Huggin’ Molly
A woman dressed in all black, just like Huggin' Molly. Photo: Moon Mausoleum
If you’re out after dark in Abbeville, Alabama, you might run into Huggin’ Molly. Huggin’ Molly is a 7ft tall woman who loves to grab children in a hug-like embrace and scream in their ears.
The Many Tragedies of Abbeville, Home of Huggin’ Molly
Throughout the years, the town of Abbeville has suffered many tragedies. From the struggles of European settlers to the surrender of the Creek Nation, and from the harsh realities faced by black people during segregation, the town has seen its fair share of hardships.
Reports of lynchings and sexual violence, which often went unpunished, made the streets of Abbeville even more difficult for black people, who were warned to stay indoors after sundown.
These tragedies left a collective trauma that may have lead to the development of urban legends as a way of coping.
One such legend emerged after a devastating fire in the early 1900s that burned down the entire town. It was during this time that the legend of Huggin' Molly began to take shape. The town was also ravaged by an F2 tornado that destroyed many old buildings, prompting the town to rebuild on top of the old ones.
Despite the many tragedies that have befallen Abbeville, the town has persevered. The legend of Huggin' Molly, while scary, has become an important part of the town's culture, and the people of Abbeville continue to honor their history while looking towards a brighter future.
The Legend of Huggin’ Molly
In the small town of Abbeville, Alabama, there is a legend that is passed down from generation to generation - the legend of Huggin' Molly. For mothers who want their children to hurry home before dark, Huggin' Molly is a helper. But for children, she is downright terrifying.
As the legend goes, Huggin' Molly is a phantom woman who only appears to children at night. She appears out of nowhere, standing at a towering height of up to 7 feet tall, wearing dark clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. She sneaks up behind children then squeezes them tightly before screaming in their ears. While she never harms the children, some claim to experience ringing in their ears after encountering her.
Was Huggin’ Molly a real person?
There are different accounts of who Huggin' Molly was when she was alive and why her ghost haunts the streets of Abbeville.
In some versions, she was a woman who lived in the town a long time ago and suffered the tragic loss of her own child. The grief she experienced was so overwhelming that it drove her mad. As a result, she began to wander the streets at night, seeking out local children to hug as a way to cope with the death of her own child.
In other variations of the legend, Huggin' Molly was a woman who was brutally murdered on the very streets she now haunts. Some say that she is seeking to fulfill something unfinished or seeking justice for her own death. Perhaps she was killed in the darkness of night, with no one to protect her, and is now looking out for others to prevent them from meeting a similar fate.
Some versions of the legend suggest that Huggin' Molly was a former professor at what used to be Alabama Agriculture School, who was simply trying to keep her students safe by getting them off the streets at night.
It's also possible that Huggin' Molly was not a ghost at all, but rather someone or something intentionally dressing up to scare and hug children in the darkness of night. This version of the legend can be even more frightening than the ghostly one, as it suggests that someone may be purposely seeking out children to scare.
Have you ever encountered Huggin’ Molly? Tell us about it in the comments.
If you enjoyed learning about Huggin’ Molly you might also be interested in the legends of Jenny Greenteeth or the haunted Pigman Road bridge.
