Shelby Hotel

The Old Shelby Hotel, established in 1863 in Shelby, Alabama, is a historic landmark that once served as a popular lodging for tourists and Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. Known for being the first hotel in Alabama with electricity and plumbing, it thrived due to its proximity to the Shelby Iron Works. Over the years, it expanded to accommodate growing demand, featuring 15 bedrooms and later an additional 30 rooms. The hotel hosted notable guests, including Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, as well as infamous gangster Al Capone. After operating for 113 years, it closed in 1976 and remained vacant until it was destroyed by arson in 2019, attracting history enthusiasts and paranormal investigators during its final years.