The Alabama Ghost Story That Will Leave You Absolutely Baffled
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Jennifer Young
Author
Alabama is home to many ghost stories. While some of these ghost stories are simply legends, others have been proven to be true. Of all the ghost stories to come out of Alabama, there’s one that leaves people scratching their heads. This ghost story is “The Ghost of Sketoe’s Hole.”
"The Ghost of Sketoe's Hole" is one of the South's most interesting ghost stories. It takes place on the banks of the Choctawhatchee River, near a bridge in Newton, Alabama.
Kathryn Tucker Windham included "The Ghost of Sketoe's Hole" in her book "13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey." Following publication, this Alabama ghost story became quite famous. Soon, everyone near and far knew who Bill Sketoe was.
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So, you're probably wondering who Bill Sketoe was. Bill Sketoe was a soldier during the Civil War. After his wife became ill, he returned home to care for her. Because he was going to be gone for awhile, he hired someone to fight on his behalf.
While on his way home from the pharmacy, Bill Sketoe encountered a group of men from the Dale County Home Guard. After accusing him of desertion, the men hung him from a limb of an oak tree. Because Bill Sketoe was tall, the men used his crutch to dig a hole under his feet so he'd hang and die.
While on his way home from the pharmacy, Bill Sketoe encountered a group of men from the Dale County Home Guard. After accusing him of desertion, the men hung him from a limb of an oak tree. Because Bill Sketoe was tall, the men used his crutch to dig a hole under his feet so he'd hang and die.
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As the story goes, the hole remained after Bill Sketoe's lifeless body was removed. The strangest thing about this hole is that it wouldn't stay filled. Locals would place trash in it during the night. In the early morning hours, it would be empty. Whenever this happened, many people believed Bill Sketoe's ghost was still hanging from the oak tree and sweeping the hole clean with his feet.
The original hole is located near the AL 123 bridge. Because of the Choctawhatchee River flood in 1990, the hole is now covered with rocks. As you can see in the photo above, Bill Sketoe's ghost isn't strong enough to sweep away the rocks.
The original hole is located near the AL 123 bridge. Because of the Choctawhatchee River flood in 1990, the hole is now covered with rocks. As you can see in the photo above, Bill Sketoe's ghost isn't strong enough to sweep away the rocks.
A recreation of the hole that won't stay filled, in addition to a sign, has been placed near the original site by the Newton Historical Society. The sign tells all about the hanging of Bill Sketoe.
For a more in-depth look at this ghost story, be sure to check out this video:
Have you ever heard this ghost story? If so, do you believe it’s true? Share your thoughts with us! For more Alabama ghost stories, click here.
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