Category: Colleges and Universities
South Carolina Haunt Briefs
Needing a project to carry me through this quarantine, I've decided to return to some original blog roots. Just after establishing this blog in 2010, I created a series of articles highlighting ten haunted places within each of the 13 states that I cover. Over time, these articles have been picked apart, rewritten, expanded, and used elsewhere. When I moved this blog, I did not move over those articles. Because I have a backlog of incomplete articles and bits and pieces that haven't been published I'm creating a new breed of these articles during this quarantine.
Aiken County Courthouse
109 Park Avenue, Southeast
The Aiken County Courthouse, 2007. Photo by Festiva76, courtesy of Wikipedia.
A number of spirits are believed to flit through the rooms and corridors of the 1881 Aiken County Courthouse. One of the spirits is thought to be the ghost of a young girl whose body was once held in the basement morgue of the building. Legend holds that her body changed position after being deposited in the drawer. Supposedly, she continues to roam the building giggling. A male spirit is known to whisper, "hey!" in the ears of employees, while another female spirit sometimes demonstrates her disapproval of the court's decisions by moving chairs, rattling papers, and sending pens and pencils flying off desks.
"Aiken County Courthouse—Aiken, South Carolina." Accessed 30 November 2019.
Wood, Larry. "Museum's ghost stories include Dancing with the Devil in Eureka." Aiken Standard. 13 August 2018.
Beaty-Spivey House (private)
428 Kingston Street
The Beaty-Spivey House, 2010. Photo by Pubdog, courtesy of Wikipedia.
A tragic tale has been told about the Beaty-Spivey House, known as "The Oaks," since the death of young Brookie Beaty in 1871. Thomas and Mary Beaty had five children, four of which passed before they reached adulthood. After her son fell ill, Mrs. Beaty was greeted by a vision of several angels in the form of her deceased daughters. The angels revealed that they had been sent to retrieve their brother. Rushing into her son's room, Mrs. Beaty discovered that he had just died.
"Stories become real part of S.C. history." Florence Morning News. 24 February 1976.
Warwick, Mrs. Elsie Cushman, et al. "Mary Elizabeth (Brookman) Beaty April 5, 1824 – November 27, 1901." The Independent Republic Quarterly. Fall 1986.
Blakeney Family Cemetery
John Blakeney Lane
Pageland
Irish-born John Blakeney served in the American Revolution under General Francis Marion. When he died at the age of 100, he was interred in this rural family cemetery where he joined many members of his family. According to online rumors, those family members regularly appear to roam amongst the headstones, though the veracity of these stories is questionable.
Gross, Lori. "Haunted Cemeteries of South Carolina Part 2." 7 December 2016.
Johnson, Tally. Ghosts of the Pee Dee. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2009.
Brown House
328 Greene Street (private)
Known for many years as the "Brown House" due to its unpainted exterior, this now white early 19th-century farmhouse has activity that have led locals to believe it may be haunted. That activity includes the furniture on the front porch being rearranged by unseen hands.
"Brown House—Cheraw, South Carolina." SC Picture Project. Accessed 2 July 2019.
Carolina Country Store & Café
11725 South Fraser Street
The main road from Charleston to Georgetown, U.S. Route 17, passes through many small communities including one called North Santee. This ramshackle general store and gas station has been serving travelers and locals since 1929. As well as selling food, drinks, gas, and souvenirs, this small business also features a ghost. Called Mary Jane by employees, the spirit tends to rattle doorknobs, fiddle with the knobs on the crockpot, call employee's names, and sometimes appear as a shadow.
Carmichael, Sherman. Legends and Lore of South Carolina. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2012.
135 McIver Street (private)
When Union troops invaded the town towards the end of the Civil War, General Sherman took up headquarters in the Hartzell House, while General Oliver Howard set up in Enfield next door. Local lore preserves a story that one of Howard's officers shot a young enslaved girl when she fumbled with the reins of his horse. History does speak to the veracity of this story, though the spirit of this woman is supposed to haunt the home.
"Enfield—Cheraw, South Carolina." SC Picture Project. Accessed 2 July 2019.
Florence National Cemetery
803 East National Cemetery Road
In late 1864, the Confederate government open a prisoner of war camp on the outskirts of Florence. Known as the Florence Stockade, the prison held nearly 18,000 prisoners in miserable conditions. During its operation, nearly 2,800 prisoners died and were interred in trenches outside the prison walls. Following the war, these burials were incorporated as Florence National Cemetery.
Florence National Cemetery. Photo courtesy of the National Cemetery Administration.
Among the graves is that of Florena Budwin, a female who fought in the Union Army alongside her husband. Her grave is believed to be the first burial of a female in a national cemetery.
Investigation by author Tally Johnson reveals that Mrs. Budwin and her comrades may not be resting peacefully. He observed an orb hovering over her tombstone as well as hearing moans and groans from the trenches holding the many other soldiers who died imprisoned.
Florena Budwin. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Accessed 3 July 2019.
Florence Stockade. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Accessed 3 July 2019.
Gurganus-Collins House (private)
In 2012, the family occupying the 1862 Gurganus-Collins House revealed that their 12-year-old son encountered the spirit of the home's builder, William Gurganus, sitting on a bed one morning. The apparition "turned and smiled at him," which prevented the young man from sleeping upstairs for six months.
"Conway's oldest homes offer comfort…and ghosts?" 25 September 2012.
Hangman's Tree
Saints Delight Road (US-17 ALT)
Looming over this two-lane road outside of Andrews, this ancient cypress' story is told in its gnarled trunk and limbs. On the outskirts of the community of Lamberttown, this tree, as legend holds, has been the scene of many hangings since the American Revolution. After the Civil War, several people were lynched from this same tree. Sources indicate that some locals are reticent to pass by the tree late at night. Travelling northeast on Saints Delight from the intersection with Walker Road, the tree is roughly a mile on the left.
Floyd, Blanche W. Ghostly Tales and Legends Along the Grand Strand of South Carolina. Winston-Salem, NC: Bandit Books, 2002.
Huntsinger, Elizabeth Robertson. More Ghosts of Georgetown. Winston-Salem, NC: John F. Blair, 1998.
Orr, Bruce. Haunted Summerville, South Carolina. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2011.
Summey, Debby. "The Hanging Tree." South Strand News. 29 January 2013.
Hopsewee
494 Hopsewee Road
Created as a rice plantation around 1740, Hopsewee was the birthplace of Thomas Lynch, Jr., one of the four signers of the Declaration of Independence from the South Carolina Colony. Along with his father, he served as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, the only father and son within the body. When the Declaration was signed, Lynch's father was too ill to make the journey, so only his son signed the document.
Hopsewee in 1971. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.
Hopsewee was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971, and the house and grounds are open to the public as a historic site. In addition to the watchfulness of the current owners, it seems that Thomas Lynch, Sr. may remain here watching over the grounds. Some years ago, a neighbor and his son watched as a man in colonial dress and carrying a lantern walked down a road near the house and disappeared into a swamp.
The spirit of the indomitable Thomas Lynch, Sr. may have once revealed his distaste for immodesty. While a crew was filming in the house, the film's costumer took photographs of the actresses in their costumes. A group photo was taken of the young ladies in their period underclothes. When the picture was developed, a prominent white streak covered all of the women from their necks to just below their knees.
Brown, Alan. Stories from the Haunted South. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, 2004.
Snell, Charles W. National Register of Historic Places Nomination form for Hopsewee. 4 June 1971.
216 North Darlington Avenue
School ghostlore is often the product of overactive young minds, and that seems to be the case here. According to author Tally Johnson, a student athlete at Lamar High School was killed in a tragic automobile accident during her senior year. In her memory, the school retired her number and enshrined a picture and her shoes in the school's trophy case as well as establishing a scholarship in her name. Supposedly, the young lady returns to the school gym on the anniversary of her death.
Lincoln Village Apartments
The end of this small apartment complex came ignominiously with a small fire in one building in 2015. Two years later, the City of Hartsville chose to demolish this blighted property. A local resident who lived across the street told a reporter for WMBF (the Myrtle Beach NBC affiliate) that the complex—which was abandoned in 2000—brought down the morale of the entire neighborhood.
Perhaps the decaying state of this property aroused ghost stories, but the idea has been bandied about online for a number of years. A small cemetery is supposed to exist on the site, though the graves are unmarked. Legend speaks of some of the buildings having been built over graves, though there is nothing to prove this.
Stories speak of residents experiencing "babies crying and adult voices begging for help in otherwise empty apartments." Tally Johnson spoke with a sheriff's deputy who said that law enforcement had been called to the property several times by reports of lights on and people inside the abandoned buildings. There is no word if the demolition has ended these urban legends.
Biesk, Audrey. "Hartsville approves demolition of old apartment complex." 12 April 2017.
Faile, Jim. "Hartsville poised to acquire old Lincoln Village property." Hartsville Messenger. 1 April 2015.
Lyles, Samantha. "Lincoln Village demolition begins." News and Press. 11 July 2017.
Lower River Warehouse
206 US-501 BUS
For nearly two centuries, the old Lower River Warehouse that sidled up next to the Waccamaw River served as a main shipping point for goods being brought to Conway by many of the town's best-known families. A few years ago, the building housed a haunted Halloween attraction, Terror Under the Bridge. While employees were working to manufacture scares for their guests, they were being frightened by actual paranormal activity. An employee working the fog machines in the back of the building fearfully noticed that the fog was blowing against the draft created by an open window and door. Footsteps were sometimes heard in the empty building as well.
Lucas Bay Light
Near Gilbert and Little Lamb Roads
Along these country roads near the community of Bucksport is Lucas Bay. The bay is not a typical large body of water, but a "Carolina bay," an elliptical depression in the landscape. Occurring all over the east coast, these bays hold special significance geologically and ecologically, while this particular bay is also a part of the landscape of legend.
Stories tell of a mother in the area towards the end of the Civil War, when Union troops were advancing through the state. Hearing rumors of the approach of troops and worried about her infant, the mother hid the swaddled child underneath a bridge, while she returned home to secure her meager possessions. When a storm erupted during the night, the mother rushed into the rain and wind to find her child. Both mother and child were lost in the deluge.
Since that time, many have witnessed an odd light near Lucas Bay and the account of this mother and her child is retold. This story bears many of the hallmarks of the typical "Crybaby Bridge" legend, and, as is usually the case, there are no historical records to back up the story. Paranormal investigators have confirmed that the area is rife with spirits, though they cannot confirm the legend either.
Boschult, Christian. "Lucas Bay Lights-urban legend or true ghost story?" The Sun News. 30 October 2016.
Brown, Alan. Haunted South Carolina: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Palmetto State. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole, 2010.
"Lucas Bay Light." Phasma Paranormal. 12 April 2012.
Campus of Coker University
This small, private liberal arts college (which has just recently changed its name to Coker University) has a 15-acre campus, around 70 faculty members, about 1,200 students, and one resident spirit. A college history attributes the hauntings of Memorial Hall and the school's former and current library buildings to a student, Madeline Savage, who attended the school in the 1920s. According to legend, Savage died on campus, but historical records only note her enrollment as a student from 1920 to 1921. Her whereabouts after that time are unknown.
Memorial Hall at Coker University, 2018. Photo by Jud McCranie, courtesy of Wikipedia.
Though she may have disappeared from the historical record, she has supposedly remained active in Memorial Hall, the oldest residence hall on campus. Students in this circa 1916 dormitory have had a variety of encounters with the other side. Madeline has appeared wearing a long, white gown, while she has been heard crying in empty rooms.
"The Mystery of Madeline: A Coker Ghost Story." Coker University. 31 October 2018.
Upper Long Cane Cemetery
Greenville Street
About 2 miles north of the town of Abbeville, the Upper Long Cane Cemetery serves as a resting place for about 2,500 souls. According to local folklore, the first burial on the site occurred around 1760 when John Lesley buried a young girl who was either a relative or visitor to his home. The girl had succumbed to severe burns she received while making lye soap. With her burial, the family established the spot as a family cemetery. Over time, the cemetery became a prominent cemetery for locals.
Upper Long Cane Cemetery, 2012, by Upstateherd, courtesy of Wikipedia.
According to John Boyanoski, the cemetery was investigated by the Heritage Paranormal Society from Georgia. While there were no stories of activity in the cemetery, its age led them to believe that there might be something. During a review of photographs taken during the investigation, members of the group were shocked to see the image of a balding man wearing a blazer in one of the photos. When the photo was taken, a living person was not seen walking through the frame.
Boyanoski, John. More Ghosts of Upstate South Carolina. Mountville, PA: Shelor & Son Publishing, 2008.
Power, J. Tracy, et al. National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form for Upper Long Cane Cemetery. 29 October 2010.
130 History Lane
A former resident of Woodburn, which is now a house museum, reported several encounters with a little girl in the house. Since that time, a photograph has been taken that seems to show the figure of a young girl in the window of the nursery. Police have also seen a figure peering at them from the same window.
Woodburn, 2009. Photo by KudzuVine, courtesy of Wikipedia.
Woodburn was constructed around 1830 as a summer home for Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, a son of the prominent Pinckney family. Named for his uncle who was one of the authors of the U. S. Constitution, Pinckney was a prominent lawyer, politician, and planter.
Hornsby, Ben. National Register of Historic Places Nomination form for Woodburn. 15 October 1970.
Staed, John. "Does Woodburn Historical House still hide some secrets?" Anderson Independent. 29 June 2010.
Strange LaGrange: Ghosts, Legends, & Spirited History—A Walking Tour
There is no exquisite beauty without some strangeness in proportion.
–Edgar Allan Poe, "Ligeia," 1838
The South is a very strange place. Even after years of researching and writing about the South, I continue to find masses of odd stories, not just from ghostlore, but stories regarding cryptids, UFOs, aliens, dreams, premonitions, and other high strangeness. While the South isn't any more active than any other region in the world, it seems that Southerners, who are natural storytellers, have created a stranger version of their world through their storytelling.
Lafayette Square in downtown LaGrange, Georgia. Photo 2012, by Rivers Langley, courtesy of Wikipedia.
My hometown of LaGrange, Georgia has its own strange and storied landscape. Growing up here, I heard stories and tales of haunted places, but was never able to confirm much of this. After starting this blog, I have pursued some of these stories, but rarely with much success. When I got the call from the director of the Troup County Historical Society several months ago, asking if I would be interested in creating this tour, I jumped at the chance. It has always been a dream to create a ghost tour locally, but I never had the backing of such an august group.
As cliché as it may be to say, this tour is a labor of love. Not only has led me to ponder local history, but my own personal history here, as well as reinforcing my love for this little West Georgia town.
The tour winds through downtown LaGrange stopping by a number of historic and haunted locales as well as other places of strangeness, which doesn't just include ghostlore. During the mid-1990s, this area was the scene of a large number of UFO sightings, leading ufologists to dub it the "Troup-Heard Corridor." During this time, locals not only witnessed strange things in the skies, a few even had some very close encounters with possible aliens.
Indeed, the strangeness also includes the discovery, in the late 1960s, of an ancient Sumerian tablet, now known as the Hearn Tablet. Discovered by a local housewife in her garden, this apparent ancient receipt in the form of a small lead tablet is certainly out of place and produces many questions as to how it ended up here in West Georgia.
The Hearn Tablet, an ancient Sumerian tablet found in Troup County, Georgia. Photo courtesy of the Troup County Historical Society and Archives. All rights reserved.
From downtown, the strangeness extends all the way to the august halls of LaGrange College, the oldest private institution of higher learning in the state. Recently, a pair of young ladies were working in the college's Smith Hall late in the evening. The first entered and was walking towards her office when she suddenly tripped over something. Looking around, she tried to identify what she had tripped over, but nothing was there. She realized that it felt as if someone had stuck their leg out to purposefully trip her. Shrugging off the incident, she continued to her office and set to work.
The second young lady arrived a few minutes later, entering the office with a curious expression. She noted that she had had a strange thing happen to her on her way in, describing being tripped in the same manner that the first had. The pair returned to work, now wary of the prankster spirit that has haunted the halls of this building for years.
Stories have circulated for years about a spirit within Smith Hall, but many of the stories don't exactly add up or stand up to historical scrutiny. Nonetheless, students and staff continue to have experiences here and within several other college buildings. All of these stories contributing to make LaGrange very strange.
Stops on the tour also include the LaGrange Art Museum, whose peculiar history I have examined closely in my article, "Its hideous use—LaGrange, Georgia."
The Strange LaGrange tour stops in Hill View Cemetery. Photo by Ashley Blencoe, courtesy of VisitLaGrange. All rights reserved.
The Strange LaGrange Tour steps off at 7 PM on Friday nights from the Legacy Museum on Main, 136 Main Street, in downtown LaGrange. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, $15 for kids ages 5-12, and can be reserved at the tour's Eventbrite page. Each tour will last approximately 2 hours and will involve quite some walking, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Come walk with us!
Guide to the Haunted Libraries of the South—Louisiana
For other haunted Southern libraries, see my entries on Alabama, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and West Virginia.
Allen J. Ellender Memorial Library
Nicholls State University Campus
Nicholls State University opened originally as Francis T. Nicholls Junior College of Louisiana State University in 1948. Eight years later, the school became a separate entity from LSU and developed a four-year curriculum. While the school is relatively young among schools in Louisiana, the campus has proven to be especially paranormally active. Perhaps the echoes of the 1887 Thibodaux massacre, a protest by African-American farm workers in the area which turned violent when whites began to hunt down and kill organizers and participants, may be to blame for this.
The Allen J. Ellender Memorial Library is one of many campus buildings with reported paranormal activity. According to Point of Vue Houma magazine, the spirit of a girl has been seen wandering the floors of Ellender Library. An article in My New Orleans magazine provides the description of the experience a janitor had one night after hearing footsteps coming from a locked librarian's office. Moments later he watched as a girl with a bookbag, clad in a mini-skirt and with waist-length brown hair, walked through a wall and vanished. Near the spot where the janitor had his encounter, a student later caught a brief video of a shadowy form crossing the room and vanishing.
Frois, Jeanne. "School spirits in Thibodaux." My New Orleans. October 2012.
"Local haunts: Fact or Fiction?" Point of Vue Houma. 30 September 2015.
Eunice Public Library
Staff of the Eunice Public Library believe that a spirit may be haunting the building. See my article, "Louisiana Noteworthy Haunts—6/3/2014," for further information.
Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum
3201 Centenary Boulevard
While the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum is more a museum and less a library, I think it still deserves to be listed here. This museum is one of twelve throughout the country that have been established to display documents from the Karpeles Manuscript Library, one of the largest collections of documents and manuscripts in the world. The collection was created by businessman David Karpeles and his wife and contains many notable historical documents including drafts of the Bill of Rights, the Confederate Constitution, Mozart's La Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto, and letters from Christopher Columbus.
The Shreveport location is housed within a structure that was constructed as the First Church of Christ, Scientist in the 1920s. The museum has been housed in the old church for roughly 15 years. During that time, museum staff and visitors have had a number of odd experiences including seeing shadow-like apparitions, smelling odd odors, having objects manipulated and moved by unseen hands, and have been touched by or feeling the presence of spirits. Louisiana Spirits Paranormal Investigations, the state's most prominent paranormal investigation organization, investigated the building on three separate occasions during 2013, though results were mostly inconclusive.
"The Karpeles Manuscript Library." Karpeles Manuscript Library. Accessed 23 April 2019.
Lau, Maya. "Shreveport's house of relics, run by a phantom." Shreveport Times. 17 February 2015.
Louisiana Spirits Paranormal Investigations. "Investigation Summary Report: Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum." Accessed 29 January 2015.
Louisiana Spirits Paranormal Investigations. "Investigation Summary Report: Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, Follow Up 20 July 2013." Accessed 29 January 2015.
Louisiana Spirits Paranormal Investigations. "Investigation Summary Report: Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, 2nd Follow Up 14 September 2013." Accessed 29 January 2015.
Milton H. Latter Memorial Library
When Hurricane Katrina roared into New Orleans in 2005, some believe that the Latter Memorial Library was spared damage by the diminutive spirit of a former silent film star. Indeed, since the library's opening in 1948, visitors and staff have seen a "woman-child" spirit, as well as smelling the odor of exotic perfume, and witnessing lights mysteriously flickering within the Italianate mansion.
Marguerite Clark's former St. Charles Avenue Mansion, now the Milton H. Latter Memorial Library. Photo 2007, by Infrogmation. Courtesy of Wikipedia.
In the heyday of silent film, Marguerite Clark was second only to "America's Sweetheart," Mary Pickford in the hearts of moviegoing Americans. The child-like star gained her popularity first on the New York stage, then on film in 1914. At the height of her fame in 1921, she retired from entertainment to live with her husband in their New Orleans mansion (which now houses this library). Clark's husband was killed in a plane crash in 1938, and the widow moved to New York where she died in 1940. Due to the loss of many of Clark's films her fame has been overshadowed by other actresses whose films have survived.
Marguerite Clark. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Accessed 23 April 2019.
Mattoon, Nancy. "Glamorous ghost haunts Louisiana library." Book Patrol Blog. 30 October 2009.
Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center
The building housing the Opelousas Museum has a long and interesting past. It was built in 1935 to house a funeral home and has since hosted a church and the city's library for about a year. With such a history, and its current use as a repository for relics of the city's past, there's little surprise that the building is haunted. Doors open and close by themselves, loud noises issue from empty rooms, and several visitors have sensed such bad vibes that they stop at the museum's door and refuse to enter.
Coen, Chere Dastugue. Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2013.
Hartley, Carola Lillie. "Opelousas Trivia: The story behind the city's first public library." Daily World. 7 December 2017.
Williams Research Center
410 Chartres Street
Housing the research portion of The Historic New Orleans Collection–a collection of artifacts and archives covering the history of New Orleans and the region–the old Second City Criminal Court and Third District Police Station building still may contain the spirits of police officers and offenders. For further information, please see my article, "Street Guide to the Phantoms of the French Quarter-Chartres Street."
Posted on April 17, 2019 January 6, 2020
Guide to the Haunted Libraries of the South—Kentucky
For other haunted Southern libraries, see my entries on Alabama, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia.
1028 Scott Boulevard
As one of the wealthiest men of his time, Andrew Carnegie provided grants to cities, towns, and educational institutions throughout the world to construct libraries for the edification of their citizens. The bulk of his grants were provided to Americans and 1,689 libraries were built across the country. Twenty-seven libraries were built in the state of Kentucky and twenty-three are still standing, among them the Beaux-Arts former Kenton County Public Library in Covington.
The Carnegie, formerly the Covington Carnegie Library, 2010, by Greg Hume. Courtesy of Wikipedia.
Two years after the library's construction in 1904, an auditorium was added for community events. The auditorium fell in serious disrepair and was boarded up in 1958, but the library continued to thrive. Outgrowing the original structure, the library moved to a larger facility in 1974 and the building was threatened with demolition. Concerned citizens formed the Northern Kentucky Arts Council to utilize the structure as an arts center. The auditorium was fully restored in 2006 and the center was renamed "The Carnegie" to honor the building's original use.
Over the years, the building has garnered several legends of ghosts and was investigated by the team from Paranormal Investigations of Kentucky (PINK) in 2010. The team heard stories from several staff members including one who's pants leg had curiously been tugged on as they climbed a ladder to the attic. Another staff member who had often worked in the theatre late into the night had a number of experiences with items he was using disappearing only to reappear in a different location. The investigators were able to capture several EVPs during the investigation.
Grieme, Ralph B. National Register of Historic Places Nomination form for Kenton County Library. 26 May 1972.
"History." The Carnegie. Accessed 15 April 2019.
"List of Carnegie libraries in Kentucky." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Accessed 15 April 2019.
Paranormal Investigators of Northern Kentucky. Case File for the Carnegie Theater, Covington, KY. 16 October 2010. Accessed 13 April 2019.
Carnegie Community Arts Center
Carnegie Community Arts Center, formerly the Pulaski County Carnegie Library, 2014, by Nyttend. Courtesy of Wikipedia.
This graceful, Neo-Classical structure near the heart of Somerset has served several different functions throughout its history. Constructed originally as a post office in 1912, the building was transformed into the Pulaski County Public Library after the post office's move to a new facility in 1972. Following construction of a new library facility, the building now serves as an arts center for the community and hosts several spirits and a paranormal museum.
The International Paranormal Museum and Research Center opened in the basement of the arts center in 2017 and houses paranormal memorabilia from around the world as well as several haunted objects. In fact, the old building itself has several ghost stories associated with it including tales involving a little boy who died on the adjacent property and a woman who died while working in the building. One of the museum's operators has had a few haunting encounters like hearing the sound of a woman clearing her throat in a restroom while he was working in the building alone.
Harris, Chris. "Carnegie Community Arts Center Paranormal Museum can be spine-tingling." Kentucky Commonwealth. 4 October 2017.
Torma, Carolyn and Camille Wells. National Register of Historic Places Pulaski County Multiple Resource Area (North Main Street Historic District Nomination). 14 August 1984.
Carnegie Hall
The Newport Public Library was organized in 1898 and set up on the second floor of a nearby bank. The group solicited a grant from Andrew Carnegie for funds to build a permanent home. With the $25,000 grant, the Beaux-Arts style Newport Carnegie Library was constructed in 1902 on Monmouth Street. The library moved to a new location in 2004 and the building was used as storage by the city until a local businessman purchased it in 2007. Under the businessman's purview, the building was exquisitely restored and opened as an events space.
A 2014 article in the Cincinnati Enquirer mentions the possibility that the building may be haunted. During a wedding, a sensitive guest noted the presence of a woman and child in the building's basement.
"112-year-old gem nestled in Newport." Cincinnati Enquirer. 17 June 2014.
"Our History." Carnegie Hall at Newport. Accessed 17 April 2019.
Warminski, Margo. National Register of Historic Places Nomination form for the Monmouth Street Historic District. 28 March 1996.
Danville-Boyle County Public Library
Staff at this library have experienced some anomalous things involving the library's time clock. See my entry "Clocking in for the afterlife–Kentucky," for more details.
Filson Historical Society
1310 South Third Street
With a collection on the history of Kentucky, this Louisville institution contains a library that has been the scene of some haunting hijinks. See my entry "Haunted Kentucky, Briefly Noted," for more detail.
Helm-Cravens Library
Western Kentucky University Campus
On this campus known for its ghostlore (see my coverage of the haunting of Van Meter Hall), there is very little written about the spirit at the Helm-Cravens Library. George Eberhart provides only a single sentence on this haunting: "Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University, Helm Library. A student who fell to his death while trying to open a window on the ninth floor is said to haunt the library." The Helm Library only has a few floors while the Cravens Library, which is physically connected, is nine stories. So, obviously the incorrect building is listed. There is no further information on this haunting.
Eberhart, George. "Haunted Libraries in the U.S.: Florida – Maryland." Britannica Blog. 2 October 2007.
Jeffersontown Branch—Louisville Free Public Library
Scholar William Lynwood Montell's monumental works on Kentucky ghostlore, including his Ghosts Along the Cumberland: Deathlore in the Kentucky Foothills and Ghosts Across Kentucky comprise the base for a great deal of the works that have come in recent years. In his Haunted Houses and Family Ghosts of Kentucky, Montell includes stories from three libraries, all of which are included in this guide. This book includes firsthand accounts of supernatural encounters collected as part of interviews with people across the state.
The original building that housed the Jeffersontown Branch Library was built on property that was once occupied by the county poor farm. A former director noted that the atmosphere in that building was often dreary and a woman wearing a frilly pink or white dress was seen peering from the front window. The director often heard disembodied footsteps and once saw an entire shelf of books tumble to the floor without reason. The activity ceased when the library moved to a new building next door.
Montell, William Lynwood. Haunted Houses and Family Ghosts of Kentucky. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 2001.
Louisville Free Public Library
It is more than appropriate that the architects of the Louisville Free Public Library would employ Louis XVI-style architecture for the building in a city named for the same French king. This building, designed by the firm of Pilcher and Tachau of New York and opened in 1908, is considered the finest example of Louis XVI-style Beaux-Arts architecture in the state. The library, which has been a cultural touchstone in the city and region, continues to occupy this grand building.
Of course, it also seems that one of the librarians has remained on duty here. Some years ago, a library staff member encountered the woman while closing up the library around 9 PM. The staff member told author David Domine, "It was like she was two feet off the ground, and she was just going about her business of putting the books back in place. She had on round spectacles and her hair was up in a bun, and she wore a high-waisted, long skirt and long-sleeved blouse."
Louisville Free Public Library, 2007. Courtesy of Wikipedia.
The staff member watched the strange figure going about her duties for about 30 seconds before the figure looked up and vanished before his eyes. He left the building quickly after this strange vision. It turns out that many others have seen the spectral librarian as well, though her identity is lost.
Domine, David. Phantoms of Old Louisville. Kuttawa, KY: McClanahan Publishing, 2006.
Hedgepeth, Marty Poynter. National Register of Historic Places Nomination form for the Louisville Free Public Library. 29 June 1979.
"LFPL: A History of Pride and Resourcefulness." Louisville Free Public Library. Accessed 17 April 2019.
Shively-Newman Branch—Louisville Free Public Library
According to Montell's Haunted Houses and Family Ghosts of Kentucky, this branch library has been known to be haunted since 1990. Attached to the Shively City Hall, the building has seen much community activity over the years. Perhaps this energy has contributed to the paranormal activity. In the auditorium, library staff has heard the sound of a man's voice, apparently in pain, over the speakers. Lights have flickered off and on, while books and other things have disappeared only to turn up elsewhere.
Woodford County Library
Some years ago, a high school student working as a page at the library was helping staff close up for the night. Going upstairs, the young man felt the presence of someone behind him. Turning around, he saw an older man with grey hair and dressed in a grey suit with a maroon tie looking at him. As the page attempted to leave that floor, the figure would glide in front of him. He eventually made his way downstairs where he told the staff that he would no longer go upstairs at night.
The Woodford County Library was constructed in 1906, but was lost to a fire after only a year in the new building. The imposing and grand building that still stands on North Main Street was constructed thereafter. The recollections of a librarian interviewed by William Lynwood Montell provides several ghost stories for this building. Besides the young page, a custodian frequently had experiences with objects moving on their own volition.
Jeffrey, Jonathan. "Keeping the Faith: A History of the Library Services in Versailles, Kentucky." Kentucky Libraries. 1 December 2003.
Posted on February 12, 2019 March 29, 2020
Guide to the Haunted Libraries of the South—Alabama
For other haunted Southern libraries, see my entries on the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia.
Albertville Public Library
For years, rumors have circulated of this library being haunted, but according to the library's director, the stories are just rumors. Is this library haunted? See my entry for further information.
Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library
University of Alabama Campus
Amelia Gorgas was beloved in life as the university's postmistress and librarian and, those who have encountered her spirit contend that even in death she continues to provide a comforting presence. The wife of Confederate General Josiah Gorgas, the eighth president of the university and later its librarian, Amelia took over her husband's position as librarian after his death, a position she held for 23 years. When this massive library was constructed in 1939, it became the first building on campus named for a woman.
Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, 2010, by Carol M. Highsmith. Courtesy of the George F. Landregger Collection of Alabama Photographs in Carol M. Highsmith's America. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
Much of the supernatural activity within the library occurs on the fourth floor, home to the library's special collections. According to Daniel Barefoot, the library's elevators will only travel to the fourth floor if the rider has a special key, though the elevators will often arrive on that floor with the doors opening to reveal no one. Some members of the library's staff have claimed to have encountered the apparition of Mrs. Gorgas within the stacks on this floor.
Higdon and Talley note another specter seen within the library: a man dressed entirely in black who approaches shocked students with his arms reaching out for them.
Barefoot, Daniel W. Haunted Halls of Ivy: Ghosts of Southern Colleges and Universities. Winston-Salem NC: John F. Blair, 2004.
Armstrong-Osborne Public Library
202 South Street East
Talladega possesses not only one, but two haunted libraries. The Armstrong-Osborne Library is the town's current library and sits next to the town's first library, now the Jemison-Carnegie Heritage Hall Museum. Both buildings have a number of spirits which I have explored in my "Ramblings from a Spirited Alabama Sojourn." Just days after publishing this article, an article on the paranormal activity was published, the details of which have been described in this update.
Bay Minette Public Library
Does the spirit of the first Bay Minette Public Library director continue to watch over the library? See my post, "Alabama Hauntings–County by County Part I," for futher information.
Comer Museum & Arts Center
711 North Broadway Avenue
This small marble building on a hill was originally used as the town's library when it was constructed in 1939. It is now a museum of local history and art. In recent years it has become known for its paranormal activity and I have investigated here with S.C.A.Re. of Alabama twice. The first investigation was written up in "The Haunted Collection in the Marble City—Alabama."
Demopolis Public Library
211 East Washington Street
In 2014, the Tuscaloosa Paranormal Research Group was called in by the library's director to find out if the "creaks and quirks" of the old building are simply that, or possibly something paranormal. The director states that staff have discovered books repeatedly falling off shelves, as well as hearing footsteps in the building's mezzanine. The building that now houses the library was constructed in 1926 and long occupied by the Ulmer Furniture Store. It has housed the library since 1990. There's been no word as to what, if any, evidence of paranormal activity was found.
Averette, Justin. "Haunted Collection: Paranormal group Investigates Demopolis Public Library." The Demopolis Times.26 August 2014.
Marengo County Heritage Book Committee. Heritage of Marengo County, Alabama. Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2000.
Evergreen-Conecuh County Public Library
119 Cemetery Avenue
On the grounds of this modern public library, the apparition of a girl in riding attire accompanied by a phantom horse has been spotted. Within the library, staff have reported many odd happenings including cold spots, books being turned "topsy-turvy" on the shelves, and inexplicable noises.
Peacock, Lee. "Is Evergreen library, CCHS building haunted? Some say, 'yes!'" Dispatches from the LP-OP. 29 October 2010.
Gadsden Public Library
254 South College Street
A library staff member closing up the library some years ago stepped off the elevator on the third floor and came face to face with a strange lady in 19th century clothing. The specter faded before his eyes. After that initial encounter, the staff member met the woman several more times. Throughout the years other staff members have experienced cold spots and odd smells, such as burning coal, on the third and fourth floors of the 1960s-era library. Author Mike Goodson contends that these unusual occurrences have ceased after the library's recent renovation.
Goodson, Mike. Haunted Etowah County. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2011.
McCoy, Betty S. Haints, Haunts and Hullabaloos: Etowah and Surrounding Counties. CreateSpace, 2011.
Homewood Public Library
1721 Oxmoor Road
Adult reading room of the Homewood Public Library. The space was originally the sanctuary of a church. Photo 2016, by Lewis O. Powell IV, all rights reserved.
Occupying a building that was initially constructed as a Church of Christ, it has been suggested that this library is haunted by some of the former church members. Library staff members have heard the sound of a group of ladies talking in the basement rooms that once served as Sunday school classrooms. Doors have been seen opening and closing on their own, and lights have been known to turn off and on by themselves. This activity mostly occurs after hours.
Brown, Alan. Haunted Birmingham. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2009.
Singleton, William C. III. "Homewood Public Library – Researcher hopes for chance to study ghostly activity." Birmingham News. 31 March 2010.
Houghton Memorial Library
Campus of Huntingdon College
Houghton Memorial Library at Huntingdon College, 2008. Photo by Chris Pruitt, courtesy of Wikipedia.
Campus tradition tells of a scholarly spirit residing in this private, Methodist, liberal arts college's 1929 Houghton Memorial Library. Faith Serafin reports that the spirit remained unnamed until 1990 when he was dubbed Frank. Library staff and students have been putting up with Frank's antics for many years. Frank is such a well-known fixture in the library that he has been granted his own study room and given a chair which rolls around the library on its own volition on a regular basis. The mischievous spirit enjoys pulling books from the shelves, slamming the building's heavy doors, and moaning to scare occasional students.
Enzwiler, Susan & Trina Brinkley. National Register of Historic Places Nomination form for Huntingdon College. August 1999.
Serafin, Faith. Haunted Montgomery, Alabama. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2013.
Houston Memorial Library
101 North Houston Street
The former home of Governor George S. Houston has been used as a public library since 1936. The governor's spirit may still occupy the premises. The library has been covered as the Limestone County entry in "Alabama Hauntings—County by County Part V."
Jemison-Van de Graaf Mansion
1305 Greensboro Avenue
The history of this grand Italianate mansion–which served as a library at one point in its life–connects with several haunted places throughout Alabama. Robert Jemison, the prominent businessman and politician who had this house built, ardently supported the construction of the haunted Bryce Hospital and had the construction supervisor for the hospital, John Stewart, oversee this home's construction as well.
Jemison-Van de Graaf Mansion, 2010. Photo by Altairisfar, courtesy of Wikipedia.
Another tale links this house with the Drish Mansion. Higdon & Talley, authors of Haunted Tuscaloosa and Haunted Alabama's Black Belt, note that the mansion's tower was constructed specifically by Dr. John Drish so that he could observe this mansion's construction. Additionally, Robert Jemison worked with African-American bridge builder Horace King who is believed to have designed and built Spring Villa, a haunted mansion in Opelika.
Throughout the years, the Jemison Mansion has played host to several families including the Van de Graaf family (Robert Jemison Van de Graaf was the inventor of the Van de Graaf generator) and later served as the Friedman Library. Staff within the house have encountered some paranormal activity. A director of the mansion told The Crimson White, a student newspaper for UA, that several times he had heard a tremendous crash within the house. "It sounds like a bookcase is falling over. You can hear the glass and timber splintering, but you can't feel it like you would if something had actually fallen over."
Leopard, Colby. "Buildings on campus and around Tuscaloosa thought to be haunted." The Crimson White. 31 October 2012.
Julia Tutwiler Library
University of West Alabama Campus
Opened in 1962, this International-styled campus building seems like the least likely of places on campus to harbor a ghost. Yet it does harbor a spirit; one that may remain here until a spelling error is corrected. First encountered in 1995, the spirit is believed to be that of former education professor Lucille Foust. She was known as a very "serious-minded woman" and an excellent educator. Therefore, Miss Foust may not be pleased that her memory is honored with a portrait with a brass plaque reading, "Principle of the Laboratory School." Those on campus who knew Ms. Foust knew very well that she did not tolerate misspelled words, especially when it came to her title as "principal." The portrait now hangs in the library with the uncorrected plaque.
Students and library staff have observed a feminine form, perhaps that of Ms. Foust, moving through the stacks, though her spirit is most commonly heard. Staff members have had their names called and have heard pages turning and drawers slamming in the empty building late at night. While this spelling error may keep the indomitable Ms. Foust's spirit earthbound, it is all in the principle of the issue.
Linn-Henley Research Library
Opening in 1927, this historic library building originally served as the Birmingham Public Library. When the new library building was constructed across the street, this became a research library housing archives, government documents, a southern history library, and a ghost. Please see my entry, Southern Spirit Guide to Haunted Alabama, for further information.
Monroe County Public Library
121 Pineville Road
Few libraries can boast that someone famous slept there, though the Monroe County Public Library can. Actor Gregory Peck, star of the film, To Kill a Mockingbird, based on the novel by Monroeville's most famous resident Harper Lee, stayed here in the 1960s when the building was the LaSalle Hotel. The old hotel was converted into the public library in 1984.
A sense of foreboding surrounds the second floor of the library. People have experienced disembodied footsteps, inexplicable sounds, and strange lights here.
Peacock, Lee. "Ten new locations make list of 'Spookiest Places in Monroe County.'" Dispatches from the LP-OP. 31 October 2014.
Old Shelby County Courthouse
1854 Old Courthouse Circle
Old Shelby County Courthouse, 2016. By Lewis O. Powell IV, all rights reserved.
This 1854 building has served a myriad of uses over the years. In 1934, a public library was opened on the second floor which moved into a new dedicated library building in 1940. People within the old courthouse have had a variety of paranormal experiences. For more information, see the Shelby County entry in my article, "Alabama Hauntings—County by County."
Ralph Brown Draughon Library
Auburn University Campus
According to Brandon Stokes and John Mark Poe of the Haunted Auburn Walking Tour, someone passing the South College Street façade of the Draughon Library saw a woman peering out the third-floor windows. While seeing someone looking out the windows is not unusual, being able to see the fluorescent lights behind the woman through her is quite unusual.
The third floor seems to be the primary location of most paranormal activity. This includes books sliding across tables and desks as students worked, books pulling themselves off shelves, and strange noises heard within the stacks.
Haunted Auburn Walking Tour. Organized and guided by Brandon Stokes and John Mark Poe. Auburn University Campus, 31 October 2016.
This small library near Montgomery could be considered one of the most paranormally active libraries in the state. It is the representative haunting for Tallapoosa County in "Alabama Hauntings—County by County Part VII."
Walter J. Hanna Memorial Library
4615 Gary Avenue
During a renovation of this downtown Fairfield building in 1989, several workers witnessed odd and frightening activity. Please see my article, "A slab shattering spirit," for further information.
Encounter at Plant Hall–Tampa, Florida
Plant Hall—Universityof Tampa
401 West Kennedy Boulevard
Several years ago, I wrote about Plant Hall at the University of Tampa. Originally constructed by Henry Plant as the grand Tampa Bay Hotel, this whimsical edifice had trouble turning a profit, and sold to the city of Tampa. In 1933, the building was converted for use as the University of Tampa, which remains its use today.
About a year after I posted the article, I received an anonymous comment telling a chilling story. This has been edited for clarity.
Several years ago, my husband and I were vacationing and visiting my sister in Florida. On one afternoon we were looking for something to do and my sister suggested we check out the Plant Museum in Tampa. My husband knew I loved architecture and especially grand,old, buildings. I was very excited.
We went in and began walking around. I could just imagine what it must have been like in its heyday. I saw the grand staircase and couldn't help but walk up several flights ahead of my husband. Then I came to a strange hallway that seemed out of place and as I started walking down the hallway, I felt uncomfortable and I felt just a little bit cold (I thought probably because of all the windows). I felt I had gone to a part of the building that was off-limits to the public and decided to turn back.
A curving corridor. Photo 2009 by Gordon Tarpley. Released under a Creative Commons License.
My husband was still on the first floor. As I headed toward the top of the stairway of the third-floor landing, I felt that there was a young girl in a long, white dress nearby. I think I sensed her on the way up too, but I thought I must have quite a vivid imagination and tossed it aside.
Then I reached the top of the stairway and looked down the 3 flights and I heard a man whisper, "Go ahead, why don't you just jump?" I ignored it and heard it again. "Why don't you just jump?" This scared the hell out of me.
A grand staircase inside Plant Hall. Photo 2009 by Gordon Tarpley. Released under a Creative Commons License.
The railing I was clutching now seemed so flimsy and low to my body that I could easily fall right over. I felt dizzy and very frightened. I held the railing deliberately and I kept my grip all the way down until I made my way back to my husband. I told him, "I want to leave this place, now!"
In the car, on the way back to my sister's house, I explained what happened.
This experience has stayed with me for years even though I have put it out of my mind. Recently I saw something on TV today that reminded me of it again. That's when I decided to look up the history of the Plant Museum and found this web site with the two things I remembered most; the grand stairway and that cold corridor. Does anyone know if, in the history of the hotel, did a young girl, maybe 12-14 years old, fall to her death there? Or commit suicide?
While I cannot validate any of this, especially since the commenter is anonymous, it seems to ring true to me.
Several years ago, I visited Tampa. While I strolled downtown with my partner, I suddenly was greeted with the sight of minarets poking up through the tree canopy across the river. The sight stopped me in my tracks. Just the way that I imagine Henry Plant planned it.
The minarets of Henry Plant's Tampa Bay Hotel, now the University of Tampa's Plant Hall, rises above the Hillsborough River across from downtown Tampa. Photo 2014 by Lewis O. Powell IV, all rights reserved.