The city of Cahaba, or Cahawba, located where the Cahaba and Alabama rivers meet, was abandoned in 1825 after severe flooding. 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. Gen. John Brahan, a veteran of the War of 1812, began construction on Sweetwater Plantation in the 1830s. Others have claimed to see odd sights while driving the road, from lights darting through the trees to ghostly figures. This is one of the outbuildings at the site. Or they are shocked by the waste of still-useful homes and buildings. Many spooky tales surround Bear Creek Swamp. 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. Legend says if someone says, We have your baby, she will attack. We have the list of places to check out! This is part of the warehouse complex for Dallas Compress Co. in Selma, photographed in the late 1960s. In the 1930s, this beautiful 1842 home known as the Bethea-Strother House, located on Alabama Highway 28 in Camden, was abandoned and deteriorating. The war ended before the plant went into operation. The northeast of Alabama is part of the TAG area (the region where Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia meet). Dicksonia Plantation in Lowndesboro had a reputation in its day as a stately mansion in picturesque surroundings. Buildings in Downtown Decatur have a long and . A local storyteller dressed in period clothing leads the one-mile tour of haunted hotels, infamous murder sites, cemeteries, and more. 2 bedrooms (5 homes) $159,629. Some also like to repeat the myth that children were buried in the playground following a series of abductions in the 1960s. The Cedarhurst Mansion Estate was originally built in 1823 by Stephen Ewing. 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. Located among the graves is an open tomb missing its corpse. Alabama's 12 Most Haunted Places 1. 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. Jemison Center, former insane asylum for African Americans. The reason there are all these caves . Others claim to have seen the apparition of a man in a top hat in the parlor. At right, a historical photo of City Federal. From vacant factories and industrial sites to long-shuttered schoolhouses, our list of the 10 most amazing abandoned places in Alabama has a little bit of everything. This cemetery is reportedly haunted by the sweetheart of a real man named Robert Musgrove, who was killed in a train wreck in 1904. This home dates back to 1909 and is registered by the local historical society. People claim if they get out of their cars, they hear and feel a presence beside them. This historic hotel is the home of a disruptive entity known only as 'the knocker.' It gets its name from the fact that when it appears on the sixth floor, knocking loudly on hotel room doors in the dead of night! Since 1982, the 1824 house has been a museum and event space. 12 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama. The cemetery remains. There are several websites out there that state something to the effect of "Aunt Johnson would hang anyone who trespassed on her property and the rope can still be seen to this day." 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. . Sometimes its because they bring back memories of places they once loved. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. It hasnt been used since 2000. The two-story structure made of brick is said to be haunted by the souls of those who were incarcerated there. The 1893 Peyton building in downtown Bridgeport in the 1930s. The bridge was built in 1861 as an access route for Confederate forces to Mississippi. Click hereto see more photos. According to legend, she was driving her baby in a horse-drawn carriage one night. Some say theyve seen orbs of light that appear to float on the river. Take a look. 15. Because of the legends, the site was often vandalized. Click hereto see more from Cottage Hill. The Jemison Center changed focusin the 1970s because of desegregation laws and closed in the 1980s. Abandoned Places In Alabama 1. Remember, the majority of homes are occupied, private residences and those that are abandoned are marked "No Trespassing" and are a hazard. For the next 100 years,the mansion was owned by members of the Winston family. Alabama, Should Be on Your Radar. It served as the Jackson County seat from 1821 to 1859. Ashland Place Historic District in Mobile. It would go on to boast others, including the "Second Most Corrupt City in Illinois." His spirit has been seen wearing a white zoot suit, and he may try to catch a ride with you to Florence. The Victoria Inn was built ca. Murder Creek Bridge is located on this stretch. It was restored and listed on the NRHP but its buildings burned in 1976 and 1986. 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. 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. Legends of hauntings in the home include one about a screaming woman dressed in Victorian clothing. Several witnesses have reported seeing the statues of Romeo and Juliet floating around The University of North Alabama's campus during a full moon. 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. Adjoining Huntsville's historic Maple Hill Cemetery is a playground that looks much like any other, featuring a swing set and slide. Montevallo, established in 1896, is reportedly haunted by the spirit of student Condie Cunningham. were demolished but the main house remains, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The image of a Confederate soldier appeared inside, which meant it may have been the ghost of one of Patton's sons. Condie allegedly ran, screaming, with flames streaming from her. Apr 16, 2018 - Explore Kelly Kazek's board "Abandoned Alabama", followed by 561 people on Pinterest. Her spirit can also be seen floating past windows on the second floor. The bank was founded in the 1850s. The image turned out to be a silhouette etched into the stone. The preserved ruins of Alabama's first permanent capital city can be toured at Old Cahawba Archaeological Site. Abandoned building at Chewacla Lime Works in Lee County as seen in 1933. She is said to have died instantly. 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. It was also a very thriving town. Take I-65 to Decatur, Exit 334. An old bridge off Mothershed Road is known as Mary Daniel Bridge. Shortly after the American Civil War, Cahawba became a ghost town. 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. The caskets were left neglected and families were angry. 1888 as a private residence. 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. Please follow the law and be safe. The most haunted bridge in our state is aptly named Hell's Gate Bridge, located in Oxford. Some say it is haunted by a mother in search of her long-lost child. You are reading "15 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama " Back to Top. 1 of 16 1. On the third floor, people report doors opening and closing and furniture moving of its own accord. The furnace was destroyed by the Union army during the Civil War but was rebuilt around 1879. 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. The chemical plant was built by the company in 1918 to make wood alcohol from charcoal for World War I. People claim to hear disembodied laughter. Students and teachers alike have reported seeing white (no reviews) Haunted Places Decatur, Alabama Highway 11 In September 1934, a young man named Lonnie Stephens was wrongfully accused of murdering his (no reviews) BESbswy 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. Several of the brick structures that Pratt built are still used today for an industry manufacturing cotton gins. 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. Rock Run is a residential community in Cherokee County where a small pocket of residents live in well-kept homes. This photo shows the Crocheron Columns, the only things remaining from a mansion built in Cahaba in 1843 by Richard Crocheron. (Source: Matt Glasscock at left; Birmingham Public Library at right), http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2016/09/amazing_photos_show_abandoned.html. (Source: Spyder_Monkey via Wikimedia Commons). People claim to see Marys spirit on the bridge, searching for her lost child. The building was constructed in 1930. Some people claim Sydneys ghost followed the drama students to the Telfair Peet Theater when it was constructed in the 1970s. 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. "When it was built, it was the tallest building in Alabama.". 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). Her sons pulled her from the wreckage, but she died in the front bedroom on the eastern side. In 2015, the church burned in a fire presumed to be caused by arson. Some claim to see the orb today. A curved staircase inside the 1850 Carpenter Gothic-style home called Spring Villa in Opelika. All are on my list of favorites, but they are not listed in order of preference. Two Federal gunboats patrolled the river. The hotel closed in the 1970s. The activity is reportedly caused by the spirit of a woman who died on the top floor in the 1950s. He was buried in Bladon Springs Cemetery alongside the graves of his three children who died before the age of six, including Bertha Jaquetta, Mabel Clare, and James Alfred. What are the creepiest cemeteries in Alabama? Go north on AL-67 approximately 7 miles. And why? Others have reported hearing disembodied screams and footsteps. Copper Center - Tonseno Lodge - A man was killed in the hotel, and now he's haunting it. Read more 0 Guests of the inn reported seeing apparitions on the porch and downstairs of a woman in Victorian dress and a little girl. 100+ Abandoned Places In Alabama | Explore Alabama 2023 Recent Locations Judge A. E. Singleton House February 27, 2023 | City/Town: Union Springs Judge Singleton House This home located on North Prairie Street in Union Springs, Alabama was built by Judge A. E. Singleton sometime between 1900 and 1903. 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. 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. 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. Cook Museum. Within 15 years, the town had 5,000 residents. Today only ruins remain. Each tour gets on and off the bus during the evening and we do go inside some of Decatur's most haunted locations. 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. "Abandoned Alabama: Exploring The Heart of Dixie," by Leland Kent, (Arcadia Publishing), 2021, 96 pages, softcover. It is said to be haunted by the inmates executed there, with the last one in 1949. There is a place in the Talladega National Forest, shown above, were a road was laid over some graves, according to legend. Those people still haunt the road. A pyromaniac ghost? It was abandoned for years and is currently being refurbished. It burned in 1923, leaving only ruins. Haunted Decatur Tours, 141 North Main Street, Decatur, IL, 62523, United States.