Erie

Alabama's ghost towns are iron and coal towns around Birmingham and cotton ports the railroads replaced.

Erie is a ghost town located in present-day Hale County, Alabama, United States. This was formerly the county seat of the larger Greene County, but the seat was moved to Eutaw in 1838 for the benefits of a more central location in a developing frontier area. Erie declined without the benefit of county government business. When Hale County was organized in 1867, after the Civil War, Erie was within its boundaries. It was effectively abandoned long before the last house burned down in 1933.

Little stands at Erie today beyond foundations and scattered traces. Foundation-only sites reward visitors who enjoy reading a landscape — bring an old plat map or historic photo if you can find one, and the vanished streets start to reappear.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Erie is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Erie is roughly 32.7177, -87.7973 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.