HGTV names the creepiest places in all 50 states—find out which Birmingham landmark made the map

Just in time to celebrate Halloween, HGTV has named the top 50 creepiest spots in each state. Can you guess which Birmingham landmark put Alabama on the map? Keep reading if you dare to find out.

Alabama: Sloss Furnaces

Whether you’re from Birmingham or not, you likely guessed Sloss Furnaces. The National Historic Landmark in Birmingham is known to have been the location of thousands of paranormal experiences.

“Open from 1882 to 1971, this National Historic Landmark in Birmingham was once the world’s largest manufacturer of pig iron, though this achievement came at a cost. Working conditions at the plant were miserable, particularly from 1900 to 1906 under the reign of graveyard shift foreman James ‘Slag’ Wormwood. Wormwood pushed his workers to take dangerous risks to speed up production, and 47 workers died during his reign (while many others were injured). The foreman himself died on site, and his spirit is said to have lingered. Workers complained of an ‘unnatural presence’ at the plant, as well as being pushed from behind or told to ‘get back to work’ by a mysterious voice. All in all, more than 100 reports of suspected paranormal activity at Sloss Furnaces have been recorded by the Birmingham Police.”

HGTV

Many visitors and paranormal enthusiasts claim to have experienced eerie occurrences and ghostly sightings while exploring the site.

“Sloss Furnaces produced pig iron from 1882 to 1970, making it Birmingham’s longest continuously running furnace. Over those years, one thing Sloss has never run short of is stories. Stories of industry and the people who worked here are important ways to share our history—the positive and the negative stories.

Unfortunately, the story of James ‘Slag’ Wormwood is not a true one. While a fascinating story in its own right, the story of ‘Slag’ and most of the reported ‘hauntings’ of Sloss found online —were all fabricated to sell tickets to a haunted house attraction that ended in 2019.

Sloss Furnaces treasures all stories of industrial history and the hard work done by thousands of people so many years ago. They engage and excite our imaginations and, hopefully, lead to a curiosity about the history of this amazing place. These stories should be, and are more interesting when, based in fact in order to give an accurate representation of Sloss to the public—to tell our story.”

David Arias, Executive Director, Sloss Furnaces

Sloss Fright Furnace

Sloss Fright Furnace was a terrifying experience that took visitors into the deepest, darkest parts of Sloss furnace. In 2022, Sloss Fright Furnace announced the event would no longer be offered.

“The event ran from 1997-2019 and brought more than one million horror fans to Birmingham’s City Center. We were able to present this Birmingham Landmark to the nation in a creative and compelling way, having the venue featured in at least 12 national television and cable broadcasts, USA Today, as well as other national print and online publications.”

Sloss Fright Furnace, website

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