Lightning Leaves Its Mark

In 1876, Henry Wells, a freedman, was accused of burning down the second courthouse in Carrollton, Alabama.  He was arrested in 1878 and held prisoner in the garret of the now Pickens County Courthouse.

As he looked out the second story window to an angry mob below, legend has it that lightning struck nearby and left an indelible etching of his image on the pane.

The courthouse is free to the public, but in case it’s closed the day you visit, there is a telescope nearby, where for 25 cents you can see directly to the famed windowpane.

It is also said that despite hail and severe weather, this is the only original windowpane that remains.  There have also been numerous attempts at cleaning the window and even rubbing it with gasoline to remove the etching, but to no avail, the image seems to linger forever.

If you’re not heading South anytime soon and are still interested in seeing this ghostly site visit http://facstaff.uwa.edu/ab/pickens.htm and click on the smaller image for a frightening close-up of the face in the window.

Be prepared to believe.

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