Eastern Tennessee has many ghostly legends. I have written many of them through the years. If you have followed The Lantern and our website, there’s a good chance you have read them, as we grew from serving just the Carolinas to include eastern Georgia, Tennessee, and southern Virginia. 1: The Bell Witch: Some legends are…
The Ghostly Carriage of Bristol, Tennessee
During the 1850s, streets in Bristol were filled with horses, wagons, and buggies. But, only one man owned a beautiful carriage, and it belonged to the Reverand James King, the pastor of Paperville Presbyterian Church. The carriage was pulled by four horses and driven by an enslaved man named Shadrack Wisdom. Typically, the Reverand would…
The Headless Hobo of Bristol
The Headless Hobo is a ghostly tale in Bristol, Tennessee, and Virginia that has been passed down through generations. The Great Depression hit every family extremely hard, but areas of Appalachia were hit the hardest, which meant living without, and in some cases, starving to death. It was indeed a time when people had to…
Emma still cries at this Virginia Train Station
It seems that every train station has some ghostly tale attached to it. The Bristol train station in Virginia was built in 1856, and the structure survived the Civil War and was rebuilt stronger than ever. William Tompkins, known as “Big Will,” was a frequent visitor to the 72 brothels across the city. His wife,…
The Lantern Keeper of Elkmont
We have written a few articles about Elkmont in the past. At one time, Elkmont, a historic area in Tennessee, was a bustling logging community. Today, it sits in ruins as a ghost town within the Great Smoky National Park. Legend says that one person, who once called this place home, now walks the landscape…
The Witch of Coffee County
Just off Highway 55 in Coffee County, Tennessee, in Tullahoma, at Concord Cemetery, lies the grave of an alleged witch that is said to walk the grounds still and haunt the area. Inside the cemetery, a headstone sits on the ground with only one thing inscribed on it: the name, Sadie Baker. Legend says the…
Does the Spirit of a Confederate Female Spy Haunt Shuffs Music
On November 30, 1864, the Battle of Franklin was fought in Franklin, Tennessee, during the Civil War. The battle is considered a disaster, as more Confederate generals died than in any other Civil War battle. Near the town square sits a home that now operates as Shuff’s Music. The older home once served as a…
Is Pegram, Tennessee, Cursed
It’s not every day that we hear of cursed cities or even towns, but one place in Tennessee is alleged to be cursed. If the Pegram is indeed cursed, the strange happenings may stem from a cemetery in that town. According to an article by WKRN in 2017, there used to be a cemetery where…
Legend of Pigman in Tennessee
According to Tennessee legend, a man was disfigured after an accident at an underground powder and explosives facility during World War II. The poor man became shunned by the world and became known as Pigman to locals in the area. The popular tale says that he has the face of a pig and haunts the…
The Lady of the Lake
Greenwood Cemetery, located on Greenwood Road in Chattanooga, is reportedly home to “The Lady of the Lake.” Legend has it that years ago, a woman lived in a large house on the ridge across from the lake near Greenwood Cemetery. The lady was married and had fallen ill; eventually, she became confined to a wheelchair….