Cry Baby Hollow- Hartselle, AL

Not actual bridge, courtesy of Wikipedia

Most cities or areas have a “bridge story.” It is some variation of a baby or child being thrown off a bridge and they or their mother are haunting the bridge or the area around it, and Hartselle, Alabama is no different. However, it doesn’t mean that any of these stories aren’t true.

Cry Baby Hollow is hidden deep in the woods of Hartselle, and houses one of these legends. It is said that during the Civil War, a wagon was turned over on the bridge, and a baby fell to it’s death. Some say that it was Union soldiers doing it on purpose, but that is just speculation.

Now, this location is where many people go to try and hear the cries of the child. They bring candy for the baby, and come back to see it has been opened and eaten.

I read an account told on the website Sweet T Makes Three, where a woman was running and encountered such things as empty candy wrappers, dolls tied to the trees, and remnants of satanic rituals. Even if it isn’t haunted by a child, the rituals that explorers bring have opened up this location to some dark energy.

Redmont Hotel- Birmingham, AL

Courtesy of Wikipedia

The Redmont Hotel was built in 1925, making it the oldest hotel still in operation in Alabama. This was a place that I was not able to get to, but I still believe that it is haunted.

Guests have reported seeing the ghost of a woman wondering around the 9th floor, they have also seen Clifford Stiles, who was once the owner of the hotel, in the lobby. Guests also report weird occurrences, like lights flickering and doors opening on their own.

However, the most famous story that comes from this location is that the ghost of Hank Williams hangs around in the hotel. Celebrity hauntings is something that has always interested me. In places in Hollywood, we hear stories about the ghost of Marilyn Monroe or Frank Sinatra haunting a hotel or building. But it is odd for somewhere like this hotel to be where Hank Williams still resides. It is said that he is seen in the room he stayed in right before he died.

Maybe he felt the most comfort there and he likes to go back and visit every now and then? Either way, this hotel is full of experiences, and I hope one day I may get to experience something there too.

Sweetwater Mansion- Florence, AL

Courtesy of Wikipedia

One of the most intriguing places to me in Florence is Sweetwater Mansion. I found it by accident. When I first moved to Florence, I was constantly using GPS to get everywhere. One day, while I was on Google Maps, I saw this little icon that said Sweetwater Mansion and it caught my attention.

After doing some research, I found out that it was a plantation home that was completed in 1835. It was built on the site of Sweetwater Creek which is just below the house. While researching, I found out that it was also haunted. The biggest story that comes from this house is once a caretaker saw a casket laid out in a downstairs room. With further investigation, she noticed that there was a man, who looked to be a Confederate solider in it.

I never got to go to this mansion, even though I wanted to. They no longer do tours because the current owners have encountered guests who have tried to take items, break items, and some even try to do Satanic rituals. There is also no road access to it any longer, and they have cameras posted all through the home and the land surrounding it.

While driving down Florence Boulevard during the winter, if you look really close you can catch an outline of the house through the trees, and I guess that is as close as I will ever get to Sweetwater Mansion.