A look at some of the most infamous haunted sites in Alabama.
Paranormal investigators contend that ghosts are drawn to two types of enviorments; "safe and familiar places" and scenes of great tragedy. Therefore, perhaps it's no coincidence that states which endured the bulk of America's civil war battles seem to have a disportionate number of "hauntings." Of course, not all of Alabama's "hauntings" are related to the War Between the States. In fact, Alabama is home to dozens, perhaps hundreds, of lesser known hauntings.
Auburn University
Alabama is a state rich with tales of hauntings, many of which seem related to the trauma of the Civil War. At Auburn University, a legend persist of a ghostly apparition that roams the University Chapel. I've heard no less than a dozen variations of a story that revolves around a young Confederate soldier who was killed near that spot. The ghost of that young man appears occasionally on raining, gloomy days and wanders about the Chapel. Other witnesses claim to have heard soft sobbing, emanating from the building, often coming from different points, simultaneously.
Tuscaloosa
An old boarding house in the South area of town is home to Lowman the ghost and his dog, Pedro. Lowman was an eccentric, living alone with only his dog for companionship, for over 30 years. People that knew of Lowman thought him to be impoverished and perhaps a bit emotionally disturbed. However, upon Loman's death, it was discovered that he was the owner of considerable wealth and other properties. A few months after his death, witnesses claim to have seen Lowman playing in the street with Pedro, then mysteriously vanishing. Others report the sounds of a small dog barking, in broad daylight, where no dog can be seen.
Decatur
Old "school houses" have long been home to numerous stories of disembodied spirits and other paranormal phenomena. In this quiet community, dozens of witnesses claim to have seen the ghost of a small boy roaming the halls of the local school. Although I can't pin down a particular story associated with this ghost, locals tell me that the ghost is a well known local "celebrity" and has inhabited that school for several generations.
Birmingham
This is another southern town brimming with ghost stories. One of the most frequent tales involves a stretch of railroad, where several train/auto accidents have claimed the lives of numerous victims. A frequent theme of hauntings, railroad tracks in the area seem to have more than their fair share of 'white vapor,' glowing orbs and other physical manifestations. There are other tales of spirits roaming about certain, deserted "turn of the century" steel mills. One such "haunting" involves several ghosts which frequent the site of a violent mil explosion at the turn of the century.
Another tale, native to Birmingham, is that of the "drowned girl." In the 1950s, a teenaged girl drown in a local river. The house that she lived in prior to the accident still stands today, and is the site of some very unusual allegations. According to witnesses, the smokey visage of the girl can be seen from time to time, in and around the house. Other witnesses give a more chilling account. It is said that on some occasions, after a sighting of the ghost, small puddles of water can be seen on the kitchen floor leading to the back door.
Bridgeport
If not the most haunted site in the State, then certainly one of the most active in terms of other paranormal activity. Located in the area is Russell Cave Nation Park. The major attaction to this site is the presence of an ancient burial ground, possibly dating back over 10,000 years. This is one of the handful of sights in the Nation were we find evidence of "evolved" burial customs. Numerous visitors to the Park claim to have experienced "odd" occurrances. Many people cite examples usch as the mysterious malfunction of cameras and other electrical equipment and "smoky, "humanlike" images on developed film. Several paranormal researchers have recorded highly unusual sounds by utilizing reliable, digital recording devices, at the site. These "sounds" include vague, whispery but otherwise distinct voices, sounds of flute-like instruments and sobbing.
Huntsville
There's an old plantation-style mansion in this area, that boast frequent visitations from a ghostly apparition, in the form of a young woman. Two rumors seem to surround this mysterious visage. First, there's the story that the young lady lost her new husband in the Battle of Shiloh and consequently grieved herself to death. The second story states that the young lass died as a teenager from a raging fever. Regardless of the accepted version, countless witnesses claim to have seen the willowly young woman with her long flowing tresses.
Conner's Row
This community is little more than a memory, now. Reputed to be a thriving trading post at the turn of the 18th century, this village was nestled along the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, in northern Alabama. According to legend, an old woman was hung by superstitious neighbors because she was suspected of being a "woods witch." For several years after her murder, mysterious ailments plagued local residents, effectively wiping the population of Conner's Row. Local folk say that on cold, rainy, winter nights, the old woman can be seen searching for green apples around the old abandoned homesites.
The subject of ghosts and hauntings is as old as humanity. Some maintain that to search for evidence of these ethereal beings is sheer folly. Others contend that in order to fully understand our world, both the "seen" and "unseen," we must continue our search for these entities with fervor and an open mind. Perhaps Albert Einstein said it best when he stated, "We must entertain the absurd if we ever hope to achieve the impossible."
