8 haunted locations in Tuscaloosa to explore this spooky season

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(Madison MacMullen / Bama Buzz)

Looking for a good scare in between football games this fall? Spooky season is officially upon us, and Tuscaloosa has more than just Crimson Tide spirit—it might just have actual spirits, too.

Here are 10 spine-chilling haunted locations in Tuscaloosa that are well worth the goosebumps…if you’re brave enough to explore them!

The Drish House

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(Madison MacMullen / Bama Buzz)

The Drish House was built in the 1830s by Dr. John R. Drish and his wife, Sarah. After John Drish died from a fall in 1867, Sarah had requested that the same candles be used at her own funeral. But when she passed in 1884, nobody could locate those candles. Legend has it her spirit searches the house for them still, lighting phantom flames in the tower where they were once kept.

  • 2300 17th St, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Rowand-Johnson Hall

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(Madison MacMullen / Bama Buzz)

Home to the Department of Theatre and Dance, Rowand-Johnson Hall on UA’s campus has long been rumored to be haunted by the ghost of former theatre professor Marian Gallaway. Many claim she makes her presence known in the very theater that bears her name through unexplained flickering lights and mysterious sounds.

  • 348 Stadium Dr, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Old Tuscaloosa Jail

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(Madison MacMullen / Bama Buzz)

Across from Capitol Park in downtown Tuscaloosa stands the Old Tuscaloosa County Jail, built in 1856. Over the years, tales of the supernatural have grown up around the building and the grounds nearby. Stories point to voices heard at night and footsteps in empty corridors from the ghosts of prisoners from the Jim Crow era.

  • 2803 6th Street, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

The Jemison Center

The Jemison Center was part of Bryce Hospital, used primarily as a separate facility for African-American patients during segregation. Since its abandonment in the 1970s, visitors report disembodied voices, distant screams and footsteps in empty hallways. There are also persistent accounts of shadows or dark figures moving just outside one’s peripheral vision.

  • 6901 5th St, Northport, AL 35476

Gorgas House

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(Madison MacMullen / Bama Buzz)

Gorgas House, built in 1829 and one of the few buildings on the University of Alabama campus to survive the 1865 Union raid, is said to be haunted by the original Gorgas family who once resided there. Despite reports of paranormal activity, the atmosphere is described as warm and protective, as if the family was still guarding their home.

  • 810 Capstone Dr, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Bryce Hospital

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(Madison MacMullen / Bama Buzz)

Bryce Hospital was a psychiatric hospital for over 150 years that opened in 1861. Many have reported hearing voices, footsteps and even the apparitions of patients.

  • 200 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

The Little Round House

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(Madison MacMullen / Bama Buzz)

Built in 1860 as part of the campus’s military transformation, The Little Round House was used as a guardhouse and is one of the few buildings to survive the 1865 Union raid. Local lore holds that the apparitions of three Union soldiers can be seen lingering near or inside the Little Round House. Witnesses also say they sometimes hear muffled marching or the distant clink of boots.

  • 711 Capstone Dr, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 (outside Gorgas Library)

Reese Phifer Hall

Home of the College of Communication & Information Sciences, Reese Phifer Hall is believed to be haunted by Clarence Cason, a journalism professor who lived and worked there in the 1920s and 30s. Cason tragically took his own life in his office in 1935, and since then, there have been reports of phenomena such as sudden cold spots in hallways or whispers in late hours.

  • 901 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Have you visited any of these spooky locations in Tuscaloosa? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on InstagramXFacebook + LinkedIn.

Madison MacMullen
Madison MacMullen
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