Whether you’re a believer in the paranormal or just love a good story, Alabama is filled with spooky legends. These sites combine history, mystery and a touch of
the supernatural. Perfect for anyone curious about the state’s haunted side!
I'm APR’s Digital Content Reporter and Producer Aydan Conchin. Each Friday this October, I'm exploring some of the most chilling tales from across the state. Join me for a look at the haunted hideaways across Alabama — if you dare!
Let’s dive into some Yellowhammer Haunted History, with Alabama's most famous supernatural phenomenon — Jeffery the Ghost.
Jeffrey’s tale first reached readers in 1969, when Kathryn Tucker Windham released her now-iconic book 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey. But unlike the other spirits featured in her collection, Jeffrey wasn’t just a character — he was a ghost Windham claimed actually lived in her home in Selma.
Who is Jeffery the Ghost?
Some ghosts hide in the shadows. Others become part of the family. In Alabama, one spirit became so well-known and so oddly endearing that he’s now a local legend, complete with a statue, ghost walk, and his own chapter in the state’s folklore.
Windham’s daughter Dilcy Windham Hilley recalled in an interview with Bham Now,“Doors would slam. Picture frames would fall off the wall. Footsteps echoed down the hallway when no one else was home."
At first, the family was unnerved. But over time, they came to accept Jeffrey’s presence as a kind of mischievous roommate. Hilley said that while Jeffrey was known for making noise, he never brought harm. In fact, they began joking about him so much that the ghost became part of their identity.
“People would call our house and ask, ‘Is Jeffrey there?’” Hilley told Bham Now. “We’d laugh and say, ‘Yes, but he’s napping right now."
The stories of Jeffrey and Alabama’s many other phantoms turned Windham into a state treasure. Her ghost books are now taught in classrooms and passed between generations, especially during October.
But Jeffrey isn’t just stuck on the page. In Selma, the ghost’s legacy lives on. According to a feature by Main Street America, the city launched the Jeffrey the Ghost Project in 2016, which included a public sculpture, a downtown ghost walk and interactive tourism inspired by Windham’s stories.
Main Street Selma commissioned world-renowned folk artist Charlie "Tin Man" Lucas to create that sculpture. He reportedly used a two-sided piece from Windham’s old washing machine. Lucas used the white exterior of the washer to depict a white-cloaked Jeffery, while using metal inside to create the work of art.
There’s also a bronze statue of Jeffrey tucked away near the entrance of the Selma-Dallas County Public Library.
So, who or what is Jeffrey? That remains a mystery. Windham never claimed to know his origin, only that unexplained events began happening in her Selma home and continued for years. While some have speculated about his backstory, Windham focused less on who Jeffrey was and more on how he acted. Whatever his true identity is, Jeffrey became a beloved fixture in her life and in Alabama ghost lore.
And in the words of Kathryn Tucker Windham herself:
“Everybody needs a ghost story. And if you don’t have one… borrow Jeffrey.”
That's a wrap for today's Yellowhammer Haunted Histories! Stay tuned every Friday this October, and I'll tell you more about the ghost stories and spooky sites across Alabama 👻✨
