the interior, seen here from the doorway, is closed to the public because it is unsafe. Hayden Pursley spent three years restoring the historic hotel and had several stories he often told to include seeing a girl around the age of 12 running down the halls. He also experienced a ghost, thought to Capt. HAUNTED HISTORY TOUR: Our longest-running tour is a spirited bus tour that takes guests on a 3-hour excursion to Decatur's most haunted locations. The city was the capital after Huntsville was the temporary capital city in 1819 so a Constitutional Convention could be held to choose the first official capital, which was Cahawba. It is located at 1928 First Avenue North. Each tour gets on and off the bus during the evening and we do go inside some of Decatur's most haunted locations. 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 home was completed in 1835 by Robert Patton, Brahan's son-in-law and former Alabama governor. Some people say theyve heard a baby cry or a dog panting or growling while on the property. According to the Library of Congress, The brick warehouses had 12 -inch firewalls and fire doors. It is said that a mysterious fog covers this area day or night, and it surrounds the gravestones. Find . 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.. (Picture: Prairie Bluff, taken from the Alabama River in 1894), Blakeley, founded in 1813, is a ghost town in Baldwin County, Alabama and was a location of a major fort during the American Civil War. At least, nothing human. If. 15 most haunted places in Decatur - herald-review.com 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. It is alleged that you can hear the screams of soldiers who died in the Civil War at this cemetery. (Illustration from historic photo/AL.com file). Huntsville, Alabama 27.7 miles from Hartselle, AL The Cedarhurst Mansion Estate was originally built in 1823 by Stephen Ewing. Remnants of the town remain, including the courthouse, shown above, two cemeteries and the grave of an unknown War of 1812 soldier. Located in Decatur, Alabama, the Ardent Mills Decatur facility is a pneumatic mill and one of the most automated mills in the United States. Remember, the majority of homes are occupied, private residences and those that are abandoned are marked "No Trespassing" and are a hazard. Cripple Creek - Palace Hotel - Like much of Cripple Creek, the Palace Hotel has a long history. Burt Cemetery in Decatur, Alabama - Find a Grave Cemetery Legends of hauntings in the home include one about a screaming woman dressed in Victorian clothing. 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. The family reportedly had the image sandblasted from the stone but it soon returned. It is the property of the Department of Youth Services. You are reading "15 Best Things to Do in Decatur, Alabama " Back to Top. 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. Ruins of theMemphis and Charleston Freight Depot at 303 Church St. in Huntsville. This weathered concrete frame on Shelby County Road 42 was once part of Shelby Chemical Co., a plant owned by Shelby Iron Co. But at night, people have reported seeing shadowy figures wandering inside the crumbling walls, as well as strange mists and odd noises. Shortly after the American Civil War, Cahawba became a ghost town. Legends often say that he was hanged on trumped-up charges for deserting the Confederate army, although details vary. What are the most haunted places in Alabama? (Historic American Buildings Survey/Library of Congress). Click hereto see more photos. However, they say eventually the happy noises turn to unhappy ones, as if the children are screaming for their lives. It is to her that witnesses attribute the sound of footsteps, lights that turn on and off by themselves, cold spots, and a phantom Locals tell a tale of playground sounds that can be heard at night: children laughing, playing and having fun. Thank you! It is now a concert venue. Legend says the area is haunted by spirits of residents in the form of strange lights that float among surviving buildings. Did you know about these Alabama ghost towns? 18 Abandoned Places in Missouri That Nature is Reclaiming - OnlyInYourState This photo was taken in 1934 when the home was abandoned. After the Jemison Center was built, the hospitals were kept segregated. . She was struck by a truck and her body was later found beside the highway. Winter Place 32.3713, -86.31589 History: Winter Place is the name of two old conjoined homes that date back to the mid-1850s. According to legend, Jenny and her remaining sons set out to get revenge. You may even stumble upon an old, abandoned homestead site in the woods. List of Caves in Alabama: Locations and Map - startcaving.com Others have reported hearing disembodied screams and footsteps. It was a stormy night and her carriage flipped, killing Burns. (Historic American Engineering Record/Library of Congress). We went online to see which stories were most repeated ineach of Alabama's counties to make the following list. 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 abandoned Memphis and Charleston Freight Depot at 303 Church St. in Huntsville. Legend says the face of a woman appears on a tombstone in Sandlin Cemetery. Rock Run is a residential community in Cherokee County where a small pocket of residents live in well-kept homes. The tale of its resident ghost, a Confederate soldier named Sydney Grimmett who died there, is the most popular ghost story on campus. Visitors here may see ghostly children coming out to play. Decatur Alabama is a city in Morgan and Limestone counties in the State of Alabama. 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. According to legend, the grounds are haunted by the ghost of a Confederate soldier. The Chamber of Commerce building, above right, was constructed in 1910 as a bank. The oddest sighting is an apparition that appears to be half-wolf and half-man. Have you visited any before? She is buried in Birminghams Elmwood Cemetery. The facility on Dartmouth Avenue in Bessemer was abandoned with bodies inside but they were removed in 2015. This is one of the outbuildings at the site. (Picture: Old schoolhouse). Unclaimed/Abandoned Vehicle Portal - Alabama This photo shows the Crocheron Columns, the only things remaining from a mansion built in Cahaba in 1843 by Richard Crocheron. Alabamas many historic cemetery sites can be bone-chilling, especially those with an eerie legend associated with it. The 1893 Peyton building in downtown Bridgeport in the 1930s. Water faucets that turn on and off. Reportedly haunted by the ghost of a woman who hanged herself back in the day when the Center was a teaching college. Jack Cole Road is a dirt road in a densely wooded area off Highway 7. Battle of Decatur - Digital Alabama Are the former owners of this home-turned-library angry at the intrusion into their afterlives or just trying to say hello? See more ideas about alabama, abandoned, historical sites. 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. (Submitted by Callum Swift) Read more 0 Baker Mansion Weatherford, Texas 35.4 miles from Decatur, TX When he was hanged, his executioners dug a hole beneath his dangling feet to accommodate his height. The firefighters felt that is simply wasn't worth the risk to aggressively try to stop the fire, and to let the fire burn itself. secret traditions. CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY! At the heart of the Deep South, the state of Alabama offers a wealth of opportunities for urban explorers. The hangings were carried out inside the jail, and the spirits of those men reportedly never left. Or they are shocked by the waste of still-useful homes and buildings. Because after an entire life of drudgery and cleaning, that's how every woman wants to spend her afterlife. At her death, her family searched the mansion for the candles but were unable to find them. The figure was as much as 7 feet tall, wearing dark clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. The Greek Revival and Italianate architecture is covered in stucco, making it one of the most unique homes in the state. It is now the site of a Hampton Inn. However, the legend tied to one of the most haunted sights in Alabama, the Drish House in Tuscaloosa, is absolutely chilling. The tale was repeated in Kathryn Tucker Windham's"13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey." It once consisted of 25 buildings constructed in the 1870s or 1880. She would squeeze them tightly, then scream in their ears. An elevator that runs by itself. It is also home to numerous legends and ghost tales. Prairie Bluff disappeared from maps around 1900. The woods off Hinds Road are said the be haunted by a witch who sold her soul to the devil. Because of the legends, the site was often vandalized. After Old Main burned in 1887, the Chapel was used for classrooms until Samford Hall was built. Once the world's most expensive prison, from 1829 this Philadelphia facility boasted grand architecture, modern luxuries and notorious inmates including Al Capone. For tour information and fees, visit the ghost town's websitehere. Visitors have claimed to have a feeling of being watched and cold chills even on the hottest days. The laws of the state of Alabama first and foremost follow the laws of the ARPA (the Archaeological Resources Protection Act). The Goode-Hall house in Town Creek, also known as Saunders Hall, was near collapse when this photo was taken in the 1930s. We hope to get permission to go photograph it very soon.. This airfield built in 1941, shown above in aerial view, was used to train the famous Tuskegee Airmen. Her sons pulled her from the wreckage, but she died in the front bedroom on the eastern side. Haunted houses, hospitals and hayrides: This list has all of North
