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All the United States Georgia Summerville Corpsewood Manor
Corpsewood Manor is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

AO Edited

Corpsewood Manor

Crumbling ruins mark the site of a couple's grisly murder in the woods.

Summerville, Georgia

Added By
halfmanhalfman
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A portion of the ruins. This is a photo from the rear of the manor.   Melanie Mumea Le
A portion of the ruins. This is a photo from the rear of the manor.   Melanie Mumea Le
The ruins in slightly better days  
Front of the manor (dated the early 1980’s) before it fell   https://www.facebook.com/corpsewoodmemorial/
Tree with carvings 01.11.2023   giselletesouro / Atlas Obscura User
One of the turrets 01.11.2023   giselletesouro / Atlas Obscura User
Another turret 01.11.2023   giselletesouro / Atlas Obscura User
Entrance to the home 01.11.2023   giselletesouro / Atlas Obscura User
Turret entrance 01.11.2023   giselletesouro / Atlas Obscura User
Turret entrance 01.11.2023   giselletesouro / Atlas Obscura User
1.11.2023   giselletesouro / Atlas Obscura User
The Old rock with the white cross is gone, this is new entrance   flynnoak / Atlas Obscura User
The way in   flynnoak / Atlas Obscura User
Skull on the way in   flynnoak / Atlas Obscura User
Beginning of driveway   geraldledford / Atlas Obscura User
House remains 7-29-17   geraldledford / Atlas Obscura User
House remains 7-29-17   geraldledford / Atlas Obscura User
Inside one of the round towers   flynnoak / Atlas Obscura User
  Selleck / Atlas Obscura User
  Selleck / Atlas Obscura User
Not sure if this was their well? But something that was not uncovered in January 2023   giselletesouro / Atlas Obscura User
  Selleck / Atlas Obscura User
12.30.2023  
12.30.2023   giselletesouro / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Surrounded by the Chattahoochee National Forest is the former site of a brick mansion, now lying in partial ruin. Hand-built in 1977 by Dr. Charles L. Scudder, a retired professor at Loyola University in Chicago, and his partner Joseph "Joey" Odom, the mansion served as the couple's dream home until their deaths. 

In December of 1982, the pair were gruesomely murdered, along with their two bullmastiffs, as a result of an attempted robbery by two acquaintances, Avery Brock and Tony West. During the ensuing investigation and trial – fueled partially by a local media circus – a mythos evolved in which the victims were vilified as "evil devil worshippers," drawing from Dr. Scudder's interest in the occult and the pair's open homosexuality. Despite having been very well-liked in the community by those who knew them, the horrendous mythos continues to this day, and many locals still refer to the area as, "Devil Worshippers' Mountain," and claim that taking a brick from the property will lead to being cursed for life.

A narrow gravel drive, unmarked after all these years, leads to this site of forgotten history in the woods. Following a turn marked by a large stone with a cross and bearing the initials "CW" in spray paint, pilgrims to the site pass through the forest via trail before arriving at the ruined remains of the couple's mansion. Though a fire destroyed much of the manor's non-brick elements in the mid-1980s, much still remains intact apart from the main house; the homestead's original outhouse, well room, and gazebo, still rising from the middle of the north Georgia mountains, suggesting the squandered potential not of devil worshippers, but two people who simply received no peace in death.

Update: The ruins are mostly overgrown as of May 2019, and the twin pillars have both been knocked down. This is private property and you must seek permission before visiting the property. 

Related Tags

Murder Mansions Ruins Abandoned Lgbtq

Know Before You Go

Turn onto Mountain View Road from the main highway (a right turn, if you are coming from Summerville). Mountain View Road ascends the mountain and becomes a gravel road. Black Springs Road is a sharp right turn off of this road, unmarked save for a small metal mile marker. After going through a few sharp curves on Black Springs Road, look to the left for a narrow gravel drive, there are 2 large stones here side by side. Park here and proceed by foot down the driveway. This trek will take you through the woods and will occasionally detour to bypass parts of the path blocked by fallen trees and debris. Continue to follow the path, and after about fifteen minutes of walking, you will see a very small clearing to the left. At this spot, look to the right, and you will see two crumbling brick columns, about three feet high. This is the entrance to the property. Turn right and proceed forward. Please be respectful of the property as you explore. Despite being private property, visiting is allowed, and local law enforcement has no problem with explorers, as long as they are responsible and respectful. Bear in mind that you may encounter other individuals or groups while exploring.

From the boulders at the start of the trail/old road, the ruins are .55 miles according to the GPS.

Community Contributors

Added By

halfmanhalfman

Edited By

littlebrumble, tylercole, Niko, flynnoak...

  • littlebrumble
  • tylercole
  • Niko
  • flynnoak
  • svarturmoon
  • geraldledford
  • Selleck
  • giselletesouro

Published

April 29, 2016

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Sources
  • http://weekinweird.com/2014/02/10/haunted-horror-the-corpsewood-murders/
  • http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/castle-in-the-country-zmaz81mazraw.aspx
Corpsewood Manor
Black Springs Creek Rd
Summerville, Georgia, 30747
United States
34.544979, -85.245772
Visit Website
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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Summerville

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Places 2

Nearby Places

Howard Finster's Paradise Gardens

Summerville, Georgia

miles away

Fantastic Pit

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Summerville

Summerville

Georgia

Places 2

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