Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Alabama, is rumored to be one of the most haunted places in the American South. It opened in 1871 and finally closed in the early 1970s, and it was considered an absolute hellhole to work at. Over the years, many have supposedly met many untimely deaths there, with some online reports estimating that number could be well over 300.
According to the website Slossfurnaces, the “Company’s assets included seven blast furnaces, 1,500 beehive coke ovens, 120,000 acres of coal and ore land, five Jefferson County coal mines, two red ore mines, brown ore mines, and quarries in North Birmingham.”
The dark history of this place stems from the harsh, dangerous conditions workers endured. It was fueled in the earliest days by convict labor, and during the summer, the furnace could reach temperatures higher than 150 degrees. Still, many chasing the American Dream found hope, but being cremated alive isn’t a job benefit to most. Almost overnight, Sloss Furnaces turned the Birmingham economy around. Working there meant long hours, with little to no breaks, during 12-hour shifts, resulting in fatal accidents.
People who have visited have reported hearing voices, footsteps, heavy metal clanging, seeing shadowy figures, and experiencing rapidly dropping temperatures in certain areas.
Written By John G. Clark Jr.