abandoned places in decatur, alabama

She would squeeze them tightly, then scream in their ears. It served as the Jackson County seat from 1821 to 1859. ", 3. However, the legend tied to one of the most haunted sights in Alabama, the Drish House in Tuscaloosa, is absolutely chilling. She was struck by a truck and her body was later found beside the highway. This abandoned town is reportedly haunted by spirits if former residents. The Canabiss House in Huntsville today. Legend says the spirits of the children buried in the cemetery, founded in 1822, come there to play. These, shown in 1935, were demolished but the main house remains. He playfully flushed toilets and used ice machines. Abandoned Storage Unit Auctions. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Have you visited any before? If you'd like to see the "behind the scenes" drama of Decatur's haunted past, then this is the tour for you! Some say the noises come from the ghosts of the original owners. When his spirit would pass people in the halls, they would feel cold. Click hereto see more photos. Cook Museum of Natural Science 123 Science Museums Educational sites By alwildflower3 It's fun for groups, children of all ages, and solo adults or couples. Decatur Alabama is a city in Morgan and Limestone counties in the State of Alabama. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. The ghost of a boy who died there is said to haunt the park. It is named for a woman who lived in the area in the late 1800s or early 1900s and was thought to be a witch. The Gaines Ridge Dinner Club is a restaurant inside a ca. People claim to hear knocking on the floors and walls. Located in Decatur, Alabama, the Ardent Mills Decatur facility is a pneumatic mill and one of the most automated mills in the United States. It is said that a mysterious fog covers this area day or night, and it surrounds the gravestones. Click here to read more. For the next 100 years,the mansion was owned by members of the Winston family. Click here to see Robinson Switch Road on Google Maps. However, the house was saved and restored and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. If you want to suggest another tale, email kkazek@al.com or comment below. The activity is reportedly caused by the spirit of a woman who died on the top floor in the 1950s. It hasnt been used since 2000. 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. A pearly white marble known as Chewacla Marble was mined in the quarry. There's legend here of a ghost who does housework! We went online to see which stories were most repeated ineach of Alabama's counties to make the following list. Having promised her adoring audience she would return, she was killed in an accident on the way. NOTE: This site is continually monitored with video surveillance. Decatur's sordid reputation also added to the ghostly stories of the city through incidents of murder and death. It burned in 1923, leaving only ruins. Flatwoods was a settlement of freed slaves during Reconstruction but it was later burned. Tales of Huggin' Molly also can be found in Louisiana and Florida, with variations. 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. These assets may be in the form of cash, stocks, bonds, insurance benefits or even valuables from safe deposit boxes. The bank is defunct but the building is still in use. These auctions tend to occur less frequently than typical public car auctions in Alabama. The home was featured in the late Katherine Tucker Windham's book 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey., The skeletal facade ofan abandoned jail lurks in the woods in the community of Townley in Walker County, near Carbon Hill. The last of our abandoned places: Balaklava, Ukraine. HAUNTED DECATUR is part of AMERICAN HAUNTINGS INKEMAIL: GHOSTS@AMERICANHAUNTINGS.NET Copyright 2023 by American Hauntings Ink. Some have been completely abandoned, making them TRUE ghost towns. 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. 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. Click hereto see more photos of Robinson's Switch. The slave quarters were demolished. The spirit of a murdered woman is said to haunt a dirt road behind a Texaco station in this small community. It is also home to numerous legends and ghost tales. Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion in Tuscaloosa. Although there are no detailed legends about this site, many believe it is haunted. Residents hear screaming and footsteps and other ghostly sounds. Click hereto see more photos. See the last slide for links to more photos of abandoned sites in Alabama. Others have reported seeing large, panther-like cats cross the highway in this area.". 133 Fourth Avenue NE, Decatur, Alabama 35601, Phone: 256-351-4505. If you go, drive by only. 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." The Heart of Dixie is steeped in history, making for truly spooky tales. "When it was built, it was the tallest building in Alabama.". As they crossed the bridge, the horses were spooked and the carriage was tipped into the water below. The able-bodied patients at Jemison worked on a hospital farm. The abandoned P. D. Barker House at 109 Saint Anthony St. in Mobile in the 1930s. 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. Some say theyve heard voices and felt cold spots inside the jail. In a little-known cemetery deep in the woods of Clarke County are tombstones created by a man who was ahead of his time. This church on AvenueU in Pratt City has been empty since it was struck by a tornado. The stately relics are located, oddly, on the outskirts of a neighborhood of beautifully restored turn-of-the-20th-century cottages, a beautifully restored 1925 elementary school, churches and a few businesses. Ruins of theMemphis and Charleston Freight Depot at 303 Church St. in Huntsville. Some say theyve seen orbs of light that appear to float on the river. The first reports of a haunting was around 1919 after a teenage boy who slept at the house had a . This home dates back to 1909 and is registered by the local historical society. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Get more stories delivered right to your email. This haunted house is huge and horrifyingso make sure to get your tickets ASAP. Abandoned Western Railway of Alabama building in Montgomery is shown in the late 1960s. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. (Source: Edward Bennett/Gaines Ridge Dinner Club Facebook page). These display caskets left inside Memorial Mound still had price tags on them. Our "history tour with ghosts" reveals not only the highlights of the city's history, but also reveals the history "that no one wants you to know" -- from crime scenes, to scandals, unsolved murders, and more. Abandoned rail shops at the Western Railway of Alabama at 701 North Perry St. in Montgomery are shown in the 1960s. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. See map for precise location. The current owners of the Moody Brick claim that the old plantation is definitely not haunted. This abandoned home on Watts Mill Road was built in 1905 by Charles and William Hudson for their brother, John. Click hereto see more from Cottage Hill. The Empire building was erected in 1909 on the site of the former Bank Saloon, according to Bham Wiki. Fort Crawford was built on a bluff in 1816. In 1908, Condie Cunningham came to Montevallo, then called the Alabama Girls Industrial School, and was known to make fudge in the Main Hall kitchen at night. The Marengo House was originally built in 1847 in Autauga County before being disassembled in 1854 and moved to its current location. The ruins of the building that served as the Alabama Capitol from 1826-1846 have been preserved as Capitol Park in Tuscaloosa. At least, nothing human. The caskets were left neglected and families were angry. Railroad tracks run alongside the backs of the surviving buildings, parallel to the dirt lane called Robinson Switch Road. However, they say eventually the happy noises turn to unhappy ones, as if the children are screaming for their lives. Several witnesses have reported seeing the statues of Romeo and Juliet floating around The University of North Alabama's campus during a full moon. It's notorious for the vast amount of caves, and also for the true cavers spirit among its inhabitants. People have claimed to hear wails of banshees and see ghostly hell hounds and apparitions of Confederate soldiers. Legend says a girl named Sally hung herself in a stairwell on the third floor of the building. According to legend, she was driving her baby in a horse-drawn carriage one night. The reason there are all these caves . 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. 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. 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. However, that doesn't stop the tales from being told and retold. Now it looks like something from a horror movie. All are on my list of favorites, but they are not listed in order of preference. Allegedly there is a photo that shows a ghost in it. It is now a concert venue. 42 places sorted by traveler favorites 1. A pyromaniac ghost? Jeff E. Newman of Steel City Urbex took photos. Many people believe the ghost is that of the Governor's son who died in the Civil War. Nearby, a pair of eyeglasses gathers dust, as if the owner were suddenly interrupted in the middle of a workday and never returned. The building is believed to be haunted by several apparitions and ghostly voices are heard. On the third floor, people report doors opening and closing and furniture moving of its own accord. It was a stormy night and her carriage flipped, killing Burns. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. This abandoned home on Watts Mill Road was built in 1905 by Charles and William Hudson for their brother, John. After a mummified woman was discovered in her home, people claimed she was a witch. Winter Place in Montgomery. 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). The crumbling house on a hill at 103 Goldthwaite Streetwas obviously once a beauty. Click hereto see more. B.B. 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. The hangings were carried out inside the jail, and the spirits of those men reportedly never left. The city of Cahaba, or Cahawba, located where the Cahaba and Alabama rivers meet, was abandoned in 1825 after severe flooding. This Greek Revival-style mansion was built in 1837 by Dr. John R. Drish who died in 1867. Take a look. It is thought to be the face of Sarah Kittrell, wife of Thomas Kittrell, who disappeared in 1904. St. Clair's Bait & Tackle, Grocery and Hardware. The face appeared on the grave of Thomas second wife, Mary Jane Kittrell. Now her ghost is often seen along the road. Abandoned Marshall Space Flight Center power plant test stand in the east test area in Huntsville shown in 1968. NOTE:This site was visited with permission and under supervision of the State Department of Mental Health. In the 1830s, settlers continued to move into the area to use Arcola as a river landing. At night, ghosts of the people buried there haunt the area. ", Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Ashland Place Historic District in Mobile. Flickr/Jon Dickson. The ruins of Fort Morgan, built in 1819, are spooky on their own. (Picture: The Boyaux fortification at the Blakeley battleground). 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. However, the family cemetery remains. She would die from her burns on Feb. 6 at the age of 17. When they turn to look, nothing is there. Each home has it's own unique style which makes it stand out amid the modern homes we see today. Aunt Jenny Brooks Johnson, shown above, was a real mountain woman whose sons became outlaws. McCandless Hall auditorium, which opened in 1914, is said to be haunted by the spirit of Abigail Burns, an opera singer. Jesse James is rumored to have holed up in the canyon. 1910, was slated for demolition, but a citizens group hopes to save it. As the tale goes, a couple's car drove off the bridge, plunging into the water below. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and. People report hearing strange noises and seeing apparitions at the site. What are the creepiest cemeteries in Alabama? Brick Deli specializes in sandwiches and live music at night. The Jemison Center changed focusin the 1970s because of desegregation laws and closed in the 1980s. Dicksonia Plantation in Lowndesboro had a reputation in its day as a stately mansion in picturesque surroundings. The abandoned Peerless Laundry building at Royal and Conti streets in Mobile. The ROW can still be made out in many places . The Penney Building is a 31,000-square-foot structure in downtown Dothan. It survives but the third story and its Romanesque embellishments were removed. 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. (Namaan Fletcher/What's Left of Birmingham). At one point, a caretaker claimed to have seen a coffin in one of the rooms set up as if for a wake. 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. Find museums in Decatur, AL, Dead Children's Playground - Maple Hill Cemetery, Off Campus Book Store - University of North Alabama, University of North Alabama - Romeo and Juliet statues, Wesleyan Hall - University of North Alabama, Norton Auditorium - University of North Alabama. Legend says if someone says, We have your baby, she will attack. One surviving example is the stone on the grave of Korea Nettles, which has three faces said to be those of her children. Today, Jackson Lake Island is open to the public for camping and fishing. Ive noted those of which I am aware. As Ive discovered over the years, people are fascinated with abandoned places. The abandoned Memphis and Charleston Freight Depot in Huntsville. Several abandoned mill sites remain in the town, although historic groups hope to re-purpose some of the factories. 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. Today, it is a historical landmark and is open for tours. The hotel closed in the 1970s. This site was visited with permission. The historic, two-story jail was built in ca. The Italianate mansion was built for James Turner Kendall but decades later, the home was used as an inn. (Picture: St. Stephens Gravesite), Riverton, located in Colbert County, Alabama, was an old trade town that was destroyed when the Pickwick Landing Dam was built during the 1930s. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. After the capital was moved to Montgomery, the Tuscaloosa building was used as the Alabama Central Female College. Click herefor more photos. As the Drish mansion lore goes, the ghost of Sarah was furious about this and occasionally locals will see the third-story tower lit in flames. The home was built for Dr. Alexander Mitchell, who sold it to Isaac Winston in 1833. What are the most haunted places in Alabama? There were a couple of towns that were flooded during the creation of the Norris Dam in 1936. 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. It is alleged that you can hear the screams of soldiers who died in the Civil War at this cemetery. Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge 159 Nature & Wildlife Areas By 460LizF Outstanding location to view wintering Sandhill Cranes. Oct 13, 2016; Decatur has a sordid reputation and a . In 1861, Prairie Bluff was at its height. Haunted Places Decatur, Alabama Decatur High School Decatur High School was built in 1950. People also love vintage photos that show what those past lives were like in Alabama. This research was done using searches of a variety of sites about local haunts. If that wasnt creepy enough, visitors have been known to hear the sounds of a rocking chair moving back and forth as they pass. Best Restaurants in Decatur, AL - The RailYard, Two Fish & A Toad, The Moody Crab, Simp McGhee's, Brick Deli, Francesco's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, Bank Street Grill, Hard Dock, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Sushi Sumo They will come with a title that will be put into the auction bidder's name. InsideEastern Bank of Alabama in Eufaula when it was abandoned. Buildings in Downtown Decatur have a long and . The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. The back of the dilapidated William Chancellor House in Harpersville in Shelby County is shown in 1935. The laws of the state of Alabama first and foremost follow the laws of the ARPA (the Archaeological Resources Protection Act). The Haunted Decatur Tours are based on the bestselling book by Troy Taylor, HAUNTED DECATUR. It had no ballroom, no gold-leafed interior, no orchestra. Typical cemetery haunting fare including orbs and reports that your car will die if you drive there on specific dates. Abandoned Western Railway of Alabama shedin Montgomery is shown in the late 1960s. 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. Now, join us for our award-winning tours of Decatur as we journey back in time to uncover the "other side" of the city's history and reveal not only the scandals and sins that haunt Decatur, but the many ghosts that linger here as well! 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." Haunted Decatur Tours, 141 North Main Street, Decatur, IL, 62523, United States. Another popular tale is the appearance of theapparition of the ghost ship of the Eliza Battle, which burned on the Tombigbee River in 1858 killing more than 30 people. 1830s to 1866. (Alabama Department of Archives and History). Flickr/Renee May. 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). Employees claim they've heard disembodied footsteps and voices. Don Robinson State Park, Cedar Hill has a plethora of ruins. 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. Although the spot where the Dallas Mill was is now open field, legend has it was once haunted by a man who died while working there. It is privately owned and closed to the public. His ghost has been sited several times by a lot of people. This is not just a collection of ghost stories, but a true history of how the city became so haunted -- which means we also include local sites of death, unsolved murders, strange crimes, gambling parlors, vice districts and more plagued the city in days gone by. We have the list of places to check out! Arcola, established in the early 1820s, is a ghost town on the Black Warrior River in Hale County, Alabama - formerly Marengo County. Reportedly haunted by the ghost of a young singer who died on the night of her greatest triumph. Temple B'nai Shalom in Huntsville's Old Town Historic District, in Huntsville. The woods along here is reportedly the site where a group of freed black slaves set up a settlement following the Civil War that was burned out and destroyed by the KKK. Every year during Halloween a pumpkin mysteriously makes its way into Romeo's hands. (Picture: Hatch Plantation), Between the years 1819-1826, Cahawba was Alabama's state capital. It was restored and listed on the NRHP but its buildings burned in 1976 and 1986. (Source: Library of Congress/Historic American Buildings Survey). The 1893 Peyton building in downtown Bridgeport in the 1930s. Flickr/Annie Chartrand. 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 It is said to be haunted by the men and women who died during the raid. 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. People who cross the bridge hear the sounds of a babys cries. The building has been abandoned since the 1980s. Decatur Mall is located in the southwest corridor of Decatur at the Beltline Road/Danville Road intersection, approximately 7 miles NW from I-65. She is said to have died instantly. 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. Thank you! 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! All rights reserved (About Us). ", 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.". 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. In 1902 the new facility was finished, featuring 33 buildings, a power station, and a general store. The courthouse burned in 1866 and was rebuilt. Did you know about these Alabama ghost towns? Cook Museum. 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. According . But by far the creepiest spot is the 200+-year-old Bass Cemetery in Irondale. 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. Bellefonte is a ghost town in Jackson County, Alabama and is situated near the site of the Bellefonte Nuclear Generating Station. A staircase in the Empire building before renovations began. 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. Boshells Mill was built in 1902 beside Lost Creek on Alabama Route 124 in Townley, Ala. This gorgeous natural site is said to be haunted by the spirits of outlaws who once hid there. Share your experiences with us in the comments below! the interior, seen here from the doorway, is closed to the public because it is unsafe. A marker was erected nearby detailing the legend. A local storyteller dressed in period clothing leads the one-mile tour of haunted hotels, infamous murder sites, cemeteries, and more. It was also once the site of Castle Morgan, used to house prisoners of war during the Civil War. From lost burial grounds to haunted theaters, the Haunted Decatur Tour is much more than just a run-of-the-mill ghost tour! Now, it's just old and long abandoned. The J.W. StorageAuctions is the best place to find online storage auctions.

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