Ghost Lore at the University of Montevallo
Dublin Core
Title
Ghost Lore at the University of Montevallo
Creator
John Bawden
Description
Photos and ephemera associated with ghost stories at the University of Montevallo.
Collection Items
Picture of the Sophomore class
The story of Condie Cunningham has captivated students at the University of Montevallo for generations. There are no known images of Condie Cunningham, but many believe that one of the young women pictured is Miss Cunningham. Interestingly enough…
The Ghost of College Night
This article, published in The Alabamian, describes the College Night tradition. The author concludes with a final reference to the ghost of Palmer Hall.
W. H. Trumbauer: The College Night Ghost
Like many other buildings on the University of Montevallo's campus, Palmer Hall is said to be inhabited by a ghost. The ghost in question would be that of Dr. William H. Trumbauer, an ardent supporter of the school's theater department and one of the…
Female Academy
This photo display the building now known as Reynolds Hall with a collection of townspeople standing in front of it. The building was one of two constructed in 1851 for the Montevallo Male Insitute. Not long after their construction, Reynolds Hall…
Reynolds, 1920
This photo displays students of Alabama College, now known as The University of Montevallo, convened in front of Reynold’s Hall as it existed in 1920. From the very start of Alabama College, Reynolds Hall was affectionately known as The Chapel. Until…
The Tea House
This photo shows students in the early 1950’s purchasing snacks, drinks, and other convenience items at the Tea House, one of the many purposes Reynolds Hall briefly served as the University campus expanded. By this time in the school’s history, the…
King House
King House was originally built in 1823 by Edmund King and was later sold to the University in 1908. This photo of students in front of the King House in 1905 demonstrates that although the university did not actually own the King House yet…
Edmund King Portrait
Portrait of Edmund King, the man who had King House built. Edmund King moved from Virigina and settled down in Montevallo in 1823. The original portrait still resides in King House where it continues to hang. Edmund King is the center of some…
King Graveyard
This small plot is the family cemetery of the King family. This graveyard is located just behind Hill House and near Harmon Hall. The cemetery houses Edmund King and his family. The tall white obelisk headstone is that of Edmund King's. It is also…
Ghost of Main Hall: What Condie Cunningham Left Behind
On the night of February 4th of 1908, Alabama Girls Industrial School student Condie Cunningham and her roommate were making hot chocolate on a chafing dish in their room. When the curfew signal sounded, the young ladies began to clean up their…
Main Hall, 1902-1907
This photograph of the students in front of Main Hall at the Alabama Girls Industrial School was taken between 1902 and 1907. It is possible that Condie Cunningham would have been in her freshman year in this photograph.
Cunningham died in 1908…
Cunningham died in 1908…
Cynthia Shackelford
Cynthia Shackelford, a Montevallo alumna, took over as the university’s director of public relations in 1993. Until her death in 2011, she actively cultivated the campus’s reputation for ghosts. In fact, she welcomed a number of paranormal societies…
Alabamian Article (1978) Reports Supernatural Activity
In the mid-seventies students reported ghosts and various kinds of supernatural activity at buildings across campus including Palmer, Reynolds, King, and Main. The campus appeared saturated with supernatural activity. This newspaper article appeared…
Kathryn Tucker Windham
The 81/82 student yearbook mentioned Kathryn Tucker Windham's visit to the campus. In 1982 Windham published "Jeffrey's Latest 13: More Alabama Ghosts", which helped make the ghost lore surrounding the King Mansion known to the wider public. In 1993…