge, plunging into the water below. 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. This Greek Revival-style mansion was built in 1837 by Dr. John R. Drish who died in 1867. This photo shows a casket on a top shelf that is rusted through the bottom. The property is for sale. But by far the creepiest spot is the 200+-year-old Bass Cemetery in Irondale. During the American Civil War, the town suffered a lot of damage and it was completely abandoned by the 1920s. . They will come with a title that will be put into the auction bidder's name. Information with the photo said: This building stood on the southeast corner of Vine Street and First Street North. 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. (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. Take I-65 to Decatur, Exit 334. (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 ruins of Fort Morgan, built in 1819, are spooky on their own. Another story says when people feel a sudden sense of dread, they will soon see the apparition of a soldier. Today, the Old State Bank in Decatur is open for tours. Love Alabama? These auctions tend to occur less frequently than typical public car auctions in Alabama. People have claimed to hear wails of banshees and see ghostly hell hounds and apparitions of Confederate soldiers. Late at night, people have reported hearing eerie footsteps echoing on the decks of the War World II-era battleship USS Alabama. Trespassing is illegal. This research was done using searches of a variety of sites about local haunts. The building has been abandoned since the 1980s. 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. The back of the dilapidated William Chancellor House in Harpersville in Shelby County is shown in 1935. The Decatur Mall is anchored by Belk, jcpenney Outlet, Sears and Regal Cinemas. 133 Fourth Avenue NE, Decatur, Alabama 35601, Phone: 256-351-4505. By the end of 1888, the R&D had built 51 miles of track from Rome, GA to Attalla (west of Gadsden), AL. Contact this Facility Decatur Mill 2050 Market St NE Decatur, AL 35601 256-280-4761 Number of Team Members: 40+ It is privately owned and closed to the public. That's right, allegedly there are sightings of a ghost sweeping. 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. In the era of segregation, it was central to the cultural life of black Birmingham residents. This airfield built in 1941, shown above in aerial view, was used to train the famous Tuskegee Airmen. The image of a Confederate soldier appeared inside, which meant it may have been the ghost of one of Patton's sons. We hope to get permission to go photograph it very soon.. Click here to read more. Months after Pegues was killed in battle in 1862, strolling lovers claimed to see an orb in the garden behind the home. It is said to be haunted by the inmates executed there, with the last one in 1949. The tale of its resident ghost, a Confederate soldier named Sydney Grimmett who died there, is the most popular ghost story on campus. Decatur Alabama Population The northeast of Alabama is part of the TAG area (the region where Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia meet). People claim to hear disembodied laughter. 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.. Deaths include several from a cholera outbreak in 1900 and one from murder. A marker was erected nearby detailing the legend. 10 Crazy Abandoned Places in TN Nature Is Reclaiming Quickly The cotton press in the Dallas Compress Co. in Selma. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. However, that doesn't stop the tales from being told and retold. The Chamber of Commerce building, above right, was constructed in 1910 as a bank. The Empire building was erected in 1909 on the site of the former Bank Saloon, according to Bham Wiki. But in the 1800s, it was a town that grew around the Rock Run Mine and Furnace. The Grace Evans house in Cahaba, the states first capital city, in the 1930s, decades after the town was abandoned due to flooding. Adjoining Huntsville's historic Maple Hill Cemetery is a playground that looks much like any other, featuring a swing set and slide. He may flush the toilet as well. List of ghost towns in Colorado - Wikipedia From lost burial grounds to haunted theaters, the Haunted Decatur Tour is much more than just a run-of-the-mill ghost tour! Western Railway of Alabama building in Montgomery as it looks today. The slave quarters were demolished. Vice districts, gambling parlors and brothels sprang up in the wake of the railroads and the Civil War, bringing bloodshed and violence to the city. Burt Cemetery in Decatur, Alabama - Find a Grave Cemetery Local writer and historian Lee Peacock said the 40-mile stretch of Interstate 65 between Evergreen and Greenville is known as "The Haunted Highway." Some say it is haunted by a mother in search of her long-lost child. Remember, the majority of homes are occupied, private residences and those that are abandoned are marked "No Trespassing" and are a hazard. One-by-one, the boys killed anyone involved in the deaths of their family. The remains were removed in 2015. 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. Sadly, nature has reclaimed much of Old Cahawba. Abandoned Western Railway of Alabama building in Montgomery is shown in the late 1960s. It's notorious for the vast amount of caves, and also for the true cavers spirit among its inhabitants. Mining towns were abandoned when the mines closed; many due to the devaluation of silver in 1893. Decatur, Alabama | Ghostly World Please follow the law and be safe. This photo was taken in 1934 when the home was abandoned. THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Decatur - Tripadvisor It had no ballroom, no gold-leafed interior, no orchestra. Flickr/Annie Chartrand. 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. The Haunted Decatur Tours are based on the bestselling book by Troy Taylor, HAUNTED DECATUR. Legend says the face of a woman appears on a tombstone in Sandlin Cemetery. Nancys spirit is distraught over not being able to bury her son. It was named for nearby Sweetwater Creek. A massive oak at the junction of the Pea and Choctahatchee rivers is known as the Constitution Oak and is one of the largest in the state. Hall Hotel dates to 1895 and residents of Gurley hope to restore it. (Picture: Wheeler Dam Village - 1937). Decatur's sordid reputation also added to the ghostly stories of the city through incidents of murder and death. This was the exact same year Alabama was admitted to the Union as a state. Water faucets that turn on and off. After a mummified woman was discovered in her home, people claimed she was a witch. SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM! In 1861, Prairie Bluff was at its height. Currently, there are 14 new listings and 212 homes for sale in Decatur. Each home has it's own unique style which makes it stand out amid the modern homes we see today. The property is still owned by the Department of Mental Health and is trespassing is illegal. 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. Cemeteries near Decatur, AL The tale was repeated in Kathryn Tucker Windham's"13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey." People claim to see Marys spirit on the bridge, searching for her lost child. The population in 2010 census was 55,683. 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. Sketoe's Hole is the site where Methodist minister William "Bill" Sketoe Sr. (1818- 1864) was hanged during the Civil War. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Many people claim theyve seen a face behind the barred windows of the second floor but the building was empty. Her sons pulled her from the wreckage, but she died in the front bedroom on the eastern side. Decatur Alabama is a city in Morgan and Limestone counties in the State of Alabama. Don't Edit Jennifer is the Alabama staff writer for Only In Your State and has nearly 15 years of professional writing experience. It is continually guarded and visitors are not allowed without prior approval. Decatur was one of the first mills to take advantage of river transportation of grain. It's now underwater and the only remnant left of the town is a cemetery. At night, ghosts of the people buried there haunt the area. It was reportedly closed in 1924 and was later opened as a medical hospital. We went online to see which stories were most repeated ineach of Alabama's counties to make the following list. Passersby often say they can see the swings moving on their own volition, as well as orbs or spectral figures. While visiting the house, a relative, Sally Carter, died of a short illness at the mansion in 1837. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. The original portrait of Miss Kirtley hangs in the freshman dorm, Kirtley Hall, but often makes surprise appearances in elevators, closets, and beds! It is said to be haunted by slaves who died on the grounds and also by former owners. Allegedly there is a photo that shows a ghost in it. 30+ Abandoned Industrial Buildings In Alabama | Abandoned Alabama In the 1930s, this beautiful 1842 home known as the Bethea-Strother House, located on Alabama Highway 28 in Camden, was abandoned and deteriorating. This account of the hauntings comes from RawlsBandB.com: Unusual occurrences are not uncommon in the historic Rawls hotel. (Source: Spyder_Monkey via Wikimedia Commons). 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. It is no longer in use and the abandoned building is reportedly haunted. On Feb. 4, a fellow student spilled cleaning fluid onto the open stove and the kitchen caught fire. Home Value*. The ghost of a boy who died there is said to haunt the park. The able-bodied patients at Jemison worked on a hospital farm. (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. A pyromaniac ghost? We have the list of places to check out! A staircase in the Empire building before renovations began. The Gainesridge Dinner Club has been named the "Most Haunted Restaurant" in Alabama. 9 Best . According . The neglected building is Birmingham's Masonic Temple, also once known as the Colored Masonic Lodge. For this feature, Ive combined those two loves. The abandoned Memphis and Charleston Freight Depot in Huntsville. Red Lady of Huntingdon College, Montgomery, Pratt Hall, a dorm at Huntingdon College, is haunted by a spirit known as the Red Lady because she is always dressed in red. The Gaines Ridge Dinner Club is a restaurant inside a ca. Have you visited any before? This is one of the outbuildings at the site. The historic, two-story jail was built in ca. The chain purchased Sears. 1830s to 1866. The facility on Dartmouth Avenue in Bessemer was abandoned with bodies inside but they were removed in 2015. During the Civil War, her husband and oldest son were reportedly murdered by members of the Home Guard because the son refused to join the army. The woods off Hinds Road are said the be haunted by a witch who sold her soul to the devil. The buildings flank Alabama Avenue.. (Source: Rivers Langley via Wikimedia Commons). Ruins of theMemphis and Charleston Freight Depot at 303 Church St. in Huntsville. The buildings, built only for filming exteriors, were not completed and not built to code. 30+ Abandoned Industrial Buildings In Alabama | Abandoned Alabama Archive - Industrial Western Railway of Alabama February 13, 2023 Add comment | City/Town: Montgomery The Montgomery Railroad, later known as the Western Railway of Alabama, was one of the earliest railroads in the South. The two-story structure made of brick is said to be haunted by the souls of those who were incarcerated there. 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. Reportedly, an unusually high number people who lived along the road have died; some say 68 since 1890. Unclaimed/Abandoned Vehicle Portal - Alabama Police Impound and Abandoned Tow Auctions in Alabama Buildings in Downtown Decatur have a long and . 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. An elevator that runs by itself. Gadsden, AL to Coosa, GA - Abandoned Rails 2 bedrooms (5 homes) $159,629. Are the former owners of this home-turned-library angry at the intrusion into their afterlives or just trying to say hello? In this 1934 photo, renovation work had begun on Spring Villa in Opelika. Alabama, Should Be on Your Radar. Tales extend to the adjoining cemetery and even the churchs outhouse. Vernon/Searcy Hospital site, shown here in 1935, with photo galleries. Click hereto see more photos. 18 Abandoned Places in Missouri That Nature is Reclaiming - OnlyInYourState 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 only trace that remains is the nearby cemetery, which some believe was initially established as the posts burial ground. As the river trade continued to increase, the town continued to grow. Condie allegedly ran, screaming, with flames streaming from her. ADVANCE PERMISSION REQUIRED. B.B. 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. Haunted Places in Decatur, Indiana It is now a concert venue. It was restored but is once again in need of repairs. Legend says the area is haunted by spirits of residents in the form of strange lights that float among surviving buildings. 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. 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. 100+ Abandoned Places In Alabama | Explore Alabama 2023 They are evidence of past lives and of the history we are in danger of losing. The spirit of an inmate who committed suicide in the building is reported to walk its halls. Arcola, established in the early 1820s, is a ghost town on the Black Warrior River in Hale County, Alabama - formerly Marengo County. 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. ", 3. 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. The current owners of the Moody Brick claim that the old plantation is definitely not haunted. NOTE: Horton House burned and nothing remains. She was struck by a truck and her body was later found beside the highway. At one point, a caretaker claimed to have seen a coffin in one of the rooms set up as if for a wake. Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. Other entities haunt the main staircase and the basement. In the 1830s, settlers continued to move into the area to use Arcola as a river landing. It was torn down in 1952. They were holding candles, and her hair caught fire. Owners Bobby and Lynn Bright are refurbishing the film set of Spectre because public interest remains high. 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. The hole disappeared in the past couple of years when the area was flooded but people continue to visit. When Memorial Mound opened on Dartmouth Avenue in Bessemerin 1993, it was billed as a new method of laying loved ones to rest. Bellefonte is a ghost town in Jackson County, Alabama and is situated near the site of the Bellefonte Nuclear Generating Station. 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. 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. Cahawba, or Cahaba, was the state capital from 1820-1825 but was eventually abandoned because of flooding from the Alabama and Cahaba rivers. At the heart of the Deep South, the state of Alabama offers a wealth of opportunities for urban explorers. 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. There is a place in the Talladega National Forest, shown above, were a road was laid over some graves, according to legend. Some say they can hear the call of a bird that soon morphs into a young girls screams. Haunted Places in Decatur, Alabama 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. The home of a former Alabama governor, it is reportedly haunted. 15 most haunted places in Decatur. We only offer a very limited number of these tours each season and it's one not to miss! The 21 coolest and creepiest abandoned places in Alabama 15. Flickr/Jon Dickson. 5) Higdon Hotel Joy Castello / Flickr The Higdon Hotel has been closed for business since 1920, but the beautiful building still stands. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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." It was destroyed by Union forces in 1865. Brick Deli specializes in sandwiches and live music at night. A baby is said to have died there, either from murder, a car accident, a wagon accident from pioneer days, or variations on the theme. Fort Crawford was built on a bluff in 1816. 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). Supposedly you can still hear what sounds like the body swaying on the second floor. 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. Click here to see Robinson Switch Road on Google Maps. It is now the site of a Hampton Inn. She is buried in Birminghams Elmwood Cemetery. 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. Alabama's Official Travel Guide 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 gorgeous natural site is said to be haunted by the spirits of outlaws who once hid there. His ghost has been sited several times by a lot of people. (Illustration from historic photo/AL.com file). Most cemeteries are closed at night. Haunted houses, hospitals and hayrides: This list has all of North According to legend, many apparitions haunt the house. As they crossed the bridge, the horses were spooked and the carriage was tipped into the water below. Visitors have claimed to have a feeling of being watched and cold chills even on the hottest days. CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY! InsideEastern Bank of Alabama in Eufaula when it was abandoned. The abandoned Memphis and Charleston Freight Depot at 303 Church St. in Huntsville. 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.
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abandoned places in decatur, alabama