Odenville, AL, is a small town with a population of 2,400 located in St. Clair County about an hour’s drive from downtown Birmingham and south of the city of Pell City. Just like any other town, it has its share of local legends and folktales. However, unlike most other towns, it seems an unusual amount of strange events have occurred here.

The Town Hall Building Odenville is said to be the home of its very own ghost which manifests itself in various ways. One common story is that workers are often startled by slamming doors and windows open when there’s no one around to open them. A dark form has also been seen appearing and disappearing in the Town Hall where it is believed to be responsible for moving objects such as chairs and cupboards. Even more frightening than these occurrences, however, is the sighting of a teenage girl who is thought to have committed suicide by hanging herself with her own clothes from a tree on the edge of town.

The forest outside of town is also a location where unknown presences have been seen. Native Americans who once populated the area, along with some soldiers from a nearby military camp during World War II, are thought to inhabit the trees and underbrush while Native American burial mounds can be found throughout the surrounding countryside. Those who have reportedly had experiences with these ancestral spirits have said the ghosts have communicated with them through knocks, whistles, and cries.

Ghost lights are also a popular topic in Odenville folklore. While ghost lights might be hard to explain, they are often described as glowing balls of light which occur around areas where past tragedies have occurred such as near railroad tracks or at cemeteries. It’s said that, when followed, these lights can lead to certain death and misfortune.

Odenville is also home to a ghost that has been witnessed in the form of a black dog, often seen by railroad tracks or in-country graveyards. This spectral canine is believed to be responsible for numerous automobile accidents in the area.

The neighboring town of Brookwood is home to a grand plantation-style mansion known as the Belcher Mansion. The original building was destroyed in a fire, but local legend states that it was not an accident. It’s said the house became occupied by evil spirits after several children were murdered there. Eventually, one of these poltergeist episodes culminated in a fiery conflagration that burned the house to the ground. Unfortunately, there is no way to verify these tales as no records exist of any event having taken place at the site.

A few miles away from Brookwood, on Elton Road, is one of Odenville’s most infamous landmarks: Dead Man’s Curve. What exactly transpired here is unknown, but it’s believed a man was hit and killed by a train. It’s said that if you stop your car in the curve exactly at midnight, get out of your car and say, “Give me a sign,” that something mysterious will happen.

All these things make Odenville a highly interesting town in Alabama!