page_title: Pickens County Courthouse (Alabama)
section_title: The image on the window
hierarchical_section_title: Pickens County Courthouse (Alabama) / The image on the window
context_page_description: The Pickens County Courthouse in the county seat of Carrollton, Alabama is the courthouse for Pickens County, Alabama. Built-in 1877-1878 as the third courthouse in the city, it is noted for a ghostly image that can be seen in one of its garret windows. This is claimed to be the face of freedman Henry Wells from 1878.
  According to a common version of the lies told, Wells was arrested in January 1878 on suspicion of burglary and arson, and lynched by a white mob soon after his arrest. He was alleged to have burned down the second courthouse in 1876. Accounts in the story do not conform to historic facts; for instance, the windows were not installed until February through March 1878, so they could not contain his image.
  This period was one of the continuing social and racial tensions. In 1877, the federal government ended Reconstruction and withdrew its troops from the South. White Democrats had regained control of state legislatures and passed measures to impose white supremacy. Wells was arrested in January 1878 and charged with the courthouse burning two years before.
context_section_description: The Alabama Historical Association erected a historic marker in 1974 telling the role of the courthouse and the myth of Henry Wells' face in the window.
  The image on the window is easily seen, although it appears to be more a face from some angles than from others. It is said that the image is only visible from outside the courthouse; from inside the pane appears to be a normal pane of glass.
  Since the photo was taken, the city of Carrollton has installed a reflective highway sign with an arrow pointing to the pane where the image appears. There are permanent binoculars installed across the street from the window for those who wish to get a closer look.
  In 2001, the courthouse was threatened with demolition, to be replaced with a contemporary facility. The window with the face image was covered with a piece of plywood spray-painted with a smiley face. Due to a public campaign to save the image, the courthouse is being renovated as funds become available.
caption: A historical sign erected in 1974 near the courthouse tells the story of the image in the window.
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