abandoned places in decatur, alabama

The hole disappeared in the past couple of years when the area was flooded but people continue to visit. A local storyteller dressed in period clothing leads the one-mile tour of haunted hotels, infamous murder sites, cemeteries, and more. This home dates back to 1909 and is registered by the local historical society. It is now home to the Lowndesboro Town Hall. It was torn down in 1952. We're sure this Victorian home in rural Missouri was once quite beautiful. 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. The Rawls Hotel was built in 1903 by Capt. 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. Reportedly haunted by the ghost of a woman who hanged herself back in the day when the Center was a teaching college. It is now a concert venue. The interior of the Goode-Hall house in the 1930s. It's now underwater and the only remnant left of the town is a cemetery. Passersby often say they can see the swings moving on their own volition, as well as orbs or spectral figures. The canyon's proximity to the Natchez Trace, which was known as the Devil's Backbone, made it a choice hideout for many outlaws who robbed and murdered travelers along the Trace. 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 2020, Troy introduces the 25th Anniversary Edition of his first book! Her ghost is said to look down from the upstairs window. Don Robinson State Park, Cedar Hill has a plethora of ruins. The caskets were left neglected and families were angry. Listed below are eight creepy Alabama ghost towns worth a visit. A pearly white marble known as Chewacla Marble was mined in the quarry. Alabamas many historic cemetery sites can be bone-chilling, especially those with an eerie legend associated with it. 12 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama. There's legend here of a ghost who does housework! (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 facility on Dartmouth Avenue in Bessemer was abandoned with bodies inside but they were removed in 2015. The home was built for Dr. Alexander Mitchell, who sold it to Isaac Winston in 1833. In some cases, homes and buildings on the verge of collapse were saved. Construction on Kendall Manor began before the Civil War but it could not be completed until 1867. Although the haunting of Sloss Furnaces is oft repeated, legends surrounding Bass Cemetery in Irondale are definitely the spookiest. Members of Steel City Urbex were allowed into the bank area and the basement that are being developed for a business such as a restaurant or wine cellar, he said. A staircase in the Empire building before renovations began. During the Confederate occupation General John Bell resided there and during the Union occupation, General Sherman himself stayed at Wesleyan. It is no longer in use and the abandoned building is reportedly haunted. The most haunted bridge in our state is aptly named Hell's Gate Bridge, located in Oxford. 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. For this feature, Ive combined those two loves. The story was told by author Kathryn Tucker Windham in 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey.. You may experience the presence of a Native American ghost named Mary who knocks things over, plays electrical pranks, alters the temperature, and whispers over the drive-through speakers. (Picture: The Boyaux fortification at the Blakeley battleground). That might be a first. Whatley home no longer stands, it is shown above in 1936, but legend says the site is still haunted. Its surprising how many ghost towns are in Alabama. The date of the photograph is unknown, but it was probably taken in the late 19th or early 20th century, after the building had been used as a grist mill. It is no longer standing. (Picture: Wheeler Dam Village - 1937). 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. It is privately owned and closed to the public. The building is believed to be haunted by several apparitions and ghostly voices are heard. One-by-one, the boys killed anyone involved in the deaths of their family. The preserved ruins of Alabama's first permanent capital city can be toured at Old Cahawba Archaeological Site. Late at night, people have reported hearing eerie footsteps echoing on the decks of the War World II-era battleship USS Alabama. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and. Rock Run is a residential community in Cherokee County where a small pocket of residents live in well-kept homes. The Italianate mansion was built for James Turner Kendall but decades later, the home was used as an inn. 2. The three-story tower was added to the home after the Civil War. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Fort Gaines, a historic fort on Dauphin Island, was established in 1821 and is well known for its role in the Battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War. Folks say that when you stand outside the crypt, you can hear the rocking chair rocking. Mt. However, the family cemetery remains. (Alabama Department of Archives and History). The historic, two-story jail was built in ca. They were holding candles, and her hair caught fire. It is the property of the Department of Youth Services. When filming was completed, the owners of the property on Jackson Lake Island near Millbrook told director Tim Burton to leave the sets rather than bulldoze them. Many ghost hunters have visited the hotel. It was also once the site of Castle Morgan, used to house prisoners of war during the Civil War. 3. At least, nothing human. This building, constructed in 1856, has a rich and interesting history. 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 neglected building is Birmingham's Masonic Temple, also once known as the Colored Masonic Lodge. NOTE:This site was visited with permission and under supervision of the State Department of Mental Health. The home of a former Alabama governor, it is reportedly haunted. It was restored but is once again in need of repairs. But at night, people have reported seeing shadowy figures wandering inside the crumbling walls, as well as strange mists and odd noises. One surviving example is the stone on the grave of Korea Nettles, which has three faces said to be those of her children. 2 bedrooms (5 homes) $159,629. A hearse can be seen inside the garage of the abandoned Wards Funeral Home in Opelika. During the 1920s, Decatur would gain infamy as a place where murder, bootlegging, prostitution, kidnapping, gambling, corruption and, of course, ghosts, were commonplace. Abandoned Places In Alabama 1. She enjoys discovering new places and currently calls North Alabama home. 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. 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. This courthouse was built in 1868 when Seale was the county seat from 1866-1942. . 1 of 16 1. Abandoned building at Chewacla Lime Works in Lee County as seen in 1933. 35.2 miles from Decatur, IN This 1912 former hotel now houses the offices of a paranormal investigative team, who claim that the building is one of the most haunted in the entire state. Click hereto see more photos. The penthouse is still up for sale, he said. 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. It is continually guarded and visitors are not allowed without prior approval. (Namaan Fletcher/What's Left of Birmingham). It is also known as the Colby Building. See more onSteel City Urbex's Facebook page. Children have reported seeing a face peering down from a second-floor window when the courthouse is closed. That makes sense, because the fort was in use during the Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I and World War II. (Historic American Buildings Survey/Library of Congress). Other entities haunt the main staircase and the basement. NOTE: This site is continually monitored with video surveillance. According to the Auburn University Libraries, this is the only known interior photograph of the building that served as the Dallas County Courthouse at Old Cahaba from ca. Following her death in 1962, people claimed to see a kneeling figure at the grave, according to "Haunted Places: The National Directory." 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 baby reportedly drowned and was buried not far from the bridge. One truck driver said that he struck the bridge after a ghostly horse-drawn carriage crossed the interstate in front of him. As the river trade continued to increase, the town continued to grow. The spirit of an inmate who committed suicide in the building is reported to walk its halls. The Knight Sanitorium is a three-story brick building. People claim to hear knocking on the floors and walls. 10. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. the inventory is constantly changing as new places come up for auction. 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 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. Brick Deli is housed in a building that dates back over a century. 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 little farther to the east is a waterway known as Gun Island Chute that leads to the Alabama River. 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. 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. Flickr/Annie Chartrand. 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. His ghost has been sited several times by a lot of people. (Source: Rivers Langley via Wikimedia Commons). Norwood, a community in Birmingham, is known among photographers and urban explorers for its crumbling abandoned mansions. The able-bodied patients at Jemison worked on a hospital farm. Some say they can hear the call of a bird that soon morphs into a young girls screams. These assets may be in the form of cash, stocks, bonds, insurance benefits or even valuables from safe deposit boxes. 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.. Add Photos The site has two city cemeteries as well as a slave cemetery. Huggin Mollys restaurant in downtown Abbeville is named for the legend. Thank you! At this playground set up near the cemetery, the ghosts of children play and swing on the swingsets. 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. Legends surrounding this church are astounding in number and scope. Completely inundated, this abandoned town exists in a watery grave. It served as the Jackson County seat from 1821 to 1859. What is now a non-denominational chapel was built in 1850 as a Presbyterian church. The building was constructed in 1930. It is said to be haunted by the inmates executed there, with the last one in 1949. It survives but the third story and its Romanesque embellishments were removed. A former slave plantation, it is believed to be haunted by slaves that lived and died here and also possibly by the ghosts of its former owners. The rare folk-art stones, declared historic sites by the National Park Service, have unfortunately been all but destroyed by vandals. (Historic American Engineering Record/Library of Congress). . Legend says the area is haunted by spirits of residents in the form of strange lights that float among surviving buildings. But this playground is different. HAUNTED DECATUR is part of AMERICAN HAUNTINGS INKEMAIL: GHOSTS@AMERICANHAUNTINGS.NET Copyright 2023 by American Hauntings Ink. Click here to see a five-part history of the Mt. The abandoned P. D. Barker House at 109 Saint Anthony St. in Mobile in the 1930s. 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. For the next 100 years,the mansion was owned by members of the Winston family. 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. Mill towns were abandoned when the mining towns they serviced closed. The back of the dilapidated William Chancellor House in Harpersville in Shelby County is shown in 1935. The building was constructed in Northport on what was once called Cherokee Plantation, owned by Robert Jemison. SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM! The Penney Building is a 31,000-square-foot structure in downtown Dothan. Shown: The Old Shelby Hotel in Shelby County. Others say they have experienced their cars rocking while on the bridge. The David Wade House on Bob Wade Lane in Huntsville shown in 1935. 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. Arcola, established in the early 1820s, is a ghost town on the Black Warrior River in Hale County, Alabama - formerly Marengo County. 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 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. He playfully flushed toilets and used ice machines. Western Railway of Alabama building in Montgomery as it looks today. Fort Crawford was built on a bluff in 1816. It says, "Anne E. Kirtley gave many years of her life as a beloved professor at Judson. Decatur is the nearest city to the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, which includes 35,000 acres of land to provide a safe habitat for wintering and migrating birds in the eastern United States. The hangings were carried out inside the jail, and the spirits of those men reportedly never left. Because of the legends, the site was often vandalized. Bass Cemetery is located off a dirt road in the woods. Click herefor more photos. InsideEastern Bank of Alabama in Eufaula when it was abandoned. This historic fort is one of the best-preserved Civil War era masonry forts in the U.S. Fort Gaines has become a tourist attraction and on the property you'll find original cannons, a blacksmith shop, kitchens, a museum, gift shop and a few tunnels. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The spirit of a murdered woman is said to haunt a dirt road behind a Texaco station in this small community. Others may still have residents, but not as many as they once had, making them living ghost towns in Alabama. Some abandoned historic sites may even be classified as a ghost town, depending on the size of the site. In 2015, the church burned in a fire presumed to be caused by arson. It has several ghost legends but the tale of Abigail Burns is the most popular. In the 1830s, settlers continued to move into the area to use Arcola as a river landing. The ca. 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 Locals get an eerie feeling around this building. People claim if they get out of their cars, they hear and feel a presence beside them. (Picture: Old schoolhouse). Because the ground was frozen at the time, she was placed in a coffin in the cellar. They are evidence of past lives and of the history we are in danger of losing. However, that doesn't stop the tales from being told and retold. 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. Some claim to see the orb today. 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. The property is still owned by the Department of Mental Health and is trespassing is illegal. 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 1930s, this beautiful 1842 home known as the Bethea-Strother House, located on Alabama Highway 28 in Camden, was abandoned and deteriorating. Since 1982, the 1824 house has been a museum and event space. Ashland Place Historic District in Mobile. It once consisted of 25 buildings constructed in the 1870s or 1880. Legends claim the captains spirit roams the cemetery, keeping watch over his children. 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. Another story says when people feel a sudden sense of dread, they will soon see the apparition of a soldier. Within 15 years, the town had 5,000 residents. Several witnesses have reported seeing the statues of Romeo and Juliet floating around The University of North Alabama's campus during a full moon. What are the most haunted places in Alabama? 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. Legend says Evelyn Carter, the sister of a housekeeper, died on the grounds of Gaineswood Plantation in the late 1800s. It is alleged that you can hear the screams of soldiers who died in the Civil War at this cemetery. Visitors here may see ghostly children coming out to play. 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. 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. According to legend, Jenny and her remaining sons set out to get revenge. Reportedly haunted by the ghost of a young singer who died on the night of her greatest triumph. The only things remaining in Bellefonte today are the cemetery, the chimney of the local inn (see picture), and piles of bricks. (Submitted by Callum Swift). Hall Hotel dates to 1895 and residents of Gurley hope to restore it. Today, it is a historical landmark and is open for tours. Check out the 15 most haunted places in Decatur then learn more by visiting HauntedDecatur.com. Please follow the law and be safe. All are on my list of favorites, but they are not listed in order of preference. Currently, there are 14 new listings and 212 homes for sale in Decatur. Have you visited any before? White orbs also appear in the childrens room. After the Jemison Center was built, the hospitals were kept segregated.

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