Lovers of creepy nights and frights will be pleased to know that the Twin City has a few skeletons in its closet. Though many claims have been refuted, these three stories might send chills down your spine.
The Little Red Man
This tale is one of the oldest in the state, dating back to Andreas Kremser’s death in Salem in 1786. The shoemaker lived in the Single Brothers’ House and was tasked with digging a cellar. The ground gave way and buried Kremser and another man. They were pulled out alive but Kremser, who had been wearing a red cap and coat, died hours later.
People began reporting strange noises in the home and seeing flashes of red. Years later, a young girl visiting her grandmother in the house (then a home for widows), exclaimed that a “little man with a red cap” called to her in the hallway.
Sally
Long before the Historic Brookstown Inn was a hotel, the building was a cotton mill, complete with a dormitory for workers. Legend goes that “Sally” and another employee got into an argument in the 1800s and Sally was pushed either down the elevator shaft, or out a window, and killed.
Visitors have reported seeing an apparition roaming the fourth floor, specifically in room 401. Their experiences range from fitful sleep to seeing a skeleton figure with red hair — sometimes she also shouts their names.
The Lady in White
The enchantment of Reynolda is due in large part to the vision of Katharine Smith Reynolds, tobacco magnate RJ Reynolds’ widow. She worked to design the grounds and gardens of the estate.
Some visitors have reported seeing a figure near the gardens, wooded trails, and woodlands. She wears white and is nearly always on horseback. A mist and chilly temperature follow her. Many believe it is Katharine, who is still keeping a watchful eye on her home.
Are you scared yet? Let us know if you have any other spine-tingling stories about Winston-Salem.
