So far, the appearance of the dolls remains a mystery. Many strange things can be found right here in Alabama. } An April 2014 article on Discovery.com tells of one of the most unusual discoveries in Alabama:  A piece of the continent of Africa. To get the full weirdness we recommend you buy the Weird US books... Coon Dog Cemetery According to the article, geologist Robert Hatcher of the University of Tennessee said faults in the area are known as the Brunswick Magnetic Anomaly. Splitting off from the Mississippi Territory in … Doyle, Don H. The wreck of an unidentified wooden ship that was initially uncovered by Hurricane Camille in 1969 can be found about 6 miles from Fort Morgan along Alabama's Gulf Coast. "The Allens may find their fortune greatly increased," the article said. text-decoration: none; According to the McWane Center, the name is pronounced: APA-lay-CHEE-o-SAW-rus and means "Appalachian Lizard." m_gallery_creation_date = "Monday, January 26, 2015, 7:39 PM"; From archaeological treasures to Civil War gold, here are 10 strange Alabama discoveries: Civil War gold, Demopolis, 1926 In May of 1926, Gayus Whitfield was using a … We’re betting that their Halloween tours are a bit strange, though. Dominoes may not be played on Sunday. The Black Pearl was built in Alabama. The land on which the Allens lived was settled in 1850 by Robert C. Payne, who lived there with his family during the Civil War. Below you will find links to some of the weirdest stories from the Heart of Dixie, but remember, the tales on this website are only the tip of the iceberg. N 33° 29.304 W 086° 32.214. Posted on January 25, 2015 by Staff in Alabama Art and Culture, Birmingham Alabama, Jefferson County Alabama, Weird, Unusual and Offbeat Alabama Gu-Win Alabama As of the census of 2000, there were 204 people, 86 households, and 63 families residing in the town. It is illegal to maim oneself to escape duty. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. The pest crossed over from Mexico in the late 1800s and began eating its way across the South. That same year, Crump and friends were hunting when they discovered a cave, later named for Crump, which geologist Frank Burns would describe as having an "opening so small that a man could scarcely crawl through it. m_gallery_id = "16865271"; The wreckage shows the ship was about 150 feet long and 30 feet wide. Read the initial story here. Ava Maria Grotto The treasure was valued at $2,700, or $44,000 at face value in today's money. After its initial appearance, the wreck has been submerged and reappeared following subsequent hurricanes, most recently 2008's Hurricane Ike. Alabama Attractions and Oddities. Read the full article here. m_gallery_pagetype = "embed"; On Halloween night of 2014, the Autauga County Sheriff's Office received several calls reporting the mysterious appearance of strange dolls in Bear Creek Swamp near County Road 3. Watch the video for a look at all the things that Minter has made over the years. Piece of Africa found beneath Alabama, 2014. Dollhouse Little Nadine According to Lee Peacock in an article on Dispatches from the LP-OP, The Evergreen Courant reported at the time: "Last week Jim Allen's 31-year-old son, Marshall, found a silver half-dollar near the spot. Although only about 40 percent of the skeleton was unearthed, a full-scale dinosaur was created from the parts and the Appalachiosaurus Montgomeriensis is now on display at the McWane Science Center in Birmingham. Join al.com reporter Kelly Kazek on her weekly journey through Alabama to record the region's quirky history, strange roadside attractions and tales of colorful characters. It is the most complete Appalachiosaurus ever found and the first one exhibited in the world. Right now, it’s illegal for them to vote too. Below you will find links to some of the weirdest stories from the Heart of Dixie, but remember, the tales on this website are only the tip of the iceberg. ", Burns shipped the deteriorating pieces of the wooden coffins to the National Museum, which was part of the Smithsonian Institution, "where they have been restored as far as possible and are now exhibited in the department of prehistoric anthropology.". Macro Contest: Weird Movie Moments Cut During Script/Pre-Production GIF Contest:People Seeming to Defy the Laws of Physics There are FIVE chances for you to win some cold, hard Internet dollars. Last I recall, the woman living there was literally getting violent with people she felt were driving by/walking by too slowly. That qualifies as a weird landmark for sure. . Read the full article in The Evening Independent here. Why? text-decoration: none; But this time the search would pay off for the Allens when they located a cache of pre-Civil-War $20-gold pieces beneath an old smokehouse. Bear Creek Swamp was featured on an episode of the Syfy channel show "Deep South Paranormal" in 2013 because the swamp is reported to be haunted by the ghost of a mother looking for her lost child, among other spirits. "Pilots at the field said they were at a loss to account for the find. Researchers determined the cypress forest, which was exceptionally well preserved, was at least 50,000 years old. Jeremiah Haralson, the first African American of the Alabama House of Representatives and later a member of Congress, is believed to be the only member of Congress to have been killed and eaten by wild animals. m_gallery_title = "10 strange Alabama discoveries, Odd Travels 1.27.15"; On Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1937, Jim Allen and relatives were digging in the backyard of their Clarke County home looking for buried treasure, a family pastime. Nine heirs were expected to divide the fortune. The coffins are about 7.5 feet long, 14 to 18 inches wide and 2.5 inches thick and 6 or 7 inches deep. Alabama History Firsts & State Facts. The cave is no longer safe to visit after mining left it unstable. Alabama is a state in the southeastern region of the United States.. 16S E 543021 N 3705529. No one seems to know. Mobile, Alabama's People of Color: A Tricentennial History, 1702–2002 (2004). m_gallery_permalink = "http://photos.al.com/4558/gallery/10_strange_alabama_discoveries/index.html"; He called his younger brother, Claude, who began digging with a rake in the wet earth. As I've mentioned in the past, I often come across random articles or tidbits from Alabama history that I find fascinating but that don't really deserve a full story of their own. Cotton City: Urban Development in Antebellum Mobile (U of Alabama Press, 2001). } However, Fort Morgan historian Mike Bailey discovered the ship was the Rachel, a schooner built at the De Angelo Shipyard in Moss Point, Miss., to carry lumber. Native coffins of Crump's Burial Cave, 1840, In 1840, 22-year-old William N. Crump settled outside Oneonta in Blount County and built a farmhouse. There’s a lot of great history in Alabama, and because some of the state’s historical events are better known than others, there may be some you aren’t quite familiar with. We know there's a suture there between African crust and newer crust from the Appalachians. It is a Class-B felony in Alabama to Wrestle a Bear. Lost Luggage Have you ever lost your luggage while flying? In Saudi Arabia, it is illegal for any woman to drive a car. It is illegal in Alabama to sell, purchase, possess, … Most were $20 gold pieces, along with some $5 and $10 gold coins and some silver coins. October 22, 2014 at 7:49 am. Bloody aviator's helmet and vest, Birmingham, 1931. However, some of the coins were likely worth more than face value. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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