Drish House (Tuscaloosa, AL)

The Drish House, a historic mansion in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is often called one of the most haunted places in the country. The stories focus on the old plantation house and the spirits of its first owners, Dr. John R. Drish and his wife, Sarah. People have reported strange happenings there since the early 1900s, and these reports continue today.

---

---

Overview

Attribute	Details
Name	Drish House
Other Names	The Dr. John R. Drish House, Monroe Place, Jemison School, The Drish
Address	2300 17th Street, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401
Country	United States
Coordinates	33.1975° N, 87.5618° W
Nearest City	Tuscaloosa
Property Type	Victorian mansion (Greek Revival and Italianate style)
Built / Established	1837
Closed/Abandoned	Still in use (renovated in 2016)
Owner	Nika McCool (Past Horizons LLC)
Type of Haunting	Apparitions, Residual, Intelligent
Manifestations	Phantom fires, ghost lights, footsteps, disembodied laughter, whispering, scent of roses, moving blinds
Tragic Events & Causes	Fatal fall from a staircase (John Drish), obsessive grief and unfulfilled deathbed wishes (Sarah Drish)
Known Entities	Dr. John R. Drish, Sarah Owen McKinney Drish, Catherine Drish
Fear Rating	5/10 (Moderately Frightening) [See Explanation]
First Recorded Sighting	Early 1900s (reports of phantom tower fires)
Most Recent Sighting	March 2024 – Investigators recorded disembodied voices and experienced physical contact
Activity Level	8/10 (High Activity) [See Explanation]
Current Status	Event venue and historic landmark
Open to the Public?	Yes, via scheduled tours and private events
Best Time to Visit	October (peak for ghost tours and historical events)
Danger Warning	Potential for aggressive physical interaction (shoving) reported on stairs
Similar Haunted Locations	Gaineswood, Sweetwater Mansion, Adams Grove Presbyterian Church, Sturdivant Hall, Old Bryce Hospital, Pickens County Courthouse, Kenworthy Hall, Bragg-Mitchell Mansion, Richards DAR House, Sloss Furnaces, Arlington Antebellum Home, Oakleigh House, Fort Morgan, Cedarhurst Mansion, Rawlins House, Kate Shepard House

Drish House’s Haunted History

Dr. John R. Drish, a doctor and builder, built the Drish House in 1837. It was first called Monroe Place and stood in the middle of a 450-acre plantation. Drish, who was from Virginia, married Sarah Owen McKinney, a wealthy widow, in 1835. Together, they hired skilled workers to build a home that mixed Greek Revival and Italianate styles, making it one of Alabama’s most important houses.

The haunting stories started after Dr. John Drish died in 1867. He struggled with alcohol and gambling, and during a drinking binge, he ran out of his room in a confused state, fell down the main staircase, hit his head, and died.

After his death, Sarah Drish was deeply affected and became focused on her husband’s funeral. She held an elaborate wake at home, using special large candles around his casket. Afterward, she saved these candles and told her family they must use them for her own funeral when she died.

Sarah Drish died in 1884. After she passed, her family and the staff couldn’t find the candles she wanted for her funeral, so she was buried without them. Soon after, people in the area started to report strange happenings.

Over the next hundred years, the house was used for many things. It became the Jemison School in 1906, a warehouse during the Great Depression, and a Baptist church for about fifty years starting in 1940. Even with all these changes, people continued to report strange events.

By the early 2000s, the building was in very poor condition. It was named a “Place in Peril” by the Alabama Historical Commission. In 2016, it was bought and restored as an event space, but people still reported seeing ghosts even after the renovations.

Local Legends

The Drish House has inspired many urban legends in Southern folklore, especially in Kathryn Tucker Windham’s books. These stories try to explain the strange things people in Tuscaloosa have seen.

The Death Lights in the Tower

The most well-known legend about the house is the story of ghostly fires in the three-story brick tower. Locals say that soon after Sarah Drish was buried, people saw the tower covered in flames. But when the fire department came, the building was cold and untouched.

People say this happened many times over the years. The legend claims the “fire” is really the ghostly light of the candles Sarah wanted for her funeral, lit by her spirit because her last wish was never fulfilled.

The Brokenhearted Daughter

Another story is about Catherine Drish, the daughter of John and Sarah. People say she fell in love with a young man her father didn’t like. According to legend, Dr. John Drish paid the man to leave for the Civil War and never return. The man took the money and disappeared, and Catherine spent her life mourning. Locals say her ghost still waits by the windows, hoping her lost love will return.

Reported Ghosts

Most people who report seeing ghosts at the Drish House talk about Sarah Drish. She is usually described as a “woman in white” who walks the halls or looks out from the upstairs windows. Many say they smell fresh roses when she is near, even though there are no flowers around.

People also believe Dr. John Drish haunts the spot where he died. Investigators say his ghost seems shy or keeps to itself, but some think he appears more often if things like whiskey or playing cards are nearby.

People also report seeing the ghosts of two young girls. No one knows exactly who they were, but owners and visitors often mention hearing their laughter and the sound of them running through the halls.

Documented Sightings Timeline

Witness	Date	Details
Tuscaloosa Residents	Late 1880s	Multiple reports of the tower being on fire shortly after Sarah Drish’s death; fire crews found no evidence of heat or smoke.
Jemison School Students	1906–1925	Children reported seeing a woman in a white dress walking through the classrooms during school hours.
Walker Evans (Photographer)	1936	Documented the house for the Farm Security Administration; later reports suggest strange anomalies in photographs from this era.
Southside Baptist Church Members	1940s–1990s	Congregants reported hearing heavy footsteps on the stairs and seeing the blinds in the tower move independently.
Nika McCool (Owner)	2012–Present	Regularly hears the front door opening and closing by itself and the sound of distinct whistling.
Southern Ghost Girls member	2022	A researcher reported being physically pushed while descending the same stairs where Dr. Drish died.
Tuscaloosa Paranormal Research Group	March 9, 2024	Recorded EVPs of a child giggling and a voice saying “Please get out.”

Paranormal Activity

Strange events at the Drish House happen often and in many ways. The most common is the “ghost fire” in the tower, which people see but can’t interact with. Sometimes, though, the ghosts seem to notice and react to visitors.

Most of the strange activity happens near the staircase and the tower. Investigators have found sudden drops in temperature and spikes in EMF readings there. People say the hauntings get stronger in the fall, especially around the dates of the original owners’ deaths.

Notable Investigations

The Tuscaloosa Paranormal Research Group (TPRG) has investigated the Drish House several times. In March 2024, founder David Higdon led a session in which the team used digital recorders and captured several Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVPs). They recorded voices saying “Sarah” and “John,” and even got a clear recording of a girl humming.

The Southern Ghost Girls, led by Lesley Ann Hyde, have also explored the mansion. Their investigations have been shown on local TV and social media. During their visits, some members said they were pushed on the stairs or saw shadowy figures in the parlor.

Most investigations agree that the house is still very active, likely because of the strong history left behind by the Drish family.

---

Tags:

---

---