BUILT: 1896
OPERATION TIME: 1896 to 1979
STATUS: Abandoned, demolished in 2003
History
Before the Mill
The land the mill was built upon was the muster grounds for the Shelby County Volunteers during The Creek War of 1836 (also referred to as the Second Creek War0. The bloody conflict was ended by Major General Winfield Scott in 1837. Between the end of the war and the construction of the mill in 1896, the county fell victim to many violent raids.
The Mill
The Selma Cotton Mill opened in 1896. In 1902, it was reincorporated and renamed the Siluria Cotton Mill Company. It was not until 1911 that it took on its current name, the Buck Creek Cotton Mill. A small village was built around the mill to house workers, a common practice among large industrial and manufacturing buildings. Over the course of a few years, county grants helped to build schools, a movie theater, a baseball stadium, a community center, and a jail. On April 18, 1953, the mill was damaged by a force 3 tornado. A number of villagers were injured, but no one was killed. Canon Textile Mills bought the mill in 1972 and closed it in 1979. The Buck Creek Cotton Mill was purchased by the City of Alabaster in 2003. The city tore down the mill and a majority of the village’s buildings, with only a water tower and the jail remaining. A senior center was constructed on part of the property in 2010.
Haunting
Prior to its demolition, the Buck Creek Cotton Mill was said to have mysterious blood stains in certain rooms. There have also been reports of dark shadows, disturbing noises, and cold spots. A mysterious figure known as “the Black Phantom” has been seen walking along the creek at night. It is speculated that workers died in the mill, adding to the paranormal activity.
Sources
- Forgotten USA. “Old Buck Creek Cotton Mill,” www.ForgottenUSA.com
- Haunted Horror Houses. “Buck Creek Cotton Mill,” www.HauntedHorrorHouses.wordpress.com
- Mystery 411. “Buck Creek Cotton Mill,” www.Mystery411.com
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