Every factory ever built was because someone had a dream. Every business ever started was a person taking a risk. Every school ever built was done so with the intention of making a brighter future. Every church at one point was a testimony of someone's faith. Every structure someone ever called home was once a shelter from the often intimidating outside world. Whether that person needed shelter from the weather, shelter from the dark, or shelter from other people, those four walls provided solace. Often, dreams die, risks lead to failure, faith waivers, and people outgrow their four walls or lose them to death, poverty, or the very weather from which they are meant to provide shelter. Abandoned North Alabama: Where the Stories Ended photographer Robert Posey explores structures that have outlived the ambitions they were built to serve. Learn about businesses that failed even after decades of thriving. Walk through houses showing a time when racism was publicly accepted, phones were attached to walls, and children's toys, left discarded, had no place for batteries. Join along on this journey to resurrect the stories that once filled these forgotten structures before nature erases forever their tales of the past.

Abandoned photography captures the beauty in urban ruins left behind, giving the viewer an exhilarating look at our past. With over 200 years of history, there is no shortage of fascinating abandoned places across Alabama. In Abandoned Alabama: Exploring the Heart of Dixie, photographer and historian Leland Kent showcases eleven of his favorite abandoned locations from across the state. Among the locations are several forgotten historic homes, plus a one-of-a-kind mid-century masterpiece built by a famous architect. Discover the incredible history behind one of Alabama's oldest and most historic abandoned sites, Searcy Hospital, which has been closed since 2012. Each chapter gives a detailed narrative about these breathtaking places accompanied by stunning imagery. You can find more of Leland's work at www.abandonedsoutheast.com.

The Deep South reveals its dark past, as the author of the Tattooed Girl series investigates the hauntings of her home state. Nestled in the scenic foothills of southern Appalachia, in the center of the Tennessee Valley, north Alabama is known for its natural beauty. Peppered with antebellum mansions and historic homesteads, it is a region rich in history, brimming with a unique cultural heritage. Yet amidst the beauty of these rolling hills and historic features, something dark lurks below the surface. The haunted spirits of the past run as wild as the Tennessee River through the region. Join author and Huntsville resident Jessica Penot on a terrifying trip through the chilling destinations of north Alabama, teeming with ghostly activity. From Florence to Huntsville to Albertville and points in between, Haunted North Alabama offers a broad survey of the history of haunted destinations in the upper regions of Alabama. Packed with over twenty haunted locales, this book is required reading for anyone interested in learning about the history of the phantom spirits that call the heart of Dixie home. Includes photos! “Marvelous . . . Good, reliable information on a number of Huntsville’s hauntings plus information on locations that were not included in the few articles on the subject.” —Southern Spirit Guide

Series statement from publisher's website.

The tranquil waters of the Tennessee River hide a horrible tragedy that took place one steamy July day when co-workers took an excursion aboard the SCItanic. Lawrence County resident Jenny Brooks used the skull of one of her victims to wash her hands, but her forty-year quest for revenge cost more than she bargained for. Granville Garth jumped to his watery grave with a pocketful of secrets--did anyone collect the $10,000 reward for the return of the papers he took with him? Historian Jacquelyn Procter Reeves transports readers deep into the shadows of the past to learn about the secret of George Steele's will, the truth behind the night the "Stars Fell on Alabama" and the story of the Lawrence County boys who died in the Goliad Massacre. Learn these secrets--and many more--in Hidden History of North Alabama.

Abandoned structures are places that open the imagination and invite interpretation. Distressed wood and weathered remnants of human life are crossed by time and animal tracks, inviting one to picture what once was. Abandoned homes and buildings offer a unique, distressed beauty. While often overlooked by passers-by, their skeletal remains act as the perfect subject for the lens of a camera, quietly waiting to be captured and shared. Abandoned Alabama explores this haunting narrative through its display of photos by abandoned building photographer Jay Farrell. Readers are encouraged to explore the forgotten corners of the state, see the world through different eyes, and take the long road home.