Red Lady of Huntingdon College facts for kids
The Red Lady of Huntingdon College is a famous ghost story from Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. People say she haunts the old Pratt Hall dormitory. Her story is shared in a book called 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey by Kathryn Tucker Windham.
Contents
The First Red Lady Ghost
Some stories say there were actually two "Red Lady" ghosts at Huntingdon College. The first one appeared in the late 1800s. At that time, the college was in Tuskegee, Alabama.
People described her as a young woman wearing a bright red dress. She carried a red parasol and walked silently through the halls of a women's dormitory. She seemed to glow red. This ghost then left the building and disappeared outside. No one ever found out who she was or where she came from. She was never seen again after that night.
The Second Red Lady Ghost
Martha's Arrival at Huntingdon
The second Red Lady is said to be a former student named Martha. She came to Huntingdon from New York, even though she didn't really want to. Her father's will said she had to attend his mother's old college. Martha's father had a lot of money and loved his home state of Alabama.
When Martha arrived, she was dressed in red. She also brought red curtains for her windows and a red bedspread. Many students asked her why she loved the color red so much, but Martha never told them.
Finding Friends Was Hard
Martha was new and shy. She was also unhappy in her unfamiliar surroundings. Because of this, she found it hard to make friends. Other students thought she was different. They heard she was rich and mistook her shyness for being unfriendly.
Martha often sat alone in the dining hall. She rarely spoke to her roommate. When other girls visited, Martha seemed cold. So, they stopped coming by. Many of them had only visited because they were curious to see her red prayer rug from Turkey and her small red statues.
Martha's first roommate found it too difficult to live with her. She asked to move out, and the college allowed it. Other roommates tried living with Martha, but she became more distant and easily annoyed. Each new roommate left after only about a week.
Finally, the president of the dormitory, who was known for being friendly, moved in with Martha. She tried very hard to be Martha's friend, but it didn't work. Martha became bitter and withdrawn. She seemed to dislike the kind girl's efforts.
After trying everything, the dormitory president felt sad and decided to leave. As she was packing, Martha returned to the room. Martha didn't know she was leaving. Martha said, "So you couldn't stand me either. You hate me like the rest. I'm glad to be rid of you! But you'll regret leaving this room for the rest of your life." The president was upset by these words but soon forgot them.
Strange Behavior
Martha felt abandoned by the one person she thought might be her friend. She started to wander into rooms where other girls were gathered. But when she appeared, everyone would find excuses to leave her alone. Feeling completely isolated, she would go back to her room. There, she would wrap herself in her red bedspread and hide from the world.
Later, Martha's actions became even stranger. She would wait until the lights were out. Then, she would visit different dormitories, not saying a word. She would stare into space as if in a trance. As time went on, she started walking up and down the halls late at night. Sometimes, she would scare the girls by opening and closing their doors. Then she would quickly leave to continue her lonely walks.
Remembering the Red Lady
Today, Pratt Hall is no longer a dormitory. It is now home to the college's Department of Education and Psychology.
Every October, three sororities at Huntingdon College have an event called "The Red Lady Run." Members of Chi Omega, Phi Mu, and Alpha Omicron Pi sororities paint their faces, wear all black, and run around the campus.
Other College Ghosts
Besides the Red Lady, people say Huntingdon College has other ghosts. One is believed to be a young male student who died on the college green in the 1970s. Students have reported feeling unseen forces tugging on their clothes or messing with their hair at night.
Other spirits said to haunt the campus include:
- A murdered female student.
- A young boy who supposedly drowned in the college pond.
- A female student seen only in a towel.
- A poltergeist (a noisy ghost) known as "Frank the Library Ghost."
