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Western & Eastern Treasures

Ghost Town USA Column Index for Alabama

When most people think of ghost towns, Alabama is NOT one of the states that comes to mind.  Yet, here in the Heart of Dixie ghost towns do exist.

Many of these sites date back to the colonial, territorial and early statehood era.  There were also numerous Native American communities that have also fallen by the wayside.  Many of the old towns of Alabama were situated on rivers, or crossroads.  Many old county seats have faded and disappeared, commerce levels have dropped and transportation corridors have changed. All created ghost towns.  There was also some gold mining in the state, and that in itself has created a number of ghost towns.

Alabama has a rich historical past, and many ghost towns worth doing the research to try and find. Listed below are only a few of the hundreds of sites that exist in this state.  I have about 350 locations in my files.

For those serious about looking for the ghost towns of Alabama, there are a number of books out there dealiong with the subject.  Two sources that I have in my library are excellent and have served as seeds for my own research.  I don’t know if either, or both, are still in print or not, but look for the following two books:

·        Dead Towns of Alabama - W. Stuart Harris – 1977 - University of Alabama Press – ISBN: 0-8173-5232-5

·        A History of Baldwin County – Kay Nuzum – 1971 – The Baldwin Times – ISBN (none)

Some of the vignettes below contain specific words that are listed on our Definitions page.  If you are unfamiliar with the meaning of the word in a ghost town sense, click on the link and scroll down to that term.  You can use the BACK button on the browser to return to this page.

HELP!  (NEW FEATURE) Please check here to find a list of ghost towns that various contacts are looking for.  IF you have any information on these places please e-mail me and I can respond back to those looking for info on these ghosts.

PLEASE NOTE: 

Where photos are indicated thusly (PHOTO!), please use your browser’s “BACK” button to return to this page.  More photos will be added over time.

ABINGDON / ABINGTON

unknown

HELP!  Don’t know location, county, or history.

I found an ABINGTON GREEN (Jefferson Co.) on GNIS.  It is located just south of the Birmingham Reservoir and south of Birmingham, just below the junction of US 280 - State Highway (SH) 38/County Route (CR) 113.  It appears to be a suburb of Birmingham, so is probably not the same location being sought by the correspondent.  (GBS).

ACMORE STEEL & MINE CO.

Jefferson Co.

HELP!  Outside of Bessemer, AL - coal 1940's.

ARBACOOCHEE

Cleburne Co.

This is an old gold mining town on CR 42 between SH 46 & SH 9, south of Interstate 20, nine miles southeast of Heflin.  The placer and lode gold mines were discovered in the 1830s.  In 1845, the population was a reported 5000, and the town’s businesses included: two churches, 20 general stores, two hotels, two mining equipment stores, five saloons and a school.  When gold was discovered in California a mass exodus began.  Mining did continue until the 1930s.  In 1990 the population was listed as rural.

·        NE¼ Sec 6, T17S, R11E, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.5781640 / 33° 34’ 41” N

·        Longitude: -85.5199558 / 85° 31’ 12” W

ARCOLA

Hale Co.

A French village and early river port along the south bank of the Black Warrior River, 4.5 miles northeast of Demopolis. May be under the waters of Lake Demopolis.  GNIS lists the ferry, post office and school as historical, indicating they no longer exist. Arcola is listed as a “populated place” and shows it just north of the junction of Baker Road and SH 2, about two miles southwest of the lake.  A church, school and cemetery are also shown here.  This community was active in the 1830s and 1840s.

·        SE¼ Sec 4, T18N, R3E, St. Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 32.5570792 / 32° 33’ 25” N

·        Longitude: -87.7675111 / 87° 46’ 03” W

ARCOLA FERRY

Hale Co.

Shown on GNIS just west of the western end of Baker Road, on the Black Warrior River about a mile or so northwest of Arcola.

·        NE¼ Sec 4, T18N, R3E, St. Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 32.5669014 / 32° 34’ 00” N

·        Longitude: -87.7852894 / 87° 47’ 07” W

BAINBRIDGE

(AKA–Bam Bridge Bambridge)

Colbert/Lauderdale Co.

An old river crossing on the bank of the Tennessee River, several miles east of Florence. Now under the waters of Wilson Lake.  A post office, ferry and a bridge were once located here.  The south bank side of the river is in Colbert County, and the north bank in Lauderdale County.  The ferry and post office were on the south side.  The post office was located north of the junction of Pinegrove/Gray’s Landing roads, southeast of Florence. This former community dates to 1819, and was abandoned by the 1840s.

·        Sec 4, T3S, R10W, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 34° 49’ 15” N / 34.8209204

·        Longitude: 87° 36’ 00” W / -87.6000270 

POST OFFICE:

·        Latitude: 34.8209204 / 34° 48’ 03” N

·        Longitude: -87.5900270 / 87° 35’ 24” W

BERLSON

unknown

HELP!  The correspondent had a family member die there in 1871, but the county is not listed.

BLUFF CITY

(AKA-Bluff, Monroe)

Morgan Co.

Early river town/ferry on south bank of Tennessee River, four miles north of Somerville at the north end of Bluff City Road. Once had a post office and a river landing.  The post office was originally known as Monroe Post Office.  The town began as Monroe as early as 1818, but the name changed sometime after 1857.  In 1874, the post office was reopened as Bluff City.  By 1881 the town was dead.

Rand McNally in its Commercial Atlas & Marketing Guide lists Bluff City as an alternate name for the rural community of Echols Crossroads.

·        Ctr Sec 6, T6S, R2W, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 34.5456482 / 34° 32’ 44” N

·        Longitude: -86.7813890 / 86° 46’ 53” W

BRINK

unknown

HELP!  Possibly in northern AL.

BURNT MILLS

unknown

HELP!  Any help?  Don’t know location, county, or history.

I found a BURNT MILL BRIDGE (Dale Co.), which is a modern bridge carrying US 84/SH 12 over the Little Choctawhatchee River just southeast of Daleville and south of Fort Rucker.  This could be the site of an old mill and bridge, judging by the name.  (GBS)

CAHAWBA

(AKA-Old Cahaba)

Dallas Co.

Established in 1819, this was the former state capital, and was located at the confluence of Alabama & Cahaba Rivers, at end of SH 9, 3.5 miles southeast of a point nine miles southwest of Selma on SH 22.  It faded and died out by 1865, mostly due to the continued flooding of the town’s site along the river bottoms.

This was our Ghost Town of the Month for February 2005.

This is one of the towns featured in my newest book, GHOST TOWNS: Yesterday & Today^TM.

This historic site also has its own website at: Old Cahawba.com

·        SW¼ Sec 32, T16N, R10E, St. Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 32.3168056 / 32° 19’ 01” N

·        Longitude: -87.1013793 / 87° 06’ 05” W

CARPENTER / CARPENTER STATION

Baldwin Co.

“Am looking for a town called Carpenter or Carpenter’s Station. It's located in Baldwin County, Ala. It goes back to around 1800 and still has a few residents living there now. Most of them are families of those early settlers. It had a post office, a stage stop, a railroad stop, an early horse race track (very popular then) with a large boarding house or hotel. The track opened around 1820 and closed just before the Civil War. It's been said it was a favorite spot for the well to do, of the time. It was supposed to be one of the hot spots the elite, very famous. I am looking for additional information; if you have it. If not, where can I find out more?”

(Aaron C., Apr 2005)  (The correspondent’s E-mail address has changed, so the info is posted here.)

There is a current rural community located at the junction of SH 225 and the railroad about five miles west-southwest of Bay Minette and two miles east of the Tensaw River.  The GNIS topo map and aerial photo show a scattering of buildings.  Don’t know if this is the same place or not.  I have the book – A History of Baldwin County, by Kay Nuzum, and it’s not listed therein – OR - I didn’t see it. (GBS)

·        Latitude: 30.8571299 / 30° 51’ 26” N

·        Longitude: -87.8661053 / 87° 51’ 58” W

CHULAFINNEE PLACERS

Cleburne Co.

In the southwest corner of the county along Carr & Chulafinnee Creeks.  Chulafinnee Creek is to the north of the town of Chulafinnee, while Carr Creek is to the south.  The mines were active from 1835 until the late 1840s.

TOWN:

·        Ctr Sec 17, T17S, R10E, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.5453860 / 33° 32’ 43” N

·        Longitude: -85.6488479 / 85° 38’ 56” W

CUNNINGHAM

Perry Co.

“Do you have any information on Cunningham, Perry County, AL? On the 1880 Federal Census, my relatives Robert and Sarah Brooks appear as living in Cunningham, AL. I cannot find Cunningham on any Alabama map so I assume it must be a "ghost town". Any information you have would be greatly appreciated.”  (The correspondent’s E-mail address has changed, so the info is posted here.)

GNIS lists a place called VAIDEN with a variant name of CUNNINGHAM.  It is not listed in Rand McNally. On the GNIS maps is it shown at the junction of SH 5/CR 15, about five miles north of US 80, at a point midway between Demopolis and Selma.  It’s just west of Washington Creek.  A handful of buildings are shown on the GNIS topo map and aerial photo.  (GBS)

VAIDEN:

·        SW¼ Sec 32, T16N, R10E

·        Latitude: 32.5198561 / 32° 31’ 11” N

·        Longitude: -87.3711102 / 87° 22’ 16” W

DUMPHRIES

Washington Co.

This former Tombigbee River landing, was located along the west bank 18 miles south of St. Stephens, just north of the confluence with Bilbo Creek, about five AIR miles southeast of McIntosh and the same northeast of Malcolm.  It was active from 1819-1839 or so.  This is in the same area that Bilbo’s Landing (Historical) is shown on the GNIS map.

BILBO’S LDG:

·        Sec 38, T3N, R1E, Saint Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 31.2201724 / 31° 13’ 13” N

·        Longitude: -87.9452762 / 87° 56’ 43” W

ERIE

Hale Co.

Early county seat located four miles southwest of Sawyerville (Hale Co.) on the west bank of the Black Warrior River.  Just northwest of the junction of SH 49/50 and Walnut Hill.  It was established in 1819 and incorporated in 1820.  In 1838 the county seat was voted to be removed and Erie died slowly.  By 1855 it was abandoned.  GNIS shows it on the southeast side of Martin Lake which puts it in Hale Co.

·        SE¼ Sec 13, T20N, R3E, St. Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 32.7154078 / 32° 42’ 55” N

·        Longitude: -85.8041249 / 85° 48’ 15” W

FINCHBURG

AKA – Finchburgh, Finchberg

Monroe Co.

This old town is located just 2.5 miles east of the Alabama River and a little over a mile west of Wainwright, south of the main road, 20 AIR miles northwest of Monroeville. It once had a post office and a river landing (to the northwest).  In 2000 it had a population of 60.

·        SW¼ Sec 19, T8N, R6E, St Stephens Meridian

·        SW¼ Sec 10, T8N, R5E, St Stephens Meridian (LANDING)

·        Latitude: 31.6426574 / 31° 38’ 34” N

·        Longitude: -87.5108251 / 87° 30’ 39” W

FORT BOWYER

Baldwin Co.

Erected in 1812, this old wooden fort was destroyed by a hurricane in 1819.  In 1833, Fort Morgan was built on the same site.

…SEE Ft. Morgan for location details.

FORT GAINES

Mobile Co.

This historic, old, pentagonal-shaped coastal defense fort sits on Pelican Point, south of Bienville Blvd, on the east end of Dauphin Island, at the west side of the entrance to Mobile Bay.  It was designed and built to protect Mobile Bay from any enemy incursions.

·        Latitude: 30.2480556 / 30° 14’ 53” N

·        Longitude: -88.0755556 / 88° 04’ 32” W

FORT MORGAN

Baldwin Co.

This star-shaped coastal defense fort was built in 1833 to protect Mobile from Spanish or French ships.  It is located on the east side of the entrance to Mobile Bay, at the tip of the peninsula jutting west from Gulf Shores.  It is a popular tourist destination.  The famous Chiricahua Apache warrior, Geronimo, was also incarcerated here for 18 months prior to being sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The only time this fort was attacked was by Union forces in 1864, during the Civil War, at which time it fell to them.  It remained an active military post until 1945.

·        Latitude: 30.2285373 / 30° 13’ 43” N

·        Longitude: -88.0230530 / 88° 01’ 23” W

GOLD LOG MINE

Talladega Co.

This was a gold-mining camp located on the west side of Talladega Creek, 7.5 miles southeast of Talladega, just west of Waldo and west of SH 77 in the Talladega National Forest.

·        NW¼ Sec 17, T19S, R6E, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.3784435 / 33° 22’ 42” N

·        Longitude: -86.0430250 / 86° 02’ 35” W

GUM POND

Morgan Co.?

Lawrence Co?

Winston Co.?

HELP!  Any help?  Don’t know location, county, or history.

Rand McNally lists a rural community called GUM POND in Morgan County.  GNIS also shows it.

GNIS lists a GUM POND cemetery and church in Lawrence County, which is about five miles north of the county line.

GNIS also lists a GUM POND (Historical), and a GUM POND POST OFFICE (Historical) in Winston County, about a quarter mile south of the Lawrence County line.  These last two may be related.  (GBS)

HILLSBORO

Shelby Co.

HELP!  “Do you have any information on the Civil War era town of Hillsboro? It would have been south of Birmingham and north of Montevallo which would have put it in either Jefferson or Shelby County. Thanks for any help or suggestion of resources that would have a location of this ghost town.”

Helena, Shelby County is listed by GNIS with a variant name of HILLSBORO and HILLSBOROUGH.  There is also a listing for a HILLSBOROUGH POST OFFICE, location unknown.  This looks like the place.  Helena is the county seat of Shelby County and is an active town of 4000 or so people.  (GBS)

HOUSTON

Winston Co.

From 1850-1882, this was the county seat.  It is located on CR 63, two miles south of US 278 at a point five miles southwest of Addison. Had 190 people in 2000. The post office was established in 1853 and was still active in 2002.

·        SE¼ Sec 27, T10S, R7W, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 34.1414925 / 34° 08’ 29” N

·        Longitude: -87.2580686 / 87° 15’ 29” W

HUGHES

Tuscaloosa Co.

HELP!  “Greetings from an old War Horse searching for the ghost town, (or old community of HUGHES), Alabama, We think it was southeast of Tuscaloosa. Grandparents had a farm, or "Sharecropped" a farm called "BIG SANDY", Grandmother told stories of how the "YANKEES STOLE THE FARM", after the WAR. We know of the BIG SANDY CREEK and BEAR CREEK which flow southwest to the (Black) WARRIOR RIVER, and are pretty sure it was in that area. Some sources say it was near the OLD SARDIS CHURCH which was purported to be on or near the BEAR CREEK/ BEAR CREEK ROAD.  RELATIVES/ FAMILY were also in the FOSTERS SETTLEMENT areas, on or near the WARRIOR RIVER CROSSING and in the northwest areas of Tuscaloosa County near NORTHPORT/BROWNSVILLE. Our g-g-grandparents - REV. JOHN HINTON - (b. JOCO, NC-circa-1790-1843) & EASTER (MONTGOMERY) HINTON - (b. GA-circa- 1797-1870) - were married - (1823) - in TUSCALOOSA COUNTY.  THANKS & GOD BLESS - SEMPER FI”  (From BA 4/30/2007) 

Gary’s Note:  Places mentioned in BA’s E-mail are highlighted above and shown below.  I did find a HUGHES MILL on GNIS.  It is located south of the BROWNVILLE/SARDIS CHURCH area and might be the area BA was looking for.

BROWN(S)VILLE:

     (Located on the former railroad about a mile east of the Sipsey River, and about 18 AIR miles northwest of Tuscaloosa.)

·        SE¼ Sec 14, T19S, R12W, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.3926155 / 33° 23’ 33” N

·        Longitude: -87.7533462 / 87° 45’ 12” W

CONFLUENCE BEAR CREEK/BIG SANDY CREEK:

     (0.3 miles south of US 82 at Duncanville, which had 150 people in 2000.)

·        Ctr Sec 14, T24N, R6EW, St. Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.055868

·        Longitude: -87.442117

FOSTERS (SETTLEMENT):

     (Southwest of Tuscaloosa on the west side of the Black Warrior River. It had 300 people in 2000.)

·        NE¼ Sec 32, T22S, R11W, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.0948441 / 33° 05’ 41” N

·        Longitude: -87.6858428 / 87° 41’ 09” W

HUGHES MILL:

     (Located on Wards Mill Creek, about a ¼ mile east of the junction of Upper Columbus Road-CR 21/Jackson Trace Rd-CR90, and about a ¼ mile northeast of the junction of CR 21/Preacher Lee Road, northwest of Lake Lurleen State Park and southeast of BROWNVILLE.  It is also just east of the Bethany Church and Cemetery.)

·        SW¼ Sec 8, T20S, R11W, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.3926155 / 33° 23’ 33” N

·        Longitude: -87.7533462 / 87° 45’ 12” W

SARDIS FREEWILL BAPTIST CHURCH & CEMETERY:

     (Located on Cooper Road, a mile west of the junction with Boyd Road, about three miles west of BROWNVILLE)

·        SW¼ Sec 21, T19S, R12W, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.3817827 / 33° 22’ 54” N

·        Longitude: -87.8019592 / 87° 48’ 07” W

JONESVILLE

Jackson Co.

DEAD NAME.  This was the original name for Bridgeport (2000 population - 2728).  The name was changed in 1854 or so.

Information contributed by Karen H in November 2004.

LARISSA

Winston Co.

I have moved this ghost from the HELP! page to here.  (GBS)

“Hi, I saw where you’re looking for proof of Larissa in Winston Co. I have a claim filed by my g-g-grandfather to the US for property and provisions taken by General Wilson in 1865. His witnesses were listed as living in Larrissa (sic), Winston County.  James Wilson, Emily Wilson, Jonathan Barton, and William Bush.”  

Contributed by Debbie, August 27, 2006

DEAD NAME. This was an early name for Lynn.  The post office was originally established as Larissa May 6, 1857.  On August 1, 1888 the name changed to Lynn.  Lynn had 597 people in 2000 and is NOT a ghost town. (GBS)

LILE COLLEGE

Morgan Co.

HELP!  In November 2005, Jeremy T contacted me for info on this old college.

“I live in Morgan Co. AL on Trinity Mountain. I have been told by many people that there use to be an old college up here named Lile College. Do you have any information on anything of the sort.” 

Can anyone help Jeremy out?

The only LILE I can find in GNIS are two LILE CEMETERIES. There are quite a few schools listed as historical schools (meaning they do not exist any longer) in the area of Trinity Mountain.  Any one of them could have been it.  (GBS)

MASSILLON

Dallas Co.

On the railroad, just south of US 80, 14 miles west of Selma.  In 1990 it was listed with a population of 0.

·        NW¼ Sec 20, T17N, R8E, St Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 32.4379137 / 32° 26’ 16” N

·        Longitude: -87.2958297 / 87° 17’ 45” W

MONTEZUMA

(AKA – Covington Courthouse)

Covington Co.

“Montezuma was an early settlement in our County. It was first designated as Covington Courthouse, then in 1823 it was named Montezuma. This location was our first County Seat. The County Seat was moved to a new (location) on July 18, 1844 (sic) and called Andalusia.”

Contributed by G. Sidney Waits, Aug 26, 2005

It is east of the Conecuh River and west of SH 12/55/US 84, about a mile northwest of the Andalusia Country Club, about three miles northwest of Andalusia.  It served as the county seat from 1822-1847 at which time is was flooded out by the Conecuh River.  The county seat was then relocated to New Site, which became Andalusia.  (GBS)

·        SW¼ Sec 11, T4N, R15E, St Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 31.3223923 / 31° 19’ 21” N

·        Longitude: -86.5249594 / 86° 31’ 30” W

NADAWA

Monroe Co.

“My Father was born and grew up in Nadawa I would love to know where in Monroe County Alabama it was located. Any information as to where it was located or history of Nadawa would be greatly appreciated.”

(The correspondent’s E-mail address has changed, so the info is posted here.)

“Nadawa is (was) a large sawmill town in the northern part of Monroe County, near the Wilcox County line. It is at the head or beginning of Flat Creek and next to the L&N railroad.  It had a sawmill, school, post office, hotel, stores and etc. It is approximatly six to eight miles northeast of Beatrice, Alabama. I have a couple of tokens from there with Shoal Creek Merc. Co. on them. Also have a couple of copies of an ad by the same company offering to buy cotton and produce, and a ad offering Pure Drugs from Nadawah Drugs owned by R.A.Smith, M.D., Prop.  Hope this helps.”

Contributed by Clifford Manning, Jr., Jan 12, 2009

NADAWA is listed by Rand McNally as a rural community, located on a railroad spur just south of the county line midway between the east and west ends.  GNIS lists NADAWAH and NADAWAH POST OFFICE (historical).  It is shown where Nadawah Road crosses the railroad about seven miles northeast of Beatrice and about a mile south of the county line.  (GBS)

·        S-Ctr Sec 21, T10N, R9E, St Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 31.8143197 / 31° 48’ 52” N

·        Longitude: -87.1722083 / 87° 10’ 20” W

NOTTINGHAM

(AKA - Jones Camp Ground)

Talladega Co.

A paper town that actually had a few buildings. It was located a mile northeast of Alpine, five miles southwest of Talladega where the railroad crosses Talladega Creek.  It was “founded” as a steel town in the 1880s, and by 1890 had a restaurant, storehouses and 15 duplex dwellings, all built on speculation.  By 1895 it was dead, the iron furnaces having never been built.

·        SE¼ Sec 21, T19S, R4E, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.3623327 / 33° 21’ 44” N

·        Longitude: -86.2227522 / 86° 13’ 22” W

ODENA

Talladega Co.

This class A community was located about four miles northwest of Sylacauga, and at one time had about a dozen stores and a post office, elementary school, a couple churches, sawmill and grist mill.  Odena means "village" in the Algonquian Indian tongue.  There may be just some archaeological evidence beside the train tracks of where the town was, west of Odena Road.

The land was first purchased in 1835 by the Taylor family, who called it Shirtee Plantation.  In 1854 it was sold to Capt. John Oden.  He called it Odena Plantation.  The original site of the town of Odena is now on the property owned by Tekside Industries, adjoining the Oden-Sanford Farm.

There ARE some later buildings, built in the 1920s-50s, located down the road, and others near the 1904 church, which was not "downtown," and most people today think of those as Odena, but the original pre-1910 town site was around the train depot. 

All above information contributed by Ray Isbell, May 2003

GNIS shows it along the east side of the railroad just north of Shirtee Creek.

NEW ODENA:

·        SE¼ Sec 12, T21S, R3E, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.2109483 / 33° 12’ 39” N

·        Longitude: -86.2785860 / 86° 16’ 43” W

PORTLAND

Dallas Co.

On the south side of the Alabama River, about five AIR miles west of the junction of SH 41/89,  and Elm Bluff, about 22 AIR miles southwest of Selma.  It once had a post office.

·        SE¼ Sec 28, T14N, R9E, St Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 32.1545876 / 32° 09’ 17” N

·        Longitude: -87.1686007 / 87° 10’ 07” W

RIVER RIDGE

Monroe Co.

It is along the railroad six AIR miles east of Franklin. It also once had a post office.

·        SE¼ Sec 25, NE¼ Sec 36, T9N, R7E, St. Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 31.7137668 / 31°  42' 50" N

·        Longitude: -87.3130436 / 87°  18' 47" W

ROCKCASTLE

(AKA – Davis Creek)

Tuscaloosa Co.

On the Abernant Loop Road, west of SH 216 (Old Birmingham Highway), 1.5 miles southwest of Abernant, nine miles east of Brookwood, about 25 miles east of Tuscaloosa (midway between Tuscaloosa and Birmingham). It once had a post office.

·        SE¼ Sec 24, T20S, R7W, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.2790041 / 33° 16' 44" N

·        Longitude: -87.2174978 / 87° 13' 03" W

RODINBURG

unknown

HELP!  (GARY’s note:  I found a RODENTOWN in DeKalb Co., 2000 pop of 150. It is located in the southwest corner of the county, 15 AIR miles north of Gadsden, in the SW corner of the county. It once had a post office.)

RUSSELLS CAMP

Russell Co.

HELP!  Russell Co. mid 1800s.

SPANISH FORT

Baldwin Co.

Old Spanish era fort, and later a Confederate fort on the east bank of the Blakeley River, on the northeastern point of Mobile Bay, north of I-10, on the outskirts of the town of Spanish Fort, east of Mobile.

·        NW corner Sec 30, T4S, R2E, St. Stephens Meridian

·        Latitude: 30.6757460 / 30° 40' 33" N

·        Longitude: -87.9186058 / 87°  55' 07" W

TANNEHILL IRON WORKS

Jefferson Co.

This massive old iron works was located on Tannehill Parkway, 2.5 miles east of I-59/I-20 at Exit 100. At the southern point of the county, 23 miles southwest of Birmingham.  It is now a state historic park.

·        SW¼ Sec 33, T20S, R5W, Huntsville Meridan

·        Latitude: 33.2487264 / 33° 14’ 55” N

·        Longitude: -87.0694386 / 87° 04’ 10” W

unnamed

Etowah Co.

HELP!  In Dec 2004 Brandon D contacted me.  (edited slightly for length)

“I'm an individual researcher from Indiana and have (recently) relocated to Oneonta, Alabama and have gained knowledge of a ghost town in Etowah County Alabama said to have 50-500 individuals (who) abandoned the town for some unknown reason. I've done a lot of research and still can't discover where the location of the settlement could be. There is an old mill, a cemetery, foundations of homes and still some clear trails there. It was an old Indian settlement before, but there’s still no evidence of where it could possibly be.”  Can anyone help Brandon?  Please let me know

VALHERMOSO SPRINGS

(AKA - Chunn Springs, Manning Springs,

Valhermosa Springs, White Sulphur Springs)

Morgan Co.

Old health resort located on SH 36, 20 miles northeast of Hartselle, 12 miles south of Huntsville. Some population remains.  The hotel was built in 1818 and opened in 1823.  A short-lived post office operated from May 1834 to Jun 1835.  The property sold in 1856 and the new proprietor renamed it from Chunn Springs to Valhermoso Springs.  The three-story hotel reopened and operated until 1920.  It burned in 1950 after being damaged by a tornado.

·        SE¼ Sec 24, T6S, R2W, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 34.5012035 / 34° 30’ 04” N

·        Longitude: -86.6858295 / 86° 41’ 09” W

WALDO

Talladega Co.

This class D gold-mining town is located on SH 77, five miles southeast of Talladega.  In the 1830s, Waldo was the center for hardrock mining in the county.  Some of the mines included: Gold Log (SEE above), May Virginia Mine and the Riddles Mine.  In 2000 it still had 281 folks, but is a sleepy semi-ghost that has faded from its glory days

·        NW¼ Sec 16, T19S, R6E, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.3803879 / 33° 22’ 49” N

·        Longitude: -86.0269173 / 86° 01’ 37” W

WELDONTOWN

Shelby Co.

HELP!  “I think it is near or north of Wilsonville, Alabama.  I am doing research on the Weldon family ancestors from that area and need to find the exact location. Possibly in T 19 S, R 1 E, Sec. 6 but the town does not seem to be anywhere except in older records as to death, etc. Any ideas?”

All I could find on GNIS was a town called WELDON (historical), and a WELDON POST OFFICE (historical).  Weldon is located at the junction of CR 32 (Pumpkin Swamp Road)/Shaw Lane, about three miles southwest of Westover and nine northwest of Wilsonville.  It looks like there are scattered modern buildings and homes in the area.  This is probably it.  (GBS)

·        SE¼ Sec 31, T19S, R1E, Huntsville Meridian

·        Latitude: 33.3326110 / 33° 19’ 57” N

·        Longitude: -86.5733167 / 86° 34’ 24” W

Historians estimate that there may be as many as 50,000 ghost towns scattered across the United States of America. Gary B. Speck Publications is in process of publishing unique state, regional, and county guides called

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These original guides are designed for anybody interested in ghost towns. Whether you are a casual tourist looking for a new and different place to visit, or a hard-core ghost town researcher, these guides will be just right for you. With over 30 years of research behind them, they will be a welcome addition to any ghost towner's library.

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IMPORTANT

These listings and historical vignettes of ghost towns, near-ghost towns and other historical sites in ALABAMA above are for informational purposes only, and should NOT be construed to grant permission to trespass, metal detect, relic or treasure hunt at any of the listed sites.

If the reader of this guide is a metal detector user and plans to use this guide to locate sites for metal detecting or relic hunting, it is the READER'S responsibility to obtain written permission from the legal property owners. Please be advised, that any state or nationally owned sites will probably be off-limits to metal detector use. Also be aware of any federal, state or local laws restricting the same.

When you are exploring the ghost towns of ALABAMA, please abide by the

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