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Saturday, May 21, 2011

The Sexton's House of Russellville, KY

This story is sometimes referred to as the Russellville Girl.

In Kentucky and throughout the south, a sexton is the outdated term for the caretaker of a cemetery. This particular home, belonging to a local sexton, located at the edge of Maple Grove Cemetery, was built in 1870.

Around the turn of the century, the caretaker's daughter was preparing to go to a dance. While she was in the tub, she was struck by lightning, which in turn, etched her portrait into the glass of a second story window.

There is speculation about those exact events...some believe that the girl was forbidden to go to the dance because of the storm, or that her date was late or stood her up...all resulting in her cursing God, and thus being struck down.

In any event, by the 1920s, the window was drawing in so many visitors, that the owners decided to paint over the window...and then to board it up.

Photo property of Roadside America
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16 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 26, 2013 at 5:34 PM

    I live in this town and the windows are mostly painted some seems to have worn off or something.My mother told me she was getting ready for a dance and it began to rain and she cursed God and got struck by lightening.

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    1. TheresaHPIRFebruary 27, 2013 at 12:25 PM

      Thanks for the input! If you have any photos of the house in its current condition, I'd love to see them!

      Delete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 26, 2013 at 6:05 PM

    that's pretty much what ive been told to and a variation where her father prohibited her o go because of the storm

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    1. TheresaHPIRFebruary 27, 2013 at 12:26 PM

      I've heard several variations of the story myself...typical of a good ol' urban legend. I love a mystery!

      Delete
  3. AnonymousApril 13, 2013 at 4:47 PM

    It was recently sold at an auction to some new owners. You can tell they're living inside of it by all the lights and open curtains. (unlike the past owner, who I had no clue he was even living there) When I passed by this house, the second window next to the painted one has a cardboard cut out and it scared the living crap out of me.

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    1. TheresaHPIRApril 14, 2013 at 9:15 AM

      Hehehe, I wonder if that cardboard cutout was put up for the benefit of those driving by to see if the legend is true....creepy, though, lol.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousMay 12, 2013 at 5:47 PM

      I use to live their and knew a previous owner she told me their was no room and that it some form of storage room but I'd still love to go see if the rumors are true. Also the locals say you can only see her when it rains

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    3. AnonymousFebruary 17, 2014 at 1:33 AM

      I live in this town and they put the cardboard cut out of her to freak us all out on halloween.

      Delete
  4. AnonymousApril 25, 2013 at 10:21 PM

    I grew up in BG KY just down the road and it has never changed. It still looks the same as when we first passed it when I was a kid. Lots of things have been told about the old place. But it's not the only one in the area that has supposed paranormal things going on.

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    1. TheresaHPIRMay 11, 2013 at 9:37 AM

      Thanks for the comments! Please feel free to share any other area haunts you know of with us.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousApril 28, 2022 at 11:31 PM

      This is the version I heard of the story. The girl was wanting to go to the dance that night and for some reason her mother wasn’t going to let her go. So all flustered the girl told her friends that her mother was not going to let her go to the dance that night and was mad and mouthing off so she told her friends that she may dance in hell tomorrow night but she was going to that dance to night and as said she was getting ready to go to the dance that night against her mothers will and while getting ready in the the bathroom, well you know the rest. I was about 16 first time I seen that house. Window all painted over white. I ask my Grandfather one time about it. His baby sister was buried in that cemetery and he said there was something to it. IDK. LOL Six of one and half a dozen of another. Last time I drove by it and the window facing south has no paint on it now. And there is something in the window.

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  5. AnonymousAugust 4, 2014 at 2:57 PM

    look in rushville indiana

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  6. UnknownSeptember 10, 2015 at 11:55 PM

    My dad didn't die in the kitchen. FYI.

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    1. TheresaHPIRSeptember 11, 2015 at 12:27 AM

      Thank you for the information, Kelli. That came from another website, so I'll correct it immediately.

      Delete
  7. UnknownSeptember 10, 2019 at 7:34 PM

    What is the name of the girl. Where is she buried

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  8. AnonymousDecember 22, 2019 at 1:42 AM

    I've lived here sll my life. My dad says he seen her yesrs ago. They say u can still see her on stormy nights even through the paint. I how ever never seen it myself. Except for the manquin. And yes it did scare me untill the next day when i saw what it was. I thought it was extremly disrespectful. Every legend has its roots in the truth.

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