The Ghost That Lives In Sturdivant Hall In Selma

Anyone with an eye for architecture has heard of Selma's Sturdivant Hall. It is on many lists as a top tourist attraction. So people arrive expecting to marvel at the house itself, but there is another feature that is rarely seen, but some say always present.

Ann Thomas guides tours through Sturidvant Hall on a regular basis. She says it is a jewel that folks from all over the world come to see. Sturdivant Hall is considered one of the finest examples of neo-classical architecture in the south.

The building is full of furniture, the fixtures, the molding, the collections of dolls and art, but there is also a ghost. "Some people think they have seen impressions in the beds," says Thomas. Some visitors have even caught strange images on film. Cart Blackwell worked at the building in high school and now as an intern. He said, "I had a door that was locked fly open for no apparent reason." He thinks it was the ghost of Mr. John Parkman.

John Parkman was the second owner of the beautiful home. He was a banker who was thrown in jail after losing loads of money. As the story goes, Parkman escaped from jail and was shot, but before that happened he swore he would never leave Selma until his name was cleared. Today, many who work in the building believe Parkman's ghost still lives there. But Parkman's ghost is considered a friendly ghost. So it never stops people from coming.

You can drop by Sturdivant Hall in Selma anytime Tuesday through Saturday 10am to 4pm.

Reporter: Kim Hendrix