The Bell Witch Cave Is One Of The Strangest Places You Can Go In Tennessee
By J.B. VanDyke|Published October 31, 2020
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J.B. VanDyke
Author
J.B. Weisenfels has lived in rural Arkansas for three decades. She is a writer, a mom, and a graduate student. She is also an avid collector of tacky fish whatnots, slightly chipped teapots, and other old things. In her spare time she enjoys driving to the nearest creek to sit a while. If you were to visit her, she'd try to feed you cornbread.
There is nowhere in the world quite like the Volunteer State, is there? And there’s no legend like the one you grew up hearing over and over. For many Tennesseans, that commonplace legend is the tale of the Bell Witch. We’ve got our own set of amazing, offbeat adventures hiding around the state, but no story gets stranger than the tale of the Bell Witch, and you’re going to love exploring her cave. Read on for more information:
Contrary to the sound of her moniker, the Bell Witch doesn’t live in a bell tower or wear bells in her hair. She is named for a farming family that lived in Adams, Tennessee. From 1817-1821, the Bell family, led by John Bell, Sr., experienced a haunting on their farm.
The entity who would be called the Bell Witch was described as having many supernatural powers, including invisibility, clairvoyance, and telekinesis. It’s no wonder the Bells felt haunted—the Bell property is hauntingly beautiful.
If the legend of the Bell Witch sounds familiar, that’s because it’s wildly famous. Do you remember The Blair Witch Project? It was inspired by the legends surrounding the Bell Witch.
The Bell Witch Cave is hiding on the Bells’ old farm. It’s a 450-foot long karst cave that legend says Betsy Bell and her friends were playing in when they had an experience with the Bell Witch involving a lecture about the dangers of cave exploration.
You can visit the cave today. Private tours are offered, but you’ll want to call ahead. This isn’t a drop-in kind of adventure. You wouldn't want to be caught anywhere near the Bell Witch alone.
