From the hauntings of Helen’s Bridge to the Pink Lady floating around the Grove Park Inn, it seems that no matter where you set foot in Asheville, North Carolina, you can’t get away from ghosts and dark entities. The city has a rich history – frights included.
Right off Woodfin Street, there is an alleyway just after walking past a painting of two tiny mouse houses. A building sits on the other side of the alley, featuring a green sign titled “Chicken Alley,” located at 3 Woodfin Street, between North Lexington Avenue and Carolina Lane. If you happen to miss the sign, you can look to the left side of the inside of the alley and see the artwork of a chicken.
Some say that as you look down Chicken Alley, you can see a ghostly figure – a shadowy man walking up and down the alleyway. If you listen closely, you can hear what sounds like the tip of a cane tapping along the ground as if somebody were using it to hold themselves up as they walk along the pavement. Except nobody is around. Those who catch a glimpse of the figure describe him as carrying a bag in his hand, wearing a long black duster coat, and wearing a black, wide-brimmed hat.
Who could this be? As it turns out, there was a man by the name of Dr. Jamie Smith who was fatally stabbed in the chest while attempting to break up a bar fight. The knife was said to have pierced his heart, killing him instantly. It is speculated that the silver-topped cane he used to get around is the same one many hear today. The bag in the apparition’s hand? It just might be Dr. Smith’s medical bag.
It is said that the Broadway Tavern was Jamie’s favorite spot for a drink, which explains why he still hangs around. The tavern burned down a year after the doctor died in 1903. Where was it located? Right off Chicken Alley – the spot where he met his demise. Could Jamie be hanging around for revenge? Unfortunately, we will never know because he isn’t talking.
Written By: Israel Petty
