The 11 Most Haunted Places in Auburn-Opelika Ranked
It's no secret that Auburn and Opelika have a lot of history, and not all of it is SEC championships and a booming railroad industry. In fact, there are countless myths, legends, and scary stories that haunt this cozy destination. Below you'll find a list of the areas most haunted locations, ranked from least spooky to super scary. Do you believe in ghosts?
11. Pine Hill Cemetery, Auburn
Pine Hill Cemetery located on Armstrong Street is said to house paranormal experiences, but nothing sinister. Residents have claimed to have seen a lady sitting down on one of the tombstones with her head in her hands. They have also seen a black shadow lurking and following visitors. Legends even tell of a ghost cat vanishing as it jumps off the tombstones.
10. The Train Tracks, Opelika
Ever since the early 1900s, Tandy Key, a famous gambler, was found to haunt the Opelika train tracks after his untimely death due to alcohol poisoning. His spirit is said to wander the tracks looking for a few people to gamble with. Tandy Key frequented Opelika, but he is buried in Salem, Alabama. You can visit the grave site where his tombstone is famously a poker table.
9. North Railroad Avenue near Gear Gaming and Roland’s shop, Opelika
In the 1990s, two elderly women owned an antique shop located near Gear and Gaming and Roland’s Shop. According to stories, there was a young man who worked for them doing odd jobs. One day, the man came into the shop, robbed the two elderly ladies, and killed them execution-style, according to local ghost hunters.
8. The Historic Train Depot, Opelika
Downtown Opelika’s historic train depot, though not the original location, has seen, “shadow people” wandering around after dark and phantom lights inside closed areas.
For those unfamiliar with the term “shadow people,” they have been described as a moving shadow without distinguishing features and are different than ghosts. According to paranormal experts, a ghost is when you see a full body or parts of a body that are three-dimensional. With ghosts, you can see distinguishing features and are able to determine if they are male or female, for example.
7. Hargis Hall, Auburn
Hargis Hall was built in 1888, making it one of the oldest buildings on Auburn University’s campus. It is said to be haunted by a lady in white. She is sometimes seen looking down from the top tower.
6. The Hollow by Ralph Brown Draughon Library, Auburn
The sloped grassy area to the left of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library is said to host a spectral horseman seen riding through the hollow. Ghost dogs and a few shadow people have been spotted walking in the hollow, but disappear when they reach its edges.
5. The old Eighth & Rail, Opelika
Formerly a local favorite bar, Eighth and Rail, is said to be haunted by shadow people. Past patrons claimed being touched by unseen hands. Eighth & Rail closed its doors suddenly in 2021.
4. Opelika Chamber of Commerce, Opelika
One of Opelika’s most beautiful Victorian homes has housed the Opelika Chamber of Commerce since 1987. Known as the Whitfield-Duke-Searcy House, this historic property was built in 1895 and is said to be home to paranormal activity. According to legend, it was home to a five-year-old girl who passed away from Hay fever in the early 1900s. Stories say that after her death, child-sized footsteps would appear on the staircase and would even reappear after they were cleaned off. Strangely, the stories say that the footsteps appeared on every other step until the fifth step, and then become two feet on each step all the way to the bottom – as if a child was hopping down the steps. As time went on, water damage occurred in the downstairs bathroom and appeared to be in the shape of an outline of that same young girl.
Another paranormal story that has been floating around is about a painter who felt like he was being pushed while painting and no one was around him to push him, or so he thought. It has also been said that from time-to-time objects, such as chairs, would move on their own. However, the most famous story is how there was an unexpected fireball of light barreling down the staircase, which has been confirmed by many people. Many people believe this fireball of light was from the ghost of the girl who passed away.
3. Samford Hall, Auburn
Built in 1888-90 and renovated in 1971, the building is a successor to the first "Old Main" that occupied the site. The original building, which was the first at the former East Alabama Male College, burned in 1887 after nearly three decades of service. Samford Hall construction began the next year.
Countless legends are told of how the building was used as a makeshift hospital for Civil War soldiers, along with the Auburn University Chapel. The focal point of Auburn’s campus has what is believed to be a Civil-War-era doctor wandering the floors and the grounds at night. His boots can be heard on the grounds outside, as well as on the second and third floors.
There are legends of how they stacked the bodies of dead soldiers on the lawn, and a soldier has been seen watching the grounds from the clock tower above.
2. University Chapel, Auburn
The University Chapel was built in 1851 and is located on the corner of South College Street and Thach Avenue. The Chapel served as a hospital annex during the Civil War and is known as the most haunted place in Auburn. The Chapel later served as a theatre space to Auburn students before the Telfair Peet Theatre was constructed in the 1970s.
The Chapel is widely accepted to be home to the Civil War soldier and famed ghost, Sydney Grimlett, who haunts the property and communicates from time to time by knocking on a window when the place is locked up tight for the night. If you ask Auburn's theatre students, you'll hear more stories of how Sydney Grimlett followed them to the Telfair Peet Theatre and causes mischief during performances.
1. Spring Villa Mansion, Opelika
Built in 1850, the Spring Villa Mansion is a former plantation owned by Penn Younge. Spring Villa was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior in 1978. This 350-acre park in Opelika includes the antebellum house, outdoor volleyball courts, horseshoe pit, campgrounds, walking trails, nature trails, picnic tables, and more. It also houses the Penn Yonge House, whose rich history includes murder and other mysterious events.
There have been many rumors and ghost stories about this haunted home. The most popular story is of how one of Penn Younge’s slaves was tired of the terrible treatment he was receiving and had enough. He hid on the 13th step of the twisting staircase waiting for Younge to walk down and then stabbed Penn Younge to death. Many say that they feel a presence when on the stairs today.
Spooky events seem to be happening at Spring Villa all the time. Another famous story is said to have happened when four young girls drowned in the creek next to the antebellum house. A man attempted to save them and drowned as well. It is said that people can hear the little girls screaming “Mommy” when they walk through the Spring Villa property.
Don't miss out on what's happening in Auburn-Opelika!
Sign up for our e-newsletter here.