St. Stephens

Alabama's ghost towns are iron and coal towns around Birmingham and cotton ports the railroads replaced.

St. Stephens or Saint Stephens is an unincorporated census-designated place in Washington County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2020 census, St. Stephens had a population of 415. Located near the Tombigbee River in the southwestern part of the state and 67 miles north of Mobile, it is composed of two distinct sites: Old St. Stephens and New St. Stephens. The Old St. Stephens site lies directly on the river and is no longer inhabited. It was the territorial capital of the Alabama Territory. Now encompassed by the Old St.

St. Stephens is classified as a preserved ghost town: its buildings and streetscape survive close to their original form. These are the most rewarding towns to visit — and the most fragile. Stay on marked paths, don't enter unstable structures, and leave every artifact where you found it.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to St. Stephens is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.