Sports campers at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Ala. have heard the story of “The Red Lady,” a woman named Martha who was involved in a tragic accident on campus and was never to be seen again, for decades.
Campers have reported seeing a woman dressed in all red standing in the window of her old dormitory bedroom in Pratt Hall watching them practice, and even sitting on a bench overlooking football fields watching the game unfold.
But who is this lady dressed in red?
Martha, otherwise known as “Miss Martha,” to campers, was a woman from far north in America. Miss Martha was raised by her father after her mother passed away when she was just a young girl. Since Miss Martha was raised only by her father, she grew a deep connection with her grandmother who attended Huntingdon College when she was around Martha’s age.
Now you see, Miss Martha was the only child of her wealthy father, so sending her across the country to get an education at a time when only rich women could be educated was a big deal.
Miss Martha took the train into Montgomery, Ala. that fall. She was dressed in a red dress, carried a red parasol, stored her clothes in a red trunk, and brought red drapery for her room. When she emerged at university, peers immediately gave her the nickname of “The Red Lady.” When confronted about her obsession with the color, Martha did not say anything other than, “I like it.”
Since Martha was from far north, many of her dormitory neighbors made fun of her. They made fun of the way she acted, talked, walked, you name it.
Miss Martha was deeply saddened. All she wanted to do was make a friend or two in a state where she had no one for the first time in her life. However, Martha soon took an acquaintance with the dormitory’s president. Quickly after Martha believed things were looking up, many girls complained to the president that Martha was cold, unfriendly, and just plain bitter. In reality, Martha was lonely, shy, and just wanting someone to reach out to her first.
After several complaints, Miss Martha’s only friend went up to Martha’s room and started to pack her belongings. Things took a sudden turn once Martha barged in her room. As she made a realization of what was going on, she told her only friend, “so you couldn’t stand me either.” As time went on, Miss Martha became even more sad and secluded. She would roam the halls and campus at night as it was the only time she could enjoy her surroundings without teasing and taunting, and would often act as if it were daytime outside with strolls around the town.
However, one night—that we will not go into—changed Huntingdon College for good.
Campers during the summer and students during the school year report seeing Miss Martha walk through the halls at night, sit on benches in a red mist when it is a full moon outside, and often see her red curtains that are still hanging in a locked off room blowing even though the door and windows are shut.
A few students also claim that Miss Martha has brought them soup when they are sick, and has draped blankets over them when they are asleep in the library after a long night of studying. However, the consensus around campus is that Miss Martha is no harm. Legend says that she protects students from danger, even going as far as catching one of them as they fell from a second story window on accident. When the student turned around to see who it was, only a tiny mist of red appeared. When it comes to sports campers, legend says that she watches over all of the athletes and makes sure no one gets hurt.
