Welcome To Port City Ghosts
Discover why this unsuspecting city doubles as an otherworldly portal, opened by disturbed burial grounds, angered spirits of stolen territory, soldiers lost to war, and victims of unhinged violence.
The Hallowed Grounds of Death
Once referred to as an Old Spanish Town, Mobile has seen its fair share of bloodshed as it served as a prize for the various armies that fought to claim it. Death and destruction forged the way for the birth of The Port City, and the remnants of these melees continue to reverberate throughout the city’s most scarred locations.
Underneath the very earth that holds the festivals Mobile has become known for lies the decrepit remains of the original settlers, their souls unable to rest from unceremoniously being unearthed. However, as it usually goes in these events, not all bodies were moved to their new resting place.
Port City Ghosts takes you to Cathedral Square, the site of the city’s first graveyard, where Yellow Fever helped fill the plots in a non-discriminatory fashion. Many children succumbed to this horrific plague, suffering terribly before their untimely deaths. Today, the creepy sounds of disembodied children’s laughter and invisible feet running along the grass can be heard by unsuspecting visitors.
Of course, they’re not alone. Hear the unsettling story of Charles Boyington, a man wrongly convicted of murder and unjustly hanged. His eerie final words rang true, and an Oak Tree sprouted from his grave without explanation. Boyington’s tortured whispers and screams can be heard from the tree, his spirit seemingly unable to move on from his earthly prison.
These horrors and more await on your walk through historic haunted Mobile. Prepare for a night of thrilling tales and spine-tingling scares from Port City Ghosts and the lost souls that lurk in the shadows of their former stomping grounds.
What Will I See?
Visit Mobile’s Most Haunted Locations Including:
- The Richards DAR House – In an area that was a symbol of wealth and status sits a community of homes that helped save downtown Mobile from demolition. Did the spirits of the Richards DAR House have anything to do with it? Find out more about this infamous haunted house and the family that refuses to leave it.
- The Malaga Inn – Prepare to discover a hotel that is so haunted that it’s been compared to those of The Hollywood Roosevelt, The Stanley Hotel, and The Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast. Hear about the evil that dwells in the tunnels located beneath the hotel and who (or what!) joins the spirits of soldiers in terrifying guests and staff alike.
- Fort Conde Inn – There are several buildings that remain from the city’s era of War, though not all are brimming with unexplained activity like that of Colonial Fort Conde. The terrifying sight of soldiers appearing in the manner in which they died is a common occurrence, and if you look closely, you might see one yourself.
Hotels of Horror
Haunted hotels and Inns can be found all over the nation, but very few deliver on their otherworldly claims. The Malaga Inn is amongst those that house the petrifying unexplained phenomena it proclaims and is touted as one of the most haunted hotels in America.
Though the wars may be over, the atrocities committed never really die. In Mobile, they emanate from above and below. Uncover the secret tunnels harboring heavy energy that festers below the floors of The Malaga Inn. Once used during the Civil War for hiding Confederate soldiers, they would become tunnels of death, with soldiers meeting gruesome ends in these dank and dark holes.
It’s said that hauntings that occur within the hotel’s walls rival those of Los Angeles’s Hollywood Roosevelt and The Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast, as nearly every room in The Malaga Inn exudes its own unexplained activity. Room 007 is believed to be the most haunted, inhabited by the spirit of a woman dressed all in white who is known to pace back and forth across the room.
Reports include the woman crawling into bed with guests, while others have reported unexplained cold spots and the sound of disembodied footsteps outside their windows as well as taps on the doors. Experience a chill down your spine as we take you to the site of one of USA Today’s Top Ten Haunted Hotels and learn about the spirits that give it this prestigious, petrifying honor.
A Hotel Fit For a King… In The Afterlife
The anger and hatred that resound from the soul of war can often still be felt and heard centuries after the bleeding has stopped. You see, for the victims of these barbaric times, the violence and bloodshed never really cease, as is the case with the souls trapped in the Battle House Renaissance Hotel.
Prepare to unveil a string of misfortune that turned this historic hotel into a haven for the dead. Built in 1852, the hotel was ahead of its time, offering amenities such as proper electrical lighting that drew in the nation’s elite. Stephen A. Douglas stayed at the hotel the night before his historic loss to President Abraham Lincoln, while Jefferson Davis and famed playwright Oscar Wilde took residence in the hotel.
Prior to this display of opulence, however, the site was home to a military base during the War of 1812. Though the fighting continues from the other side, it’s the spirit of the former Mardi Gras King, Mr. Henry Butler, Jr., that offers the most scares nightly. Mr. Butler would be another victim of violence, being murdered by the husband of one of his mistresses.
His ghost mingles with that of a bride who killed herself in the ballroom. But it’s the mysterious gray figure that causes the hair on guests’ arms to rise. The figure has been known to violently shake the beds, and it’s believed the entity is also responsible for the disembodied voice terrifyingly demanding they “Get Out!” A true horror of horrors at this luxurious establishment.
Why is Mobile so Haunted?
The Sights and Sounds of Carnage
Various parts of Mobile were exposed to the darkness that is war, leaving very few places safe from the devastation. Early settlers of the town constructed first in an attempt to protect the area from incoming attacks. One of these forts was Colonial Forte Conde, and though it’s evolved over the last few centuries, the spirits have always remained.
Port City Ghosts takes you to Fort Conde Inn, a collection of cottages that offer a quaint stay and a night of bone-chilling haunts. The death that occurred here all those years ago echoes in this enclosed getaway. Witnesses claim to hear disembodied voices throughout the Inn, with full-bodied apparitions appearing in the Autunez Cottage.
The eerie sound of footsteps, when no one is around, has been heard, and several guests have reported seeing a soldier staring out of the window of the cursed cottage. Keep your eyes peeled, as it’s not uncommon for the soldiers who perished during this brutal time to make an impromptu appearance.
The Haunted House on The Block
Most places with such significant ties to the development of the nation are bound to have a historic district within them. Mobile is one of these places, home to the historic De Tonti Square Historic District of Mobile. It’s one of two that were created to preserve downtown Mobile and consists of 44 homes, one of those being the infamously haunted Richards DAR House.
Venture to a piece of history, where one can experience the timelessness of the building and the spine-chilling unexplained activity that attracts ghost hunters and photographers looking to capture it. Though it now operates as a museum, the original family believes it to still be theirs. The phenomena in the former office were so strong that the Alabama Chapter of the Delta Paranormal Project was brought in to investigate.
Catching activity straight from a horror movie, the team picked up marbles being rearranged, seemingly moved by invisible hands. One photographer captured a shadowy figure that is known today as “Uncle Willie.” He’s also been seen sitting on a couch dressed in 19th-century clothing while other staff members have heard the creepy sound of children’s laughter with no known origin. The museum is open to the public on various days and times, but the spirits cause a scary stir 24 hours a day.
What’s So Special About the Port City Ghosts Tour?
See a Different, More Salacious Side of This Historic City
Filled with beauty and charm, it’s hard to imagine that Mobile had such tumultuous beginnings. Fights over the territory never ceased, and the stench of death never left the air. Memorials and dedications to the resilience of the town and its defenders who continue to roam the grounds in their otherworldly form. One such dedication you’ll visit with Port City Ghosts is The Admiral Hotel, originally named after a controversial military figure that sits just a short distance from the USS Alabama – one of the most haunted ships in the nation.
Several deaths were reported aboard the USS Alabama, including two workers and at least eight killed by friendly fire. The terrifying sounds of disembodied footsteps can be heard inside the ship. Heavy steel hatches have been known to eerily shut on their own, and many feel as though they’re being watched while visiting the ship. The USS Alabama is another reminder of the tragedy and horror that are a part of Mobile’s past and that continues to haunt its present.
Be a Part of a Growing Ghostly Community
When visiting a place with so much history, making the most of your trip is a must. Whether you’re a history buff, a ghost enthusiast, or are just looking for a fun and exciting way to experience Mobile, Port City Ghosts has something for everyone! Our expert tour guides will take you to the area’s most significant locations and give you a history lesson with a touch of horror you won’t soon forget.
Jimmy Buffet may have chosen The Admiral as his old stomping grounds, but the backstory of The Port City is anything but a trip to Margaritaville. You might even need a trip to the oasis yourself after your tour of terror. Prepare for a night of fun and frights, and book your Port City Ghosts Tour today!
* This is a walking tour and we do not enter privately-owned buildings or private property *
