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Halloween is almost here. It’s time to gather your bravest friends and go on a spooky adventure! Head over to Tennessee and check out the haunted locations they have to offer. You’ll have a spine-tingling experience exploring haunted grand mansions and abandoned asylums!

When you come to Tennessee, ghostly encounters are tied to history, connected to hotels, theaters, historic homes, hospitals, battlefields, infamous prisons, caves, and bars, and even claimed to be spotted by lantern light during walking tours.

Bell Witch Cave in Adams

Are you brave enough to go to a secluded cave shrouded in darkness and filled with the whispers of history? If yes, you must go to the Bell Witch Cave, located on the property once owned by the Bells, a family haunted by an entity and is known to be one of the most haunted places in the country back in the early 1800s.

As the legend goes, the family lived peacefully on the farm for 13 years, but in the summer of 1817, they began seeing strange animals on the farm and hearing eerie sounds, including a disembodied voice throughout their cabin. The Bell Witch Cave, located near the site of the old family farm where John Bell mysteriously died and the terrifying encounters took place, is where many believe the Bell Witch fled and currently resides.

Now, unexplained activity is reported, from rocks being thrown to eerie noises, even mysterious lights being seen and caught on camera. The Bell Witch Cave hosts public paranormal investigations through Black Wolf Paranormal. Spots fill up fast and booking opens a month before each event.

Details: 430 Keysburg bRd. Adams, Tennessee | Official Website

Cragfont in Castalian Springs

Step into the chilling world of Cragfont, a historic plantation steeped in mystery and the supernatural. Walk through the dimly lit halls of this grand estate while feeling the weight of history upon you as it is said to be haunted by the ghost of its former owner, James Winchester.

Paranormal teams have investigated Cragfont, one of the oldest houses in Middle Tennessee, numerous times. Orbs, noises and objects seemingly moving on their own have all been recorded at the 1800s home of General James Winchester.

The general’s brother was killed by Native Americans before the construction of the house began. It’s said his spirit still wanders the property. The caretakers of the property have seen unexplained, numerous dead insects in one of the bedrooms, deep impressions of bodies lying in beds and have experienced pushing and hitting from invisible forces.

Details: 200 Cragfont Rd. Castalian Springs, Tennessee | Official Website

Earnestine & Hazel’s in Memphis

Feeling a little adventurous? Why not head over to Memphis’ musical underworld and confront the unknown? Earnestine & Hazel’s, a legendary blues club, offers a chilling experience that will leave you questioning the boundaries between the living and the dead.

Originally built in the late 1800s, Earnestine & Hazel’s was formerly a church, then became a pharmacy and sundry store and even a jazz club before it transformed into a bar in the 1950s.Employees have heard the piano playing upstairs by itself when no one is up there, disembodied voices and phantom footsteps.

A beloved Memphis staple, Earnestine & Hazel’s earned the title of one of the most haunted bars in America. If you’re searching for more, BackBeat Tours shares historically spooky tales with walking ghost tours through some of the most haunted places in Memphis.

Details: 531 South Main St, Memphis, Tennessee | Official Website

Historic Harriman Hospital

Calling all explorers! Harriman Hospital is an abandoned medical building ideal for a frightening adventure. The crumbling corridors contain traces of sickness, pain, and death. At the same time, the overgrown property, broken windows, and abandoned structures create a gloomy and mysterious atmosphere that will leave you breathless.

Cumberland Plateau sits at Old Historic Harriman Hospital, rumored to have ghosts roaming the halls even when it was in operation. Built in 1939 and spanning an entire city block, this four-story hospital was a community staple for nearly 80 years. The hospital property was once home to a hotel, bank, general store, attorney’s office and roller rink.

One of the most active and legendary locations in the hospital is the ICU and cardiac care unit. A beloved nurse named Joanna, who worked tirelessly for long hours, suffered a sudden heart attack at the hospital, and is rumored to be still making her rounds and overseeing patients. It seems she’s not the only one who never left.

Details: 401 North Roane Street, Harriman, Tennessee | Official Website

Historic Rugby

Pack your bags and head to Historic Rugby, Tennessee, in the Cumberland Plateau. The story goes that the unfulfilled dreams of its founder haunt this historic village. Walk around the streets, and you’ll feel the eerie vibe that makes this place such a mystery.

Originally founded in 1880 as the Rugby colony by British author Thomas Hughes, you can now tour the living Victorian village on an After Dark Tour Thursdays-Sundays. Choose the Haunted Village Lantern Tour or the Haunted North Village & Cemetery Tour, both conducted by lantern light, to hear the ghost stories yourself.

The village of Rugby preserves the history of the community that called it home in the 1880s. Tours, conducted by History, Highways, and Haunts, LLC, blend the village’s rich history with ghost stories and include Haunted History and Ghost Walks, guided ghost hunts and private paranormal investigations.

Details: 1331 Rugby Parkway Rugby, Tennessee | Official Website

Historic Scott County Jail in Huntsville

 If you want to go the extra mile of adventure, visit the Historic Scott County Jail. It was once a correctional facility, but now it’s just a creepy, silent shell. Rumor has it that the ghosts of former inmates haunt the jail, and visitors have reported weird things happening there. The jail’s history is full of tragedy, loss, and suffering, and the vibe is suffocating.

Built in 1904, this former Historic Scott County Jail housed some of the worst inmates in the county. The storied history includes an unsolved murder of a sheriff, lynching of inmates and inmate suicides.

Guests can contact the jail or set up a public tour, public ghost hunt or private paranormal investigations led by one of the professional paranormal investigators. The jail is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

Details: 214 Litton Covered Bridge Rd, Huntsville, Tennessee | Official Website

Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills

If you’re a fan of country music and spooky encounters, add Loretta Lynn’s Ranch to your list of must-visit haunted locations. Nestled in the rolling hills of Hurricane Mills, this ranch is the iconic home of country music legend Loretta Lynn. The ranch is said to be haunted by the ghost of Lynn’s mother, a presence that both visitors and staff have felt.

The popular destination hosts guided tours, events and live music, and also draws intrigue from those interested in the paranormal. Members of the Lynn family and tour guides report strange experiences like hearing a woman in white on the balcony crying, picture frames being moved and footsteps. Research showed the ranch was once the site of a Civil War battle.

Details: 8000 Highway 13 South Hurricane Mills, Tennessee | Official Website

Lotz House in Franklin

Go back in time and visit the Lotz House, a historic mansion said to be haunted by the ghost of a Confederate soldier who was killed there during the Battle of Franklin. It was an 1858 home, and was at the epicenter of fighting in the Battle of Franklin during the Civil War.

The rich history of the home carries tales of unexplained phenomena like an apparition of a woman crying for a loved one, a little girl staring out the window, the sound of drums and items being moved.

The Travel Channel dubbed the Lotz House “The Second Most Terrifying Home in America.” Franklin on Foot tours share stories of the soldiers who fought the battle at 6 p.m. every Friday in October at Lotz House. Reservations are required.

Details: 400 Main Street Suite 130 Franklin, Tennessee| Official Website

Mabry-Hazen House in Knoxville

Another must-visit haunted destination that should make it to your list is the Mabry-Hazen house, a historic mansion in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mabry-Hazen was built in 1858, and three generations of the same family resided in this Italianate home overlooking downtown Knoxville.

During the Halloween season, Mabry-Hazen hosts a “Victorian Séance Experience.” Under the guidance of a Victorian medium, the seances reenact a nineteenth-century Spiritualist séance filled with mysterious and startling wonders. Whether true manifestations or clever parlor tricks, sitters will get an immersive, eerie experience.

Details: 1917 Bethel Avenue, Knoxville, Tennessee | Official Website

Shiloh National Military Park in Shiloh

Pretend like a soldier when you visit Shiloh National Military Park, a historic site known for its tales of paranormal activity. The park is believed to be haunted by the ghosts of soldiers who died there.

Shiloh National Military Park preserves the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. There are many legends surrounding the battlefield. Visitors and staff have reported seeing apparitions, hearing drumming, voices, footsteps and ghostly gunshots.

Guests can explore the park, hike the grounds and follow trails that lead to tablets and monuments away from the auto tour roads. There’s also a 1.1-mile trail that leads to the historic Shiloh Indian Mounds village. You can pick up a map from the visitor center and drive the 12.7-mile, 20-stop, self-guided tour of the battlefield. Details: 1055 Pittsburg Landing Road Shiloh, Tennessee | Official Website

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