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 Mobile's local haunt — The Battle House Hotel.
The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel and Spa, often just called the Battle House, is one of Alabama’s most iconic historic hotels. Located at 26 North Royal Street in downtown Mobile. The current structure dates back to 1908, but the site has been home to many hotels since the early 1800s.
According to the Encyclopedia of Alabama (EOA), the property’s hotel legacy began with the Franklin House and Alabama Hotel, both of which were lost to fires in 1829. A larger replacement, the Waverly, met the same fate in 1850.
That same year, brothers James, John and Samuel Battle began construction on what would become the first Battle House Hotel. A four-story brick building with elegant iron galleries, officially opening in 1852, reports the EOA.
Known as “Mobile’s living room,” the hotel became a social and political hub, hosting extravagant events and famous guests like Jefferson Davis, Henry Clay, and Ulysses S. Grant. But in 1905, fire struck once again, leaving only the front wall intact.
Determined to rebuild, a group of Mobilians raised $1.3 million to construct a new hotel. The result: the current seven-story Battle House, designed in the popular Georgian Revival style, reopened in 1908, reported by the Encyclopedia of Alabama.
In the early 2000s, the site underwent a major transformation. Retirement Systems of Alabama CEO David G. Bronner proposed a towering office complex and full restoration of the historic hotel. With support from the city of Mobile, the project moved forward.
After several years and delays from hurricanes, the hotel was fully restored and re-opened as part of the RSA Tower development.
Is The Battle House Hotel Haunted?
Yes! In fact, not one, not two, but three ghosts are said to linger in the halls of this historic Mobile hotspot, say locals and visitors.
The oldest of the chilling legends comes from the American Ghost Blog, which tells of a young bride who stayed at the Battle House with her husband in 1910. Not long after checking in, he reportedly left on business, promising to return quickly. But days turned into weeks, and not a word came from him. Alone and heartbroken, the woman fell into despair and ultimately took her own life in the hotel’s Crystal Ballroom, wearing an elegant red dress.
Since then, guests have reported strange flickering lights, cold spots and the feeling of being watched. Some even claim to have seen a sorrowful woman in red drifting down the halls, her gaze fixed on a long-forgotten room, as if she’s still waiting for someone who never came back.
Another of the hotel’s most infamous tales, referred to as the Battle House Honor Killing, dates back to the early 1930s. As reported by The Alabama Tourist, Henry Butler, a former Mardi Gras King, was allegedly caught in an affair with Mrs. Raymond Dyson, who had once served as his Queen in the 1929 Mardi Gras court of King Felix III.
The tale goes, when Mrs. Dyson’s husband and brother-in-law found out, they lured Butler to room 552 and reportedly beat him to death. The Mobile Press-Register named it one of the top stories of 1932. Ever since, rumors have swirled that Butler’s ghost still haunts the hotel’s fifth floor, wandering the halls.
The third ghost sighting comes from a more modern time in recent years. As reported by US Ghost Adventures and Bienville Bites, before its 2007 reopening, a bride took photos in the Battle House Hotel lobby. That's when a mysterious guest made an appearance in a wedding photograph. A grey-suited figure, not visible during the pre-review of the print, showed up in the photo.
The picture was enlarged for a canvas sized print to be displayed at the entrance to the wedding reception. The bridal party went to advise the bride, who came to take a look a the picture herself. But when they all returned to look at the canvas, the gentleman had disappeared!
Some speculate that it's the husband of the lady in red, searching for his lost love, or perhaps Mr. Butler himself, drawn to the allure of young married ladies.
So, are the halls of the Battle House haunted by a Mardi Gras king’s unfinished story and a heartbroken bride — or are these just tales draped in Southern drama? Either way, this hotel holds more than guests. It holds secrets!
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 👻✨
