Historic Hotel
4/5
St. James Hotel
The St. James Hotel in Selma, Alabama, constructed in 1837 on the banks of the Alabama River, is recognized as one of the oldest operating antebellum riverfront hotels in the United States. Originally known as the Troupe House, the hotel played a pivotal role in Civil War history, serving as a headquarters for Confederate officers and later Union troops following the 1865 Battle of Selma. Renowned for its connection to outlaw Jesse James and the pioneering African American congressman Benjamin Sterling Turner, the St. James carries a world-famous ghost reputation featuring apparitions of Jesse James, a spectral woman named Lucinda, and phantom scent of tobacco.