Tennessee is famous for its whiskey, lively music scene and beautiful landscape; but did you know that it also features many haunted places? One such location is Rotherwood Mansion where visitors have reported seeing children in its basement. Furthermore, Mollie Woodruff haunts this property; after losing her first love to yellow fever she drowned herself in one of its lakes on property.
Rotherwood Mansion
Rotherwood Mansion, constructed in 1818, is home to many ghostly spirits and dark entities who haunt its grounds even today. With tales of slavery and other tragedies as its history, its past can still be felt throughout its walls.
Frederick Ross built this home near the Holston River in Hawkins County. He owned a sprawling plantation with numerous slaves living on his property; one such slave, Rowena Ross, was tragically drowned while she and Frederick Ross’ daughter Rowena Ross married. This tragedy drove Rowena into depression; as such she took her own life by walking into the Holston River herself.
Since her death, residents of the mansion have reported seeing Rowena’s ghost roaming the grounds wearing her white wedding gown and hearing an eerie laughter and howling from Joshua Phipps (who bought it after Ross sold to Rowena Ross after she passed). Joshua Phipps was known to be extremely cruel toward both locals and his slaves; so much so that the slaves put a curse upon him!
Bijou Theater
Knoxville’s beloved theatre, the Bijou is an icon on Gay Street and one of its most revered entertainment spots. However, in its past life as the Lamar House it served many functions from being a tavern, hotel, storefront, Civil War hospital and even brothel! No wonder many consider this landmark one of Tennessee’s most haunted locations!
[1] Today, the building hosts various performances and events such as musical acts, movies, and more – most notable are Relient K, Dave Barnes and UT Opera.
Though not haunted itself, spirits are said to reside within its backstage areas and haunt any strange occurrences such as items falling off or moving themselves onstage, as well as reports of vaudeville-era technicians being seen roaming about. There have also been sightings of an individual wearing blue clothing walking up and down stairs.
Greenwood Cemetery
Greenwood Cemetery in Tennessee is one of Tennessee’s most haunted spots, said to be home to over 70 African Slaves as well as soldiers from both World Wars. Additionally, an evil spirit said to inhabit this location is said to possess a lion-sized head with deep crimson eyes.
Ghostly reports suggest this ghost wanders the property searching for her child, often seen in the basement and hallways; unsettling laughter has even been heard after dark.
Elmwood Cemetery in Knoxville is another creepy spot, where most of those who perished due to the Yellow Fever outbreak are buried. There have been reports of ghostly figures taking care of those buried here and hearing rattled chains as well as Native American war cries at nightfall.
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park & Pigman Bridge
Tennessee offers up plenty of sites from both the Revolutionary War and Civil War battles, historic graveyards and old-fashioned Southern folklore that lend themselves to hauntings, making this state perfect for ghostly encounters. However, Tennessee also provides ample natural beauty that helps mitigate any creepy sensations.
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park boasts camping spots, hiking trails and reflective lakes that are home to wildlife like bald eagles, songbirds, foxes and bobcats – as well as being said to be haunted by something known as The Pigman – an entity said to live under a bridge on Shake Rag Road near Shelby Rd who may be related to an explosion that caused disfigurement at a powder plant; after which his ghost is said to wander the forest looking for his next victim.
Wheatlands Plantation in Boyds Creek has a violent past that contributes to its reputation as one of the most haunted places in Tennessee. Visitors have reported hearing chains clanking together and witnessing ghostly presence at this former slave site.
