Where was the house of the 'Dancing Skulls' located in Wilcox County?

Rosebud-Saint James A.M.E. Church.

About 10 miles east of downtown Camden on State Highway 10 sits the small crossroads village of Rosebud. No one seems to agree on how this community got its name but there was once a sizeable number of people living in Rosebud many years ago. In fact, sources say that Rosebud had its own post office from 1876 to 1910.

I found myself passing through Rosebud on Friday afternoon and decided to cut down County Road 51 to visit the old cemetery at the Rosebud-Saint James African Methodist Episcopal Church. Those of you familiar with this majestic country church will know that it is unique for a number of reasons.

For starters, the west side of the church’s foundation is painted purple, while the east side is painted gray. In all my travels, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen another church with this distinct type of color scheme.

The church also has two cornerstones, both located near the church’s front steps. The older of the two reads “Bethel A.M.E. Church – Erected June 1898 – Rev. A.M. Green, Pastor.” This cornerstone is painted white and is smaller than the newer of the two cornerstones.

The newer of the two stones reads “Early 1900s Renamed Rosebud A.M.E. Church, Rebuilt in 1977, Pastor Rev. J. Walton – Erected 2004, Rev. A. Thrasher-Pastor, Rev. C. Townsend, Presiding Elder, Rev. Rt. L. Kirkland, Bishop – 2008, Rev. L. Jackson-Pastor, Dr. L. Watford-Presiding Elder, Rev. Pt. Davis-Bishop.” This stone appears to be made of polished granite, the same type of material used for modern gravestones.

From there, I took a few minutes to look around the cemetery and noted a number of old graves that date back to the early days of the Rosebud community. Some of the graves are to be found in the surrounding wood line, and others can be found nearly hidden amongst bushes inside the cemetery. I even spotted several graves in underbrush near a large pine tree that’s also home to a sizeable, active hive of bees.

A few minutes later, I found myself back in my truck and headed north of the crossroads up County Road 51 towards Darlington. It was then that my thoughts turned to an old ghost story that I’d heard about this area many years ago, the tale of the “Dancing Skulls.” The best telling of this tale that I know of comes from the 1981 book, “Ghosts and Goosebumps: Ghost Stories, Tall Tales and Superstitions from Alabama” by folklorists Jack and Olivia Solomon.

According to their version of the story, “about three miles north of the crossroads known as Rosebud… there sits on top of a small grass covered hill the remains of what was once a large frame house. This house, which now consists of one large room that has held up in the fight with nature through the years, was once a hospital.”

In the front yard of this former hospital, which was in operation before the Civil War but closed before 1900, is “scattered about an assortment of grave markers in the form of headstones and slabs. There are not many of these, but the small number there suffice to give it a weird appearance.

“The attic of this structure is filled with human skulls and the occupants of the house and the (people) of this section say that within these skulls lie the spirits of their former owners. The belief is that these spirits are very sensitive and are easily excitable, and when they become upset, they dance about in the attic and frequently about the walls and ceiling. In times of great excitement, especially during storms, these ha’nts even venture out into the yard and hover around the tombs that hold their companions.”

During my recent trip up County Road 51, I took my time and drove slowly, but from my vantage point on the highway, I never saw any old house or small graveyard that might indicate where the hospital-turned-house once stood. Perhaps someone in the reading audience will remember. If so, please let me hear from you because it would be interesting to know if this tale has any basis in fact.