Several towns help make up the great state of Alabama. Sadly, over the years, many of them have fallen in despair and have become ghost towns. Listed below, we’ve mapped a road trip that’ll take you to six of these ghost towns. With a driving distance of 709 miles and an estimated drive time of 13 hours and 31 minutes, this road trip can easily be taken in a single weekend.
Your first stop will be Bellefonte. Bellefonte, which served as Jackson County's county seat from 1821 to 1859, is one of Alabama's most popular ghost towns. It's situated near the site of the Bellefonte Nuclear Generating Station and suffered lots of damage during the American Civil War. Bellfonte was left abandoned in the 1920s, and all that's left remaining is the cemetery, a chimney, and mounds of bricks.
You'll then arrive to Houston. Houston served as the county seat of Winston County from 1858 to 1884. One of its most popular structures still standing today is the Houston Jail, which is one of America's oldest jails.
Your next stop will be Cahawba. Cahawba was Alabama's state capital from 1819 to 1826. Following the American Civil War, it became a ghost town. In fact, it's often referred to as Alabama's "most famous ghost town." Today, this ghost town is operated as Old Cahawba Archaeological Park.
After a short drive, you'll arrive to Blakeley. Blakeley, which is located in Baldwin County, was founded in 1813 and was the location of a major fort during the time of the American Civil War. Today, this ghost town is operated as Historic Blakeley State Park.
Another short drive will bring you to St. Stephens. St. Stephens, which is located an hour north of Mobile, was the capital of Alabama from 1817 to 1819. It was a busy city during the American South's frontier days, and today it's operated as St. Stephens Historical Park.
Your final stop will be Pikeville. Pikeville is a ghost town in Marion County, Alabama. It was incorporated in 1827, and all that remains today is the city's cemetery, a civil war cemetery, a grave belonging to a War of 1812 soldier, pieces of General Jackson's Military Road, and the courthouse.
Have you ever been to any of these six Alabama ghost towns? If so, please share your experience(s) with us in the comments below.
