Spectre, Alabama is the coolest town to never officially exist. Physically, Spectre is real, decaying on the shores of Jackson Lake Island in Elmore County. However, the population is zero, and no census has ever been taken. The town of Spectre is just that: a ghost. Here is the story behind the Spectre set ruins in Alabama.

Despite its aura of a place long forgotten, complete with rotted houses and overgrown trees, Spectre was just built in 2003.
Jason Biro / Flickr
It was constructed for Tim Burton’s fantasy film Big Fish, in which a man’s dying father recalls his magical, oftentimes unbelievable, life stories.
Connor Wiggins / Wikimedia Commons
While the boy is a child, Spectre is bright and friendly; it is only once he grows up and matures that the town becomes foreboding and dilapidated.
Lindsey S / Tripadvisor
It is as much of a character as the humans in the movie.

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After the production wrapped, the town was left at the mercy of Mother Nature.
Andy Montgomery / Flickr
A fire ripped through the main street, and the storefront portions were lost to the blaze.
However, six houses, the church, and a few other foundations still stand.
Andy Montgomery / Flickr
It looks like a real ghost town, one of the many haunted icons of bygone America that still stand in the shadows.
The wire on which the characters in the film hung their shoes still stretches between two poles; guests to Jackson Lake Island can keep the tradition alive by doing the same.
Andy Montgomery / Flickr
It is something of a rite of passage for those venturing out to the island.
It costs $3 per person to visit the island, but the area is prone to flooding and closes when the water levels rise too high.
Andy Montgomery / Flickr
Besides the old film set, the island is known for its population of baby goats.

Have you ever visited the Spectre set ruins in Alabama? Jackson Lake Island is located in Millbrook, Alabama, which is about a 20-minute drive from Montgomery. This is the perfect day trip for any movie buff, or anyone looking for something more unique than the usual road trip fare. 

Speaking of road trips, here are 11 amazing road trip stops in Alabama to take.

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Millbrook, AL, USA