No matter what part of the state you are in, if you ask around youre sure to be pointed to a haunted site. 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 Check out the 15 most haunted places in Decatur then learn more by visiting HauntedDecatur.com. Legends often say that he was hanged on trumped-up charges for deserting the Confederate army, although details vary. The caskets were left neglected and families were angry. (Source: Historic Drish House Facebook page), This home was built by Dr. John R. Drish in 1837. Others have claimed to see odd sights while driving the road, from lights darting through the trees to ghostly figures. Decatur Alabama is a city in Morgan and Limestone counties in the State of Alabama. The area is said to be haunted by the spirits of those who died in the mines. Several abandoned mill sites remain in the town, although historic groups hope to re-purpose some of the factories. Listed below are eight creepy Alabama ghost towns worth a visit. Share your experiences with us in the comments below! Vernon/Searcy Hospital site, shown here in 1935, with photo galleries. ", 3. The Knight Sanitorium is a three-story brick building. Deaths include several from a cholera outbreak in 1900 and one from murder. Before long he was drunk and, in his anger, he dragged his wife to the bridge and hanged her from the railing before jumping to his death. The figure was as much as 7 feet tall, wearing dark clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. The oddest sighting is an apparition that appears to be half-wolf and half-man. It is named for war veteran and politician Joseph Wheeler, as is nearby Wheeler Lake. A little farther to the east is a waterway known as Gun Island Chute that leads to the Alabama River. The newly renovated inn is now called Hotel Finial. Legend says Evelyn Carter, the sister of a housekeeper, died on the grounds of Gaineswood Plantation in the late 1800s. The abandoned P. D. Barker House at 109 Saint Anthony St. in Mobile in the 1930s. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Before the settlement of the original St. Stephens was abandoned, it sat atop a limestone bluff overlooking the Tombigbee River. 1910, was slated for demolition, but a citizens group hopes to save it. Some say they can hear the call of a bird that soon morphs into a young girls screams. Western Railway of Alabama building in Montgomery as it looks today. It is said to be haunted by slaves who died on the grounds and also by former owners. (Source: Namaan Fletcher/What's Left of Birmingham). I worked there as a jailor in the county jail there in the old part when it was on the 2nd floor. At this playground set up near the cemetery, the ghosts of children play and swing on the swingsets. Legend claims a phantom woman would appear to children, but only at night. Inside Alabama's abandoned Ruffner Mountain mine, site of 1971 explosion, These abandoned Alabama bridges will make you wonder what's on the other side, Eerie abandoned campus of Alabama's girls reform school, Ghost boats: Abandoned Alabama watercraft, Inside the spooky skeleton of Bryce, Alabama's historic insane hospital, 15 riveting ruins that recount Alabama's past, Crumbling Shelby Hotel gives spooky glimpse into Alabama's resort era. 1888 as a private residence. (Source: Matt Glasscock at left; Birmingham Public Library at right), http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2016/09/amazing_photos_show_abandoned.html. Abandoned slave quarters and workshops behind the Cabaniss House at 603 Randolph St. in Huntsville. Remember, the majority of homes are occupied, private residences and those that are abandoned are marked "No Trespassing" and are a hazard. (Historic American Buildings Survey/Library of Congress). According to legend, she was driving her baby in a horse-drawn carriage one night. This was the exact same year Alabama was admitted to the Union as a state. 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. 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. Murder Creek Bridge is located on this stretch. Because the ground was frozen at the time, she was placed in a coffin in the cellar. At night, ghosts of the people buried there haunt the area. People are fascinated with abandoned sites. Some say the noises come from the ghosts of the original owners. The family reportedly had the image sandblasted from the stone but it soon returned. The Rawls Hotel was built in 1903 by Capt. Combined, the TAG area contains more than 14,000 caves (9,200 in Tennessee and 600 in Georgia). 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. 16. The hangings were carried out inside the jail, and the spirits of those men reportedly never left. For the next 125 years, people claimed the hole would always return no matter how many times it was filled. All Rights Reserved. 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. The historic rock building is said to be haunted by two ghosts: one of an older man whose spirit reportedly sets things on fire and slams doors, and one of a little boy whose laughter is heard throughout the theater. Rawls, who repeatedly took down window treatments he tried to install. This haunted house is huge and horrifyingso make sure to get your tickets ASAP. During the American Civil War, the town suffered a lot of damage and it was completely abandoned by the 1920s. Penn's and Big Bob's have the greatest longevity and are synonymous with Decatur. 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. These, shown in 1935, were demolished but the main house remains. It was abandoned for years and is currently being refurbished. It was rebuilt and operated until 1923. 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. When the Gold Rush began in California, residents headed west. It burned in 1923, leaving only ruins. Mill towns were abandoned when the mining towns they serviced closed. The abandoned Hall Hotel building is among the loveliest - if spooky - structures in the Madison County town of Gurley. 2 bedrooms (5 homes) $159,629. Flatwoods was a settlement of freed slaves during Reconstruction but it was later burned. This photo was taken in 1934 when the home was abandoned. In 1909, Kirkseys wheelchair-bound daughter Margaretta Eliza, who was 29 years old, fell from the second-floor balcony. According to legend, Jenny and her remaining sons set out to get revenge. Many ghost hunters have visited the hotel. 5) Higdon Hotel Joy Castello / Flickr The Higdon Hotel has been closed for business since 1920, but the beautiful building still stands. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. See the last slide for links to more photos of abandoned sites in Alabama. 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 abandoned Memphis and Charleston Freight Depot in Huntsville. As the tale goes, a couple's car drove off the bridge, plunging into the water below. 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. The son of former Alabama governor, Robert Patton is said to be one of many ghosts to haunt the Sweetwater Mansion in Florence. People claim if they get out of their cars, they hear and feel a presence beside them. The most haunted bridge in our state is aptly named Hell's Gate Bridge, located in Oxford. 3. Or they are shocked by the waste of still-useful homes and buildings. 15 most haunted places in Decatur. Dicksonia Plantation in Lowndesboro had a reputation in its day as a stately mansion in picturesque surroundings. Beelitz Military Hospital, Berlin. Furthermore, it is not allowed for any person to excavate . 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. According to the Chamber of Commerce website, a scarecrow apparition moves from room to room on this floor. Water faucets that turn on and off. One-by-one, the boys killed anyone involved in the deaths of their family. (Namaan Fletcher/What's Left of Birmingham). InsideEastern Bank of Alabama in Eufaula when it was abandoned. It is said that a mysterious fog covers this area day or night, and it surrounds the gravestones. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Prairie Bluff is a ghost town in Wilcox County, Alabama that first appeared on maps in 1819. It is now the site of a Hampton Inn. Brick Deli specializes in sandwiches and live music at night. Due to the owner's financial difficulties, the house is run-down and in need of repair. A pyromaniac ghost? Rock Run is a residential community in Cherokee County where a small pocket of residents live in well-kept homes. The buildings flank Alabama Avenue.. The rare folk-art stones, declared historic sites by the National Park Service, have unfortunately been all but destroyed by vandals. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Locals get an eerie feeling around this building. Fort Crawford was built on a bluff in 1816. Site of Consolation Church and Cemetery, Greenville. The Cedarhurst Mansion Estate was originally built in 1823 by Stephen Ewing. Take I-65 to Decatur, Exit 334. 1914. Some claim to see the orb today. What it did offer was good food, comfortable bedrooms, outdoor activities and, according toa history of Shelby Iron Works, the first accommodations with electricity and indoor plumbing in the state. If you'd like to see the "behind the scenes" drama of Decatur's haunted past, then this is the tour for you! Bass Cemetery is located off a dirt road in the woods. Stories of figures haunting cemeteries, ghostly marching soldiers, and mysterious music playing in empty abandoned buildings are told in every corner of our state. Sketoe's Hole is the site where Methodist minister William "Bill" Sketoe Sr. (1818- 1864) was hanged during the Civil War. During the Confederate occupation General John Bell resided there and during the Union occupation, General Sherman himself stayed at Wesleyan. 10.7K subscribers Exploring Abandoned Kmart Decatur Alabama Kmart is a chain of big box department stores headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States. When Hood arrived at Decatur on October 26, he found a Federal infantry force of 3,000 to 5,000 men defending an entrenched line that included two forts and 1,600 yards of rifle pits; a much heavier force than Roddey had believed.