Gordon Bibb Elementary School, Decatur, AL

Gordon Bibb Elementary School was built in 1913. It was built during the days of segregation and served as the school for the large railroad contingency of Albany and Old Decatur districts. In later years, it served as the magnet school for Decatur, Alabama. Gordon Bibb was the public school for more than 300 children per year during its prime.

An architectural beauty, Gordon Bibb was torn down in 2005. None of the lovely hardwood floors, transom windows, or built-in bookcases were salvaged. All that remains of the historical building are bricks that were sold to alumni, city historians, and others interested in preservation of this beloved city landmark.

We spent the last evening with Gordon Bibb Elementary. A team of 6 friends, along with 2 teachers roamed the halls and repeated the rumors one last time. We visited the 3rd floor hallway and set up cameras where one teacher was reported to have died of a heart attack. She loved her students, loved her job, and didn’t want to leave. Then there was the demon that inhabited the boiler room. We were “warned” not to go into the boiler room. When we did, all we found was a dusty old tunnel, long since blocked from its final destination. We visited the basement, known to have been haunted by a previous school employee who died by his own hand. In the cafeteria, we shared ice cream from a freezer full of goodies. Many old textbooks and photos lined the hallways; reminders of those that had passed through the ages.

While we didn’t find any sign of paranormal activity, we were glad to have had the opportunity to pay homage to a historic landmark in the city of our hometown. Please take a look at our pictures. Maybe you’ll see something that we missed!