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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.

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.

ARBACOOCHEE

Cleburne Co.

This is an old gold mining town on County Route (CR) 42 between State Highway (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.

NE¼ Sec 6, T17S, R11E, Huntsville Meridian

Lat: 33° 34’ 41”N, Long: 85° 31’ 12” W

Lat: 33.5781640,  Long: -85.5199558

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

Lat: 32° 33’ 25”N, Long: 87° 46’ 03” W

Lat: 32.5570792,  Long: -87.7675111

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

Lat: 32° 34’ 00”N, Long: 87° 47’ 07” W

Lat: 32.5669014,  Long: -87.7852894

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

Lat: 34° 49’ 15”N, Long: 87° 36’ 00” W

Lat: 34.8209204, Long: -87.6000270 

Lat: 34° 48’ 03”N, Long: 87° 35’ 24” W  POST OFFICE

Lat: 34.8009208, Long: -87.5900270  POST OFFICE

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.

Ctr Sec 6, T6S, R2W, Huntsville Meridian

Lat: 34° 32’ 44”N, Long: 86° 46’ 53” W

Lat: 34.5456482, Long: -86.7813890

CAHABA

(AKA-Cahawba)

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.

SW¼ Sec 32, T16N, R10E

Lat: 32° 19’ 01”  Long: 87° 06’ 05”

Lat: 32.3168056  Long: -87.1013793

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.

Ctr Sec 17, T17S, R10E, Huntsville Meridian

Lat: 33° 32’ 43”  Long: 85° 38’ 56” (town)

Lat: 33.5453860  Long: -85.6488479 (town)

DUMPHRIES

Washington Co.

A former Tombigbee River landing, 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.

Sec 38, T3N, R1E, Saint Stephens Meridian (Bilbo’s Landing)

Lat: 31° 13’ 13”N, Long: 87° 56’ 43” W (Bilbo’s Landing)

Lat: 31.2201724, Long: -87.9452762 (Bilbo’s Landing)

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

Lat: 32° 42’ 55”N, Long: 85° 48’ 15” W

Lat: 32.7154078, Long: -85.8041249

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 1990 it had a population of 50.

SW¼ Sec 19, T8N, R6E, St Stephens Meridian

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

Lat: 31° 38’ 34”N, Long: 87° 30’ 39” W

Lat: 31.6426574, Long: -87.5108251

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.

Lat: 30° 14’ 53”N, Long: 88° 04’ 32” W

Lat: 30.2480556, Long: -88.0755556

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.

Lat: 30° 13’ 43”N, Long: 88° 01’ 23” W

Lat: 30.2285373, Long: -88.0230530

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

Lat: 33° 22’ 42”N, Long: 86° 02’ 35” W

Lat: 33.3784435, Long: -86.0430250

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 120 people in 1990. The post office was established in 1853 and was still active in 1995.

SE¼ Sec 27, T10S, R7W, Huntsville Meridian

Lat: 34° 08’ 29”N, Long: 87° 15’ 29” W

Lat: 34.1414925, Long: -87.2580686

JONESVILLE

Jackson Co.

DEAD NAME.  This was the original name for Bridgeport (population about 3000).  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 611 people in 1990 and is NOT a ghost town. (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

Lat: 32° 26’ 16”N, Long: 87° 17’ 45” W

Lat: 32.4379137, Long: -87.2958297

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

Lat: 31° 19’ 21”N, Long: 86° 31’ 30” W

Lat: 31.3223923, Long: -86.5249594

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

Lat: 33° 21’ 44”N, Long: 86° 13’ 22” W

Lat: 33.3623327, Long: -86.2227522

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.

SE¼ Sec 12, T21S, R3E, Huntsville Meridian

Lat: 33° 12’ 39”N, Long: 86° 16’ 43” W (New Odena)

Lat: 33.2109483, Long: -86.2785860 (New Odena)

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

Lat: 32° 09’ 17”N, Long: 87° 10’ 07” W

Lat: 32.1545876, Long: -87.1686007

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

Lat: 31E 42' 50" N, Long: 87E 18' 47" W

Lat: 31.7137668  Long: -87.3130436

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

Lat: 33E 16' 44" N, Long: 87E 13' 03" W

Lat: 33.2790041  Long: -87.2174978

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

Lat: 30E 40' 33" N, Long: 87E 55' 07" W

Lat: 30.6757460  Long: -87.9186058

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.

SW¼ Sec 33, T20S, R5W, Huntsville Meridan

Lat: 33° 14’ 55”N, Long: 87° 04’ 10” W

Lat: 33. 2487264,, Long: -87.0694386

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

Lat: 34° 30’ 04”N, Long: 86° 41’ 09” W

Lat: 34.5012035, Long: -86.6858295

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.  It still has a goodly number of folks, but is a sleepy semi-ghost that has faded from its glory days

NW¼ Sec 16, T19S, R6E, Huntsville Meridian

Lat: 33° 22’ 49”N, Long: 86° 01’ 37” W

Lat: 33.3803879, Long: -86.0269173

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

The Ghost Town Guru's Guide to the Ghost Towns of “STATE”™

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.

Thank you, and we'll see you out on the Ghost Town Trail!

For more information on the ghost towns of ALABAMA,

contact us at

Ghost Town USA.

E-mailers, PLEASE NOTE:

Due to the tremendous amount of viruses, worms and “spam,” out there, I no longer open or respond to e-mails with unsolicited attachments, OR messages on the subject lines with “Hey”, “Hi”, “Need help”, “Help Please”, “???”, or blank subject lines, etc.  If you do send E-mail asking for information, or sharing information, PLEASE indicate the appropriate location AND state name, or other topic on the “subject” line. 

THANK YOU!  :o)

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

Ghost Towner's Code of Ethics.