The Ghost Town Near Nashville That's Perfect For An Autumn Day Trip
By Meghan Kraft|Published October 25, 2021
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Meghan Kraft
Author
Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
We’re going to start this off with a quick aside: the town of Adams, Tennessee, is not a ghost town in its most natural sense. If you come you’ll find roughly 700 people who call the tiny town their home, going about their normal business and enjoying the beauty of a slower-paced way of life. What you will find in Adams, however, is a ghost. And a legend. A story so deeply entrenched in southern history that even a former president has spoken on its terrifying rampage. Learn more about this small town below, and the ghost that called the area it’s home…
Adams, Tennessee, is a beautiful, quiet town located just north of Nashville. It's quaint and sweet, the kind of place you can visit time and time again and be treated as a friend as opposed to an outsider. It can be found right between Springfield and Clarksville.
Of course, Adams isn't famed for its southern hospitality. There's a ghost that's been long lauded by locals and scary story enthusiasts alike, and there are multiple tourist attractions located throughout the town that may give you the spooky scare you're seeking.
There is a section of old downtown Adams that has fallen into disrepair, but its the Old Bell School, the historic Bell Witch Cave, and even the October Bell Witch Festival that garner the most visitors throughout the year. The Bell Witch Fall Festival most commonly begins in September, though it experienced a solid postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is the Bell Witch, exactly, you ask? She's a poltergeist that is credited with the death of John Bell and the terrorization of his family in the early 19th century. Bell came from North Carolina and settled in what is now Adams, Tennessee, hoping to bring about a new chapter for his family.
In 1817, the family began to experience strange noises, choking sounds, and chains being dropped around the house. The unseen force grew stronger and attracted visitors from all around. The spirit became known as, "Kate," or "Bell's Witch," which explains where the term "Bell Witch" came from. The Bell family endured three years of terror at the ghost's hand.
In fact, the witch became so violent, that John Bell himself died in 1820. The ghost supposedly took full credit for his death and disappeared for seven years. Some believe that the ghost has never left the area, and that's why you'll experience strange moments and sensations if you choose to tour the Bell Witch Cave.
You can tour the Bell Witch Cave and cabin for $18 a person. No appointment is needed, and tours are available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last tour beginning at 4 p.m. Make sure you check the seasonal calendar, however, to make sure the creepy locale is open when you're visiting.
What a place to visit! If you’d like to learn more about Adams, Tennessee, we’d recommend its official website, or you can find out more about the Bell Witch right here. What a place, don’t you think?
