Nashville’s Dark Side: Terrifying Places with Chilling Histories to See on a Ghost Tour

Although today Nashville is known as Music City, a party city full of tipsy bachelorette's and musicians. Nashville has had a long history with many dark chapters in its history. Some chapters so dark that they have stained the very structures in which they happened. Even today while walking through these locations the echoes of the past can be felt in the heaviness of the air. These 5 locations have enough bad energy associated with them to make even the most hardened paranormal skeptic question their beliefs.

1. Fort Negley

   On top of one of the highest hills in Nashville stands this formidable stone fort. It was constructed in 1862 soon after the union army had occupied Nashville in the early days of the civil war. This Fort was the symbol of union control in Nashville and ensured that the city never fell into confederate hands again. Once the Union had taken control of Nashville slaves from around Nashville left the plantations and flocked to the city to seeking the freedom that this new abolitionist government was sure to grant them.... That didn't happen when they arrived in Nashville many freed black folks were enslaved by the union and used as forced labor to meet their military goals such as the construction of Fort Negely. In the end 2,768 Black people would be forced to work endless hours to build this fort. Many would ultimately die during its construction. The dark history does not stop there after the war the fort was abandoned and fell into disrepair. No most people would not venture up the hill to see its ruins, except those that were up to no good. The Ku Klux Klan began to use it as a meeting place, because we have no records of what happened at these meetings we can only speculate at what kind of horrible acts occurred during these years. Beyond the Klan every ne’er-do-well was drawn to this place almost by a dark magnetism. Crime on this hilltop was so out of control eventually the city would fence it off and ban public access allowing the Forrest to regrow right over the top of it. Today it is open to the public so you can experience the heaviness of the fort while visiting Nashville.

   
   

2. The Southern Turf Building

   On 4th Avenue in downtown Nashville the Southern turf building sits elegantly on the side of this street as it has since its construction in 1895. This beautiful Queen Anne style building has 4 floors and has seen many things during its 130 year history. When it was opened in 1895 it was the classiest Saloon, Gambling hall, and Brothel in Tennessee. At the heart of Nashville's men's quarter this building was quite the attraction in its day. The interior was decorated in black marble and gilded statues. Although I'm sure a lot of fun times have been had in this building It has also seen its share of darkness. In its hey day The building was managed by a bartender named Ike Johnson who lived in his apartment on the 3rd floor. He was there so long he may as well have been a piece of the building. After prohibition shuttered the doors of his beloved Southern Turf he found himself struggling to come up with enough money to pay the rent and when eviction day finally arrived Ike shot himself in his apartment while the police were on their way to remove him. Some people say that he never left, and you can see him staring out of a window on the 4th floor of the building. These days you can rent Ike's old apartment as a vacation rental.

   
   

3. Tour the Tennessee State Prison and See Ghost

   This is the only location on this list that you cannot visit unless you want to be haunted by the state police. You may recognize this location from movies such as Ernest Goes to Prison, The Green Mile, or Walk the Line. Although these movies are full of great energy the prison definitely isn't. This building was partially constructed from parts of the first Tennessee State Prison and was largely built by forced inmate labor. In these days and at this prison, inmates were expected to offset the cost of their confinement by working. This prison when constructed had 2 factories built on the grounds. It housed both male and female prisoners as well as children at times. It was violent and deplorable. Eventually a series of class action lawsuits forced the prison to close in 1992. Not before there were numerous riots, deaths, and escape attempts one that even included improvised explosives. If anywhere in the state of Tennessee is haunted, this place surely is after its 94 year reign of suffering. Although this place was bad the original location of this prison was even worse and you can still visit the original. Only you will not find the remains of a prison, just an iconic Nashville BBQ Restaurant.

If you like exploring creepy places like these. Join us for one of our Ghost Tours!