PREMIERES THURSDAY, May 14 at 8PM

Delve into the mystery of Civil War-era Old Cahawba… the former capital of Alabama and the setting of the next episode of our new series, Jeffrey’s Southern Ghosts.

Premiering on-air Thursday night, the second episode of the series adapts Kathryn Tucker Windham’s tale “The Specter in the Maze at Cahaba,” where a couple encounters an eerie glowing orb in a garden maze.

Preview: Specter in the Maze

“What initially drew me to the story of the ‘Specter in the Maze’ was the imagery,” Producer/Director Francine Thagard said. “That strange scene of the floating ball of light hovering in mid-air was made for television. But as I wrote the script, I was drawn more and more into the story of Old Cahawba, both its remarkable history and the wonderfully insightful staff and volunteers who maintain it today.”

Old Cahawba Archaeological Park is Alabama’s most famous ghost town, according to the Alabama Historical Commission. “Spectre in the Maze at Cahaba” explores the history of the site to uncover the connection between the mysterious orb and this once thriving river town’s transformation into decay and dismantlement.

“I hope viewers and Katherine Tucker Windham fans get spooked, maybe even a little scared! But I also hope they’ll come away with a greater appreciation of the history of Alabama’s Black Belt towns,” Thagard said.

HOW DO I WATCH JEFFREY’S SOUTHERN GHOSTS?

Watch the broadcast of Jeffrey’s Southern Ghosts “Specter in the Maze” Thurs., May. 14 at 8 p.m. on Alabama Public Television. Catch up with the first episode available to stream on demand at pbs.org or on the free PBS App, and watch episode 2 online here at 8 p.m.

WHO IS THE LEGENDARY KATHRYN TUCKER WINDHAM?

Known as “Alabama’s favorite storyteller,” Selma native Kathryn Tucker Windham traveled throughout the South collecting folk tales, local legends, and ghost stories—sharing these tales, as well as her wisdom, in print and on the radio. Beginning with her 1969 book, 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey, her spooky tales have frightened and fascinated generations of Alabamians.

For more than fifty years, people have fallen in love with the delightfully chilling ghost stories of Alabama writer and storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham, and we’re pleased to bring these literary treasures to life in a new way.

“The stories are an important part of our Southern folklore, preserving tales that have been passed down through generations. The history woven into these eerie stories is well-researched and adds a factual groundwork to each one,” Windham’s daughter, Dilcy Windham Hilley said.