BUCKET LIST UPDATE No. 296: Visit the intersection of Wilcox County Roads 59 and 24

Intersection of Wilcox County Roads 59 & 24

Several years ago, Alabama Front Porches put out a tri-fold pamphlet called “The Ghosts of Alabama’s Black Belt,” and that pamphlet included supposedly haunted locations from Dallas, Perry and Wilcox counties. One of the spooky locations in Wilcox County – the intersection of County Roads 59 and 24 – caught my eye, and I immediately put it on my “bucket list” of places to visit. Last Saturday, I visited this creepy location for the first time and officially scratched it off my bucket list.

According to the pamphlet, “at the intersection of County roads 59 and 24, the sounds of the rattling of chains can clearly be heard at night. Many local residents have heard them. Visitors should pull to the side of the road and not stop in the road if they wish to listen.” The pamphlet also provides the GPS coordinates of this location: N315522.0 W0870019.7.

As things go, I didn’t need the GPS coordinates to find this out-of-the-way intersection. Using a standard highway map of the area, I found County Road 59 headed north out of Pine Apple and followed it past the old George W. Watts Elementary School. Like the pamphlet suggested, I parked just off the road and listened.

I sat there for a time on the tailgate of my truck and made a details study of the area. The road stretched off out of sight in three different directions, and I walked the entire area very slowly. I listened closely for any sound out of the ordinary, but all I heard was the background noise of insects and the occasional passing car.

While there, I also closely studied a topographic map of the area, which was quite revealing. I noted that County Road 59 rules between and roughly parallel to two sizeable creeks – Bear Creek and Turkey Creek. Many paranormal investigators believe that bodies of running water stimulate paranormal activity.

Eventually, I left without experiencing anything paranormal, but I did enjoy seeing firsthand a location that before had been nothing more to me than just a spot on a map. I also took the time to pass through the small community of Allenton, which is just west of this intersection on County Road 24. In fact, at the supposedly haunted intersection, you’ll find a nice, brick sign pointing you in the direction of the Allenton community.

If you decided to check out this spooky location for yourself, I suggest that you use good common sense and park in a safe place, well out of the way of any traffic. I’m guessing that six to eight vehicles traveled through this intersection while I was there, and it was apparent that a bad accident could occur if you happen to park in the wrong place, especially at night.

In the end, how many of you have visited the intersection of Wilcox County Roads 59 and 24? What do you know about that area’s history? Have you heard any spooky tales about this intersection? If so, let us know in the comments section below.