The Ghost of the Lynched

The Madison County Courthouse looks new.  It is the center of downtown Huntsville, Alabama and it is known for its interesting architecture and murals.  The structure that stands there today isn't more than forty years old.   Its uniquely modern architecture and style dates it, but it was not the first court house to stand in down town Huntsville.  Madison County dates back to the early 1800s and four courthouses have stood in the location where the current courthouse resides.  The County courthouse holds many ghosts, but the most famous ghost that still lingers in the courthouse is the ghost of Horace Maples.  

Horace Maples was lynched in front of the Madison County Courthouse in 1904.  He was a black man and the mob that lynched him was brutal and ruthless.   They beat him bloody and hung him from a tree.  They cut off his finger and in the night while he dangled, bleeding and helpless, he was shot three times.  The proceeding court cases and controversies made national news and I found numerous clips about the trials of those who were in the lynch mob in the New York Times.   Apparently, Madison County did not want to prosecute those that lynched poor Horace Maples.  Racism was deeply entrenched in Alabama culture and the locals didn't see it as a crime.   In order for the court case to carry on, the federal military and state militia had to be called in to keep the peace.  Nineteen members of the lynch mob were indicted for the killing of Horace Maples and this became a landmark case showing people throughout the South that lynching was a crime, no matter what the race of the victim.

Those who have stayed in the Madison County Courthouse lock up have described seeing men enter and leave through walls.  Ghostly figures have been seen throughout the courthouse accompanied by the usual strange noises, orbs, and odd lights.   It is hard to name all the ghosts that linger in the courthouse as many sad figures have passed in and out of its doors throughout its history, but Horace's ghost is the most frequently seen.   He forever lingers in the place of his tragic death. 

The Haunting of Cedarhurst Mansion

Cedarhurst Mansion in Huntsville Alabama is home to one of the most famous hauntings in Alabama.   The mansion itself is hidden now.  It is part of a gated community and only those that live in the community can enter, but the old ghost stories linger.  They are legend.  Whenever I talk about ghost stories in Alabama,  someone always asks me if I have heard about this sad, lonely ghost.   Her story  is unforgettable and people always think of this ghost when they think of Alabama ghosts.

Cedarhurst Mansion was built by Stephen Ewing in 1823.   Since that time it has passed from owner to owner fairly regularly. Ironically,  it isn't someone who lived in this house that haunts it.   Sally Carter was just visiting Cedarhurst Mansion in 1837.  She loved the mansion and was very happy to visit it.  Sadly,  16 year old Sally died on November 28, 1937 of a fatal illness.  She died while she was at the mansion and she hasn't left it since.

Ever since Sally's death,  the stories of her ghost have been as thick as kudzu.  The most famous story was told  by a 17 year old boy visit in the house in 1919.  Alabama is prone to terrible storms and the night he stayed a storm raged outside.  He said that while he slept,  he was visited by Sally.  She came to him and asked him to fix her tombstone.  She said it had been knocked over in the storm.  Everyone laughed at him, but when they went out with him to fix the stone,  they found it had indeed been knocked over by the storm.

I love a site called citydata.com.  In that site, there are a plethora of forums on city places and event and invariably there are many postings on every haunted location.    The best thing about this site is that if you sift through the nonsense you can find people who have posted their first hand accounts with ghosts.  One posting on this site I read was posted by a woman who says her childhood friend used to live in Cedarhurst Mansion when she was a girl.   She was lucky enough to spend the night in the house with her friend and she describes seeing Sally standing above her while she was sleeping.  There are numerous stories like this about Sally.  Some have even reported seeing her walking outside the mansion.  Sally is still active,  she's just more hidden now.  But her story lives on.