Fort Mitchell is Alabama history. Built on a hill overlooking the Chattahoochee River, Fort Mitchell was constructed by the Georgia Militia as a stockade and base of operations during the Creek War of 1813. It was from this fort that American forces launched attacks against the Red Stick Indians. Once the Native Americans were subdued, Fort Mitchell took on a different role: shepherding the thousands of Indians who were forced to walk the Trail of Tears. When the Civil War came, Fort Mitchell passed into the hands of the Confederacy, and the men from Russell County who would go on to fight around the country were mustered at the fort.
Today, Fort Mitchell is a museum, reminding the people of Russell County of its role throughout the history of the state and the nation. But if the local residents are to be believed, it doesn’t take much to remind them of the past. When the sun goes down, you are liable to run directly into it.
They say that spirits walk the streets of Fort Mitchell and that at night, you’ll see a person who seems to be from another era or spirits that flash into being only to disappear. Whispers float on the wind, and voices call from another time. Some places are just more connected to the supernatural than others, and Fort Mitchell sure seems to be one.
Even Bigfoot has made an appearance in the area. In 2000, a terrified couple stumbled into a Quick Stop just down from Fort Mitchell, screaming for the attendant to call the police. The story they told was beyond belief. According to the man, the two had been camping when their dog, a yellow lab, started yelping. He went to check on the dog, and when he did, he ran straight into a beast that was eight feet tall and covered in fur. He wasted no time, emptying a clip from the pistol he carried with him into the beast, but it was unaffected by the shots. That’s when they ran.
The two waited at the store until the police came. They had left everything at the site—dog, camping gear, everything. When the police arrived at the campsite, they found the equipment in relatively good order. The dog, however, was gone. Did these two see Bigfoot? Or were they indulging in more than hotdogs and s’mores at their campsite? It’s hard to say, but one thing no one disagrees on is the fact that there are strange things that happen in Fort Mitchell. Strange things indeed.
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Haunted Alabama Black Belt written by David Higdon and Brett Talley – Copyright © 2013 by David Higdon and Brett Talley – All rights reserved