|
|
Lucas Tavern,
Montgomery, AL
Lucas Tavern is a former tavern that is part of the historic complex of Old
Alabama Town in Montgomery. It consists of a main room, kitchen and
bedrooms. A one room school house built in 1890 is nearby. In the
1820s and '30s Eliza Lucas was the mistress of the tavern, being cook and
hostess to its many guests. From the mid 1800s until the 1960s it was
a private home, but was then abandoned. In 1978 it was rescued and
moved to Old Alabama Town where it was restored and is now able to be
toured. People have seen the apparition of Eliza Lucas, standing in
the doorway, waving to passers by presumably as she did when she was hostess
of the inn. She appears as a 5'3" woman cheerfully smiling, wearing 19th
century clothing. A photographer got permission to take pictures in the
school room after museum hours, and when he entered, was surprised to find
what he thought was one of the museum staff in costume. She posed for
photos, smiling but not speaking and then walked through a wall! His
pictures showed no person, but a bright light area in each photo where she
would have been standing. The Lucas Tavern is on Old North Hull Square at
310 North Hull St., Montgomery, AL in Old Alabama Town. There is a fee for
tours which are available Mon-Sat. 9:30-4:00, and Sundays 1:30-3:30.
The Crescent Hotel,
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Built in 1886 this building has had many
incarnations, as a hotel, women’s conservatory, junior college, health resort
and is now again a hotel. Many
guests have reported happenings. Room
424 has had several happenings, and in Room 202 a ghost was photographed. Room 218 seems to be the most haunted room.
Doors slam shut, strange sounds have been heard, and people have been
shaken awake at night.
During construction of the building, a workman fell from the roof and was killed
when he landed where Room 218 is. Some
guests report seeing a middle aged man with a beard, in formal clothes in the
bar area but when they talk to him he does not answer, and then vanishes.
Phone: 1-800-342-9766
King’s Tavern,
Natchez Trace, Mississippi
King’s Tavern is in the oldest building in Natchez,
built in 1769. Originally it served
as a resting point on the Natchez Trace trail. Then more modern transportation
took over and bypassed the Tavern. It
became a private home for a while, but then once again became a tavern.
The tavern appears to be haunted by
a ghost identified as Madaline. She
was supposedly the mistress of the original builder, Richard King, and was
murdered by his wife out of jealousy. Madaline
will cause hard to open doors to swing open by themselves, and if staff say,
“alright Madaline’” they then shut by themselves.
Faucets will suddenly spout hot water.
A reporter was videotaping the downstairs of the tavern a few years ago.
He had a friend with him who was supposed to be upstairs at the same
time, taping up there. The reporter
kept hearing his friend and the waitress with him overhead – muffled talking
and the floor creaking. The
reporter looked out the window, and his friend and the waitress were walking
around outside! He checked upstairs and no one was there.
The tavern is open for dinner nightly.
King’s Tavern, 619 Jefferson, Natchez , Mississippi
601-446-8845
Web site: www.kingstavern.com
Grace Hall, Selma, Alabama
Grace Hall is a restored antebellum mansion, run as a bed
and breakfast by the current owners, Coy and Joey Dillon. Guests, especially
children and young women have seen a woman in a long white dress with a little
black dog. It seems the ghost is
Miz Eliza, the lady of the house in the late nineteenth century.
The mother of four girls, she seems fond of children. An old gentleman
has been seen as well. The Dillons identify him as Mr. Satterfield, an attorney
who lived there as a boarder for 25 years. It is said that he and one of Miz
Eliza’s daughter’s fell in love, but did not marry because of their age
difference. Grace Hall has six bedrooms available.
It is at 506 Lauderdale St., Selma, Ala. 205-875-5744.
Woodland Plantation, Moundville, Alabama
Woodland is an eighteen room former
plantation house set on 200 acres. Near the University of Alabama and
the Mound State Monument in Moundville, one can take a relaxing walk, fish, or
skeet hoot on the grounds. No one knows who the ghost who stays there is, but
they do know what it is responsible for. The spirit turns lights on and
off, and makes their taste in furnishings known by moving pieces around, or
taking pictures off the wall. Run by Mr. Buck Whatley, the inn provides a full
breakfast and afternoon cocktail. There are no TVs in the rooms, but Mr.
Whatley will share his if you want to catch the news. Woodland
Plantation is on Route 2, Moundville, Ala. (205)371-2734.
|