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Summary

There's An Abandoned Tim Burton Movie Set Hidden On A Small Island In Alabama & It's Eerie

You can explore the fake town left behind for just $5.

The town of Spectre movie set. Right: A church set in the abandoned town.

The town of Spectre movie set. Right: A church set in the abandoned town.

Contributor

Deep inside Alabama is a tiny island sitting in the middle of a river. and the road to it leads to a sign that welcomes you to an abandoned Tim Burton movie set.

"Welcome To Spectre" the sign reads.

Spectre is a fictional town left behind after the filming of Big Fish, a Burton movie starring Ewan McGregor that wrapped up in 2003.

It was a custom-made community of buildings constructed on the private Jackson Lake Island, which is owned by a couple near the real-life city of Millbrook, AL. The weathered church, shops, and homes bow with age but still look like the beloved town that fans remember from the film.

The set wasn't originally built in such bad shape, but the final scenes of the movie were actually meant to look like a ghost town, so parts of the location were altered to look a bit weathered.

Much of the original set, however, like the storefronts on Main St., has been demolished for apparent safety reasons.

These days, the whole town is filled with goats who permanently live on the island, and love to meet every visitor.

It was the island's property owners, Bobby Bright and Lynn Clardy Bright, that told Burton to leave the set behind.

It now serves as a testament to the beloved film, attracting a myriad of visitors yearly.

Entry to the town is on Cypress Lane. You'll reach a gate where there's a number to call for an access code. Once you call it, there is a $5 admission to visit the set. Remember to bring an old pair of shoes to hang on the line!

The Town Of Spectre

Price: $5

Address: Cypress Ln., Millbrook, AL

Why You Need To Go: It's an abandoned set from an old Tim Burton movie that you can explore!

Website

This article has been updated since it was originally published on April 9, 2020.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.

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  • Staff Writer

    Brittany Cristiano (she/her) was Narcity USA's first full-time Texas Staff Writer. She's a lifelong Houstonian but enjoys every corner of the Lone Star State. Brittany is passionate about highlighting the beauty and rarities in the places we live in or visit–whether it’s showing North American readers something they never knew existed in the South, or helping Texans appreciate the beauty that’s been there the whole time. Oh, and she also loves to spill the tea on the latest trending figures in Texas and beyond. She previously served as an Editorial Intern for Houstonia magazine and as Editor-in-Chief of the University of St. Thomas’ student newspaper.

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