Without a doubt, the best ghost stories are those that are true. It’s no secret that several scary places are scattered throughout Alabama. From spooky cemeteries to haunted plantation homes, Alabama has definitely experienced its fair share of ghosts.
The historic Drish House, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is one of the most haunted houses in the Old South, and what happened here is truly chilling.
Originally called Monroe Place, the Drish House is a Greek Revival-style mansion that was built in 1837 by Dr. John R. Drish, one of Tuscaloosa’s earliest settlers. There are a few ghost stories about this historic home. However, the one we’re most familiar with involves candles and an angry widow.
Here’s how the story goes:
In 1867, Dr. Drish died from falling down a stairway. He was a heavy drinker, so it's assumed that his drunkenness is what caused the fatal incident. When it was time to plan his funeral, Sarah, Dr. Drish's widow, became overly obsessed with all of the preparations. So much so that it became an elaborate event.
Following the funeral, Sarah kept her husband's candles and made it known to everyone that she wanted them used at her funeral. This was her only request.
In 1884, Sarah died. Her family and friends searched everywhere for the candles, but had no luck finding them. Following her funeral, several hauntings took place at the Drish House.
However, once the firefighters arrived, there was no evidence of a fire ever taking place. Some of the firefighters did report seeing the ghost of Mrs. Drish.
The third-story tower fire haunting inspired the short story "Death Lights in the Tower," which is one of the ghost stories in the 1969 book "13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey," written by Kathryn Tucker Windham and Margaret Gillis Figh.
