The Haunted Fort at Sycamore Shoals is just one of many spooky spots

Mysterious TN

Meriwether Lewis: "So hard to die."
After the famous Lewis and Clark expedition, Lewis became governor of the Louisiana Territory. In October 1809, ill, feverish, and possibly drinking heavily, Lewis set out for Washington D.C. by way of the wild and dangerous Natchez Trace. Beset by heavy rains, Lewis sheltered, behaving oddly, at Grinder's Stand, now in Meriwether Lewis Park. After hearing two gunshots in the night, the frightened landlady ignored Lewis's cries for help, waiting two hours to send for the servants. Blood-soaked and dying, Lewis told them, "I am no coward. But I am strong, so hard to die."

Many, including President Thomas Jefferson, believed Lewis committed suicide. Lewis's family and others were convinced he was murdered for political reasons. At his grave in along the Natchez Trace Parkway, legend says, one can sometimes hear the sounds of a water dipper scraping an empty bucket, and whispered words, "So hard to die."

Hank Williams Sr.: Did he leave Knoxville alive?
The country music legend was trying to get to a show in Ohio when bad weather stranded him at the Andrew Johnson Hotel in Knoxville on New Year's Eve, 1952. After a doctor visited and gave Williams injections of B-12 and morphine for back pain, Williams slept a bit before leaving at 10:45 with a 17-year-old driver. Bellhops at the hotel later said they loaded an unconscious, and perhaps already dead, Williams into his baby blue Caddy. The driver stopped at a West Virginia hospital after finding Williams unresponsive and rigid. The Andrew Johnson, now an office building, has been the scene of countless stories of mysterious noises and disembodied voices, including the faint sound of singing.

Mound Bottom Petroglyph, Cheatham County
An archeologically important site of 29 prehistoric mounds, this area probably began as a ceremonial site for Native Americans in the Harpeth Valley, and grew into a great fortified city, part of a massive trade network that extended from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast. Above the river is the Mace Bluff Petroglyph, depicting a ritual mace or scepter that chiefs or priests used in rituals, with two teardrop shapes below. Although its origin and meaning are unknown, archaeologists believe it was carved by a Native American culture that reached its peak between A.D. 1000 and A.D. 1300.

Three Generations of Mabry Intrigue
During a business dispute, wealthy, eccentric Joseph Alexander Mabry, Sr. threatened the life of bank president Thomas O'Connor, one of the state's richest men. On Oct. 19, 1882, O'Connor shot and killed Mabry on Knoxville's Gay Street, prompting a gunfight with lawyer Joseph Mabry Jr. that left both men dead. Mark Twain chronicled the story of these two Mabrys in Life on the Mississippi. A recent book, The Seduction of Miss Evelyn Hazen, tells the sensational story of a lawsuit between Miss Hazen and her former fiance. The grounds of the Mabry-Hazen House include the Civil War Bethel Cemetery.

Mill Creek Blow Hole, Walls of Jericho TRWA complex, Nashville
The scenic 3.6-mile Mill Creek Loop in the Bear Hollow Mountain Walls of Jericho TRWA complex, is now open to public hiking and allows hikers to see the Mill Creek Blow Hole, a gusher which spews water from the cave into the stream. The hike descends 800 feet into the Mill Creek Valley.

Stones River Battlefield, Murfreesboro
One of the oldest national cemeteries, Stones River was the sight of one of the Civil War's bloodiest battles. Stop No. 4 on the tour is the Slaughter Pen, where the bloodletting was at its worst. There have been many accounts of unnatural stillness and coldness, lack of animal life, a mysterious "disappearing solder" who comes to re-enactments, and the sounds of following footsteps. Ghosts or no, it is one of the most significant cultural resources of the National Park Service.

Ryman Auditorium, Nashville
Built as Union Gospel Tabernacle in 1892, the famous Ryman has a reputation for ghostly visitors. A man in gray is often seen in the balcony after others have left. The ghost of Capt. Ryman, whose funeral was held there, has been said to disrupt plays he considered too risque. Staff and performers claim to have seen the ghost of Hank Williams Sr. An "Opry Curse" is attributed to the place, based on the numerous deaths, injuries and violence against people connected with the Grand Ole Opry.

The State Capitol Building
The State Capitol Building in Nashville is said to be haunted by the architect, William Strickland, and the Capitol Commission supervisor, Samuel Morgan. The two men hated each other and argued vehemently every day, but ended up being buried side-by-side in vaults within the building. Police officers have answered disturbance calls to the capitol, heard men in heated argument, but found no one.

The Bell Witch Haunting, John Bell Farm, Adams
Called the most documented case of haunting in America, the Bell "family trouble" is the story of eerie events, escalating to terrifying attacks on farmer John Bell, his home, children, and guests. Among the witnesses to the bizarre events at the Bell farm was future president Andrew Jackson, who said, "I'd rather fight the entire British Army than to deal with the Bell Witch." Today, the farm and town of Adams are still the scene of odd activities. Several books and two films have been based on the story.

The Bijou Theatre, Knoxville
The old building is said to be home many ghosts, including that of Union Col. William Sanders, who died in the bridal suite of what was then the Lamar House hotel. People working late in the building often see and hear odd sights and sounds, often believed to be the ghosts of various actors who trod the boards of the theater or prostitutes who worked in what was once a rough and rowdy area of 19th century Knoxville.

Reelfoot: Mystery Lake
Reelfoot Lake, Tiptonville, was formed by the massive New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-12. Contemporary accounts say the water in the Mississippi River ran backward and filled up the huge crater left by the tremor. Today, it is a natural wonderland of cypress knees, eagles nests and eerie beauty. Once a haven for "night riders" and scene of much lawlessness and murder, Reelfoot was the setting for "The Secret of Mystery Lake," featured in the Mickey Mouse Club in the 1950s, the 1957 melodrama "Raintree County," and "US Marshals" in 1998.

The evil dead...of Hamblen County?
Sam Raimi, director of the Spiderman films, used Morristown and Hamblin County as locations for his 1981 horror film "The Evil Dead." Beautiful Tellico Plains was used as a setting for the 1987 horror film "The Curse," based on science fiction master H.P. Lovecraft's story "The Colour Out of Space."