abandoned places in decatur, alabama abandoned places in decatur, alabama

When he was hanged, his executioners dug a hole beneath his dangling feet to accommodate his height. Nearby, a pair of eyeglasses gathers dust, as if the owner were suddenly interrupted in the middle of a workday and never returned. The national recognized museum first opened in 1980 and was reinvented and reopened in summer 2019. Due to the owner's financial difficulties, the house is run-down and in need of repair. History and Hauntings Tours of Decatur's Spirits, Scandals & Sins, TOURS: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. However, that doesn't stop the tales from being told and retold. TheMcNab Bank Buildingin Eufaula, formerly Eastern Bank of Alabama. 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.. 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 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. That's right, allegedly there are sightings of a ghost sweeping. They were holding candles, and her hair caught fire. The three-story tower was added to the home after the Civil War. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. It is said that a mysterious fog covers this area day or night, and it surrounds the gravestones. We're sure this Victorian home in rural Missouri was once quite beautiful. Boshells Mill was built in 1902 beside Lost Creek on Alabama Route 124 in Townley, Ala. And if you consider yourself a ghost hunter, youll love this creepy road trip in Alabama. Many ghost hunters have visited the hotel. Every community has a ghost tale that everyone has heard, often related to an old or abandoned house, a spooky cemetery or a dark and creepy road. Don Robinson State Park, Cedar Hill has a plethora of ruins. Copper Center - Tonseno Lodge - A man was killed in the hotel, and now he's haunting it. These buildings are the longest continuously occupied industrial buildings in the state. The Heart of Dixie is steeped in history, making for truly spooky tales. Jacksons Military Road passed through the town. Fort Crawford was built on a bluff in 1816. However, the family cemetery remains. 5. Please follow the law and be safe. Today, the only thing remaining in the area is the Prairie Bluff Cemetery. There is a place in the Talladega National Forest, shown above, were a road was laid over some graves, according to legend. Legend says she fought with her boyfriend and decided to walk home. During the Confederate occupation General John Bell resided there and during the Union occupation, General Sherman himself stayed at Wesleyan. The crumbling house on a hill at 103 Goldthwaite Streetwas obviously once a beauty. 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. A marker was erected nearby detailing the legend. Stories of figures haunting cemeteries, ghostly marching soldiers, and mysterious music playing in empty abandoned buildings are told in every corner of our state. The hotel closed in the 1970s. This home was allegedly the site of the murders of an entire family that haunts the site. 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. One truck driver said that he struck the bridge after a ghostly horse-drawn carriage crossed the interstate in front of him. Gen. John Brahan, a veteran of the War of 1812, began construction on Sweetwater Plantation in the 1830s. What are the most popular ghost stories in Alabama? The reason there are all these caves . Vernon Hospital for the Colored Insane. (Illustration from historic photo/AL.com file). Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. The ca. Norwood, a community in Birmingham, is known among photographers and urban explorers for its crumbling abandoned mansions. It had no ballroom, no gold-leafed interior, no orchestra. 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. Today, it is a historical landmark and is open for tours. Shelby Iron Co. began operations in the 1840s. Employees claim they've heard disembodied footsteps and voices. This airfield built in 1941, shown above in aerial view, was used to train the famous Tuskegee Airmen. Click here to see Robinson Switch Road on Google Maps. It is no longer in use and the abandoned building is reportedly haunted. It was also once the site of Castle Morgan, used to house prisoners of war during the Civil War. 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. The ruins of Fort Morgan, built in 1819, are spooky on their own. Every year during Halloween a pumpkin mysteriously makes its way into Romeo's hands. 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. 1 of 16 1. The chemical plant was built by the company in 1918 to make wood alcohol from charcoal for World War I. But by far the creepiest spot is the 200+-year-old Bass Cemetery in Irondale. Legend says if someone says, We have your baby, she will attack. 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. Apr 16, 2018 - Explore Kelly Kazek's board "Abandoned Alabama", followed by 561 people on Pinterest. While visiting the house, a relative, Sally Carter, died of a short illness at the mansion in 1837. Some claim to see the orb today. This church on AvenueU in Pratt City has been empty since it was struck by a tornado. But Decatur's dark origins can be traced back to the earliest days of the city, when the original settlers built over the top of Native American burial grounds that were scattered throughout the downtown area of what would become Decatur. 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." After a sensational trial in Huntsville in 1884, two years after Jesse had been shot to death, Frank was acquitted of that crime. It is also home to numerous legends and ghost tales. Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion in Tuscaloosa. Take a look. The image of a Confederate soldier appeared inside, which meant it may have been the ghost of one of Patton's sons. (Namaan Fletcher/What's Left of Birmingham). 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. Decatur Alabama Population In 1902 the new facility was finished, featuring 33 buildings, a power station, and a general store. Hall Hotel dates to 1895 and residents of Gurley hope to restore it. Although the haunting of Sloss Furnaces is oft repeated, legends surrounding Bass Cemetery in Irondale are definitely the spookiest. The Knight Sanitorium is a three-story brick building. Alabama's 12 Most Haunted Places 1. 1888 as a private residence. 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 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. GHOST HUNTER'S TOUR: Created in 2005, the extended Ghost Hunter's Tour is a supernatural bus trip with an extra hour of spirits, scandals and sins! The Haunted Decatur Tours are based on the bestselling book by Troy Taylor, HAUNTED DECATUR. the interior, seen here from the doorway, is closed to the public because it is unsafe. Residents hear screaming and footsteps and other ghostly sounds. It served as the Jackson County seat from 1821 to 1859. The furnace was destroyed by the Union army during the Civil War but was rebuilt around 1879. The tale of its resident ghost, a Confederate soldier named Sydney Grimmett who died there, is the most popular ghost story on campus. At the WHBC frat house, they say former Youth Minister Anthony Stephens' spirit walks through the house later at night. The buildings flank Alabama Avenue.. There were a couple of towns that were flooded during the creation of the Norris Dam in 1936. People have claimed to hear wails of banshees and see ghostly hell hounds and apparitions of Confederate soldiers. B.B. . People claim to hear disembodied laughter. Site of Consolation Church and Cemetery, Greenville. 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. However, the legend tied to one of the most haunted sights in Alabama, the Drish House in Tuscaloosa, is absolutely chilling. 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. It survives but the third story and its Romanesque embellishments were removed. Here is a look at 21 of the most photographed abandoned sites in Alabama. Parts of the building have been renovated into living space but the penthouse, basement and old bank area remain abandoned and off-limits, awaiting restoration. 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. Today only ruins remain. It's now underwater and the only remnant left of the town is a cemetery. Bass Cemetery is located off a dirt road in the woods. Don't Edit 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. Today, the home has been beautifully restored by the City of Opelika and is the centerpiece of Spring Villa Park. Since 1982, the 1824 house has been a museum and event space. 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. Alabama, Should Be on Your Radar. People also love vintage photos that show what those past lives were like in Alabama. 14. The home was built for Dr. Alexander Mitchell, who sold it to Isaac Winston in 1833. The woods off Hinds Road are said the be haunted by a witch who sold her soul to the devil. At right, a historical photo of City Federal. The preserved ruins of Alabama's first permanent capital city can be toured at Old Cahawba Archaeological Site. It was a stormy night and her carriage flipped, killing Burns. This weathered concrete frame on Shelby County Road 42 was once part of Shelby Chemical Co., a plant owned by Shelby Iron Co. Water faucets that turn on and off. She is said to have died instantly. The home was completed in 1835 by Robert Patton, Brahan's son-in-law and former Alabama governor. (Source: Historic American Buildings Survey/Library of Congress). 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. 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." Ghost towns, especially those that have been completely abandoned, can be a bit creepy. 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. In Huntsville, the Maple Hill Cemetery is also known as the Dead Children's Playground. Peacock said it's the "site of numerous unusual accidents over the years, including several that have resulted in fatalities and catastrophic fires. 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 was abandoned for years and is currently being refurbished. The Jemison Center changed focusin the 1970s because of desegregation laws and closed in the 1980s. 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. Tales extend to the adjoining cemetery and even the churchs outhouse. Mrs. Locals tell a story that this building once was occupied by a young girl, Molly, who died in the 1930s or 1940s. (Sources: Alabama Department of Youth Services, left; Kelly Kazek, right). 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. It burned in 1923, leaving only ruins. Cahawba, or Cahaba, was the state capital from 1820-1825 but was eventually abandoned because of flooding from the Alabama and Cahaba rivers. Because of the legends, the site was often vandalized. Eerie screams have been heard and ghostly apparitions have been seen haunting the Moncrief cemetery. Pikeville was Marion Countys first county seat, serving from 1820-1882. 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. Adjoining Huntsville's historic Maple Hill Cemetery is a playground that looks much like any other, featuring a swing set and slide. According to legend, people have heard the sounds of muffled explosions, screams and voices. Having promised her adoring audience she would return, she was killed in an accident on the way. Beelitz Military Hospital, Berlin. Local Online Auctions in Alabama. NOTE:This site was visited with permission and under supervision of the State Department of Mental Health. A staircase in the Empire building before renovations began. Trespassing is punishable by law. By the end of 1888, the R&D had built 51 miles of track from Rome, GA to Attalla (west of Gadsden), AL. The ruins of the building that served as the Alabama Capitol from 1826-1846 have been preserved as Capitol Park in Tuscaloosa. IMPORTANT NOTE: Many of the sites listed below are on private property; others may be condemned or located in dangerous locations. In the era of segregation, it was central to the cultural life of black Birmingham residents. All Rights Reserved. Legend says the face of a woman appears on a tombstone in Sandlin Cemetery. Listed below are eight creepy Alabama ghost towns worth a visit. The activity is reportedly caused by the spirit of a woman who died on the top floor in the 1950s. It was also a very thriving town. The Rawls Hotel was built in 1903 by Capt. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. We only offer a very limited number of these tours each season and it's one not to miss! The once flourishing Eastern Bank of Alabama at 201 Broad Street in Eufaula, was abandoned and in bad shape when this photo was taken in 1935. Bellefonte is a ghost town in Jackson County, Alabama and is situated near the site of the Bellefonte Nuclear Generating Station. Haunted Decatur Tours, 141 North Main Street, Decatur, IL, 62523, United States. (Picture: Hatch Plantation), Between the years 1819-1826, Cahawba was Alabama's state capital. For information, contact Craig Drescher,info@historicwinterplace.com. Home Size. 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. The able-bodied patients at Jemison worked on a hospital farm. 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. The only trace that remains is the nearby cemetery, which some believe was initially established as the posts burial ground. This Greek Revival-style mansion was built in 1837 by Dr. John R. Drish who died in 1867. On the third floor, people report doors opening and closing and furniture moving of its own accord. ", StrangeUSA.comsays ghosts of inmates can be heard: "Legend has it that their screams can be heard as they were being burned to death, and you can hear the laugher of the guards that stood by watching.". When she finally reached her home and reported the accident to her husband, the man began drinking to soothe his grief. Mining continued in Arbacoochee until the 1930s, but the town never recovered and became a ghost town by 1990. 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! On Feb. 4, a fellow student spilled cleaning fluid onto the open stove and the kitchen caught fire. Another legend says if an 18-wheeler travels down the road, her spirit can be seen hanging onto the side of the truck so she can look inside and see if it is being driven by the same person who killed her. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! The back of the dilapidated William Chancellor House in Harpersville in Shelby County is shown in 1935. Trespassing is illegal. The hangings were carried out inside the jail, and the spirits of those men reportedly never left. This building, constructed in 1856, has a rich and interesting history. The hole disappeared in the past couple of years when the area was flooded but people continue to visit. She would squeeze them tightly, then scream in their ears. For this feature, Ive combined those two loves. Abandoned Marshall Space Flight Center power plant test stand in the east test area in Huntsville shown in 1968. Mt. An elevator that runs by itself. Sadly, nature has reclaimed much of Old Cahawba. Railroad tracks run alongside the backs of the surviving buildings, parallel to the dirt lane called Robinson Switch Road. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County. Although there are no detailed legends about this site, many believe it is haunted. Although this hospital is now closed and operates a geriatric-psych ward, employees tell tales of "Homer" a ghost who roamsthe halls. You may even stumble upon an old, abandoned homestead site in the woods. . These display caskets left inside Memorial Mound still had price tags on them. Battleship Island, Japan. During the American Civil War, the town suffered a lot of damage and it was completely abandoned by the 1920s. Before that period, the canyon was used as a holding pen for Indians who were removed from their land. A pyromaniac ghost? According to Judson.edu, the Anne Kirtley dorm is haunted by its namesake. Possibly among the most inane of haunted reports, people claim to see a green light in the cemetery at night. The war ended before the plant went into operation. At least one of the buildings at Robinson's Switch has the shape of a depot and another long building appears to have been a railroad warehouse. The destruction of these burial mounds cast a mysterious pall over the city -- a darkness that continues to linger today. Soon, the family heard the sounds of Evelyn playing the piano down there and decided to send her body to Virginia to be buried in her familys cemetery. Some say they can hear the call of a bird that soon morphs into a young girls screams. If you agree to give him a ride, witnesses Alabama is fond of getting into Hell it seems. Crime truly came to Decatur in the 1850s with the arrival of the railroads. It produced plating for Civil War-era ironclad vessels, as well as pig iron for munitions and other wartime materials. (Picture: Wheeler Dam Village - 1937). The tale was repeated in Kathryn Tucker Windham's"13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey." This haunted house is huge and horrifyingso make sure to get your tickets ASAP. His spirit has been seen wearing a white zoot suit, and he may try to catch a ride with you to Florence. This abandoned home on Watts Mill Road was built in 1905 by Charles and William Hudson for their brother, John. 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. Decatur Alabama is a city in Morgan and Limestone counties in the State of Alabama. Her ghost is said to look down from the upstairs window. Allegedly there is a photo that shows a ghost in it. 12 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama. Abandoned Places In Alabama 1. The Canabiss House in Huntsville today. She never harmed them, other than perhaps causing some ringing in their ears. Shortly after the American Civil War, Cahawba became a ghost town. The home of a former Alabama governor, it is reportedly haunted. It is now the site of a Hampton Inn. Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, USA. The most infamous haunted location in Alabama is The Tutwiler Hotel in downtown Birmingham. Local writer and historian Lee Peacock said the 40-mile stretch of Interstate 65 between Evergreen and Greenville is known as "The Haunted Highway."