All Rights Reserved. During the Civil War, Nancy lived with her husband and son on a small farm but her son was killed in the war and his body was never recovered. Several abandoned mill sites remain in the town, although historic groups hope to re-purpose some of the factories. The hotel has been closed down. The son of former Alabama governor, Robert Patton is said to be one of many ghosts to haunt the Sweetwater Mansion in Florence. 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. She would squeeze them tightly, then scream in their ears. Remnants of the town remain, including the courthouse, shown above, two cemeteries and the grave of an unknown War of 1812 soldier. 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. According to legend, she was driving her baby in a horse-drawn carriage one night. The northeast of Alabama is part of the TAG area (the region where Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia meet). Each tour gets on and off the bus throughout the night at the most haunted places in town and includes indoor locations, where you might just have the chance to meet a deceased Decatur resident face-to-face! When they turn to look, nothing is there. We're sure this Victorian home in rural Missouri was once quite beautiful. In the 1930s, this beautiful 1842 home known as the Bethea-Strother House, located on Alabama Highway 28 in Camden, was abandoned and deteriorating. Perrins, Alfonso's, Josie's, and Let's Do Lunch are very casual. According to legend, people have heard the sounds of muffled explosions, screams and voices. (Source: Alabama Department of Archives and History). Winter Place in Montgomery. 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. In 1861, Prairie Bluff was at its height. Having promised her adoring audience she would return, she was killed in an accident on the way. The building was constructed in 1930. If that wasnt creepy enough, visitors have been known to hear the sounds of a rocking chair moving back and forth as they pass. You are reading "15 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama " Back to Top. 14. 15 most haunted places in Decatur - herald-review.com Currently, there are 14 new listings and 212 homes for sale in Decatur. ADVANCE PERMISSION REQUIRED. Updated at 1 p.m. after the owner of the home previously mentioned said the details were incorrect and there are no legends surrounding his home. The tale of its resident ghost, a Confederate soldier named Sydney Grimmett who died there, is the most popular ghost story on campus. In the era of segregation, it was central to the cultural life of black Birmingham residents. 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. As Ive discovered over the years, people are fascinated with abandoned places. If. Many people claim theyve seen a face behind the barred windows of the second floor but the building was empty. Childrens laughter has been heard by those working on the third floor, and even outside the bathroom down in the restaurant when there have been no children around. Groups such as Main Street Birmingham, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation have attempted to find a use for it and funding to refurbish it. The ruins of the building that served as the Alabama Capitol from 1826-1846 have been preserved as Capitol Park in Tuscaloosa. List of Caves in Alabama: Locations and Map - startcaving.com Today, the home has been beautifully restored by the City of Opelika and is the centerpiece of Spring Villa Park. The Tennessee River railroad bridge on Alabama Highway 43 in Florence is shown in the late 1960s. (Illustration from historic photo/AL.com file). 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. Get more stories delivered right to your email. 4 bedrooms (42 homes) $317,230. Residents hear screaming and footsteps and other ghostly sounds. The site has two city cemeteries as well as a slave cemetery. Scare-seekers with an appreciation for history will love this night-time walking tour of Gatlinburg's most "haunted" places. Coal towns were abandoned when the coal (or the need for it) ran out. After the main asylum became known as Bryce Hospitalin 1900, the Jemison Center was often called "Old Bryce Hospital," despite the fact that Bryce was built first. 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 The cotton press in the Dallas Compress Co. in Selma. Some have heard footsteps from the second floor and the sound of the piano playing when no one is there. Oct 13, 2016; Decatur has a sordid reputation and a . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. According to the Chamber of Commerce website, "Haunted Places: The National Directory. 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. Battle of Decatur - Digital Alabama 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. She is buried in Birminghams Elmwood Cemetery. One version of the story claims Molly was the ghost of a woman who had lost an infant who dealt with the tragedy by hugging local children. Winter Place is actually a complex with two huge homes; the second is that both homes are in dire need of renovation. Although this hospital is now closed and operates a geriatric-psych ward, employees tell tales of "Homer" a ghost who roamsthe halls. The Victoria Inn was built ca. The chemical plant was built by the company in 1918 to make wood alcohol from charcoal for World War I. The city of Cahaba, or Cahawba, located where the Cahaba and Alabama rivers meet, was abandoned in 1825 after severe flooding. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The baby reportedly drowned and was buried not far from the bridge. 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. . 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. People claim to see Marys spirit on the bridge, searching for her lost child. There is a place in the Talladega National Forest, shown above, were a road was laid over some graves, according to legend. We went online to see which stories were most repeated ineach of Alabama's counties to make the following list. Tales of Huggin' Molly also can be found in Louisiana and Florida, with variations. 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. It is reportedly haunted by men killed during training. The activity is reportedly caused by the spirit of a woman who died on the top floor in the 1950s. 9. Properly called Jackson Ford Bridge, there are currently plans to demolish the bridge due to vandalism and decay making for a safety hazard. B.B. The abandoned Hall Hotel building is among the loveliest - if spooky - structures in the Madison County town of Gurley. 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. It is now a concert venue. Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge 159 Nature & Wildlife Areas By 460LizF Outstanding location to view wintering Sandhill Cranes. Apr 16, 2018 - Explore Kelly Kazek's board "Abandoned Alabama", followed by 561 people on Pinterest. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. It was a stormy night and her carriage flipped, killing Burns. 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 has several ghost legends but the tale of Abigail Burns is the most popular. A staircase in the Empire building before renovations began. We have the list of places to check out! This photo was taken in 1973. Click hereto see more photos. You may even stumble upon an old, abandoned homestead site in the woods. Others claim to have seen the apparition of a man in a top hat in the parlor. It is now an event venue. According to Judson.edu, the Anne Kirtley dorm is haunted by its namesake. Here is a look at 21 of the most photographed abandoned sites in Alabama. Haunted houses, hospitals and hayrides: This list has all of North The church is now a ruin but the adjoining cemetery remains. Either way, the photos are intriguing. Once the world's most expensive prison, from 1829 this Philadelphia facility boasted grand architecture, modern luxuries and notorious inmates including Al Capone. 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. On the third floor, people report doors opening and closing and furniture moving of its own accord. With its troubling past of murder, manslaughter and illegal activity, it isn't that hard to believe either. Decatur, AL Homes For Sale & Decatur, AL Real Estate | Trulia "Abandoned Alabama: Exploring The Heart of Dixie," by Leland Kent, (Arcadia Publishing), 2021, 96 pages, softcover. The bank was founded in the 1850s. List of ghost towns in Colorado - Wikipedia (Alabama Department of Archives and History). Stewartfield in Mobile. 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. Other times, its merely because they are so haunting and raise the questions: Who would leave such beautiful places to rot? ", 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. This site was visited with permission. Japeth Rawls. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. The Knight Sanitorium is a three-story brick building. She would die from her burns on Feb. 6 at the age of 17. 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. Others say they have experienced their cars rocking while on the bridge. Following her death in 1962, people claimed to see a kneeling figure at the grave, according to "Haunted Places: The National Directory." Decatur Alabama Population 28 Abandoned Alabama ideas | alabama, abandoned, historical - Pinterest An old bridge off Mothershed Road is known as Mary Daniel Bridge. Legend says she fought with her boyfriend and decided to walk home. Railroad tracks run alongside the backs of the surviving buildings, parallel to the dirt lane called Robinson Switch Road. The image of a Confederate soldier appeared inside, which meant it may have been the ghost of one of Patton's sons. The 13 Most Haunted Hotels in Alabama | Haunted Rooms America