Chattanooga has its fair share of haunted locations. Ghosts that linger in Civil War battle fields, apparitions of Native Americans who were removed via the Trail of Tears, haunted hotel rooms and much more.
Local author Amy Petulla shares some of the haunted locations and folklore in her book, “Haunted Chattanooga,” which she co-authored with Jessica Penot.
The owner of Chattanooga Ghost Tours, Petulla takes guests on walking tours which highlight many haunted locations in downtown Chattanooga. Her book mentions various other spooky spots within the city and surrounding communities.
Here are two stories she shared with us about the ghosts of the former Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel (now called the Chalet Hotel) and the Tennessee River Serpent.
Tennessee River Serpent
Petulla said she frequented the downtown library while doing research for her book. She found several reports indicating many people saw some type of water creature in the Tennessee River.
“About a hundred years ago, there were a bunch of reports about a Loch Ness Monster type creature in the Tennessee River,” she said. “And its favorite place to hang out was the town that today is known as Harrison.”
Petulla said several accounts have tied the legendary creature to Cherokee folklore. Those who saw it said the creature was able to move up and down the river with ease and swiftness. Early settlers of Chattanooga also encountered the beast.
“There are multiple newspaper articles from back then about the creature,” Petulla said. “My favorite one was one where they said 32 people, including the judge's father, saw this thing crossing the river. They apparently put a lot of faith in what the judge's father saw. They said it was about 20 to 25 feet long and had the head of a dog. The reports stated the creature had blue and yellow colors, and it moved very rapidly when it was crossing the river.”
Petulla said people reported the creature liked to up-end canoes, but there are no reports that the river monster ever killed or ate anyone.
“But mysteriously, they said there were several people that happened to die within a year after seeing it,” she said. “So, as legend would have it, they said it was bad luck to see the river creature because, that increased your chances of dying within the next year, apparently.”
Petulla said it’s been a long time since anyone has reported seeing the creature. She said it may have left or disconnected from the area as they started to build the dams along the river.
“But back then it was seen by many people,” she said.
The Chalet Hotel
Formerly known as the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel, The Chalet Hotel is known to have many spirits wandering the train rooms and grand terminal station. In the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s, Chattanooga was a major hub for both industrial and passenger railway travel in the South.
Years later, as train services declined, the terminal appeared destined for demolition, until a group of local businessmen invested $4 million and reopened it to the public as the “Chattanooga Choo Choo Hilton and Entertainment Complex” in April 1973.
Petulla said the spirit of a former train porter is still on the job.
“He’s still trying to be helpful,” she said. “He moves people's bags sometimes, which is a little unnerving for the living. But he's a friendly ghost.”
She said people have reported seeing another ghostly figure of a man waving a signal lantern along the former railroad tracks.
“A friend of mine who does a lot of ghost investigations captured an EVP recording of a spirit he calls the whistler,” Petulla said. “We’re thinking it's probably the same spirit as the signal man because it was out near the tracks. It was a clear recording, with nobody else around, of somebody walking and whistling.”
The spirit of a Civil War Confederate soldier has been seen wandering around and disappearing into walls. Petulla said the most well-known ghost at the Hotel Chalet is the spirit of a woman who is looking for her child.
“They call her Rachel, and she’s been seen by some of the people who work at the hotel,” she said. Rachel has also been spotted at the Sweetly Southern Shop.
“She has shown herself in the shop multiple times,” Petulla said. “My favorite story was about these people who didn't know about the ghost. They reported that something blew the door open and, they could see this kind of energy, blowing through the shop and then going out the door at the other end.” Petulla said Rachel allegedly destroyed some expensive piece of China that was in the shop.
“Pushed it right off the shelf when there was nobody around, anywhere,” she said.
Petulla said she is writing another book about haunted Chattanooga and found out more information about Rachel and her lost child. We’ll be reaching back out once the book is published.
For more information on her book, Haunted Chattanooga visit chattanoogaghosttours.com/shop.
Spirits at Ruby Falls
Ruby Falls Public Relations Specialist Jaclyn Lewis said, throughout its history, Ruby Falls has seen its fair share of death, tragedy, sickness and folklore. Many believe Ruby Falls is haunted by the ghosts of its turbulent past.
Throughout the years people have shared their stories of unexplainable happenings.
Lewis said many inexplicable things have been reported throughout Ruby Falls’ 96-year history.
“In the 96 years of being here we have collected a plethora of different ghost stories and inexplicable tales,” she said. “Guests have told us things. Our staff has told us things that we just cannot explain and lean on the side of paranormal.”
Among the various specters seen, a Lady in White is a regular. Many believe it’s the spirit of Ruby herself. Paranormal investigators swear they held an entire conversation with Ruby via a spirit box, a machine used to communicate with the “other side.”
Visitors reported hearing the laughter of children as well. Leo and Ruby had six children, but only two lived to adulthood. Employees reported toys and magnetic rocks being moved and thrown around the gift shop. People reported hearing footsteps. Others reported having their hair tugged or “something,” brush by them.
An employee was allegedly saved by a spirit years ago. He was poised at the top of a ladder replacing a light bulb in the caves. His co-worker got distracted and walked away. The worker on the ladder started to fall back as the ladder slipped.
“And all of a sudden, he felt someone push him back up and push the ladder back in place as well,” Lewis said. “He thought it was his co-worker, but when he looked back and there was no one there.”
If any of the ghost stories about Ruby Falls are true, you’ll be in for a ghastly good time, especially during their haunted lantern tours.
This popular experience sells out fast. Tickets need to be purchased in advance, and online at rubyfalls.com/things-to-do/after-hours-ghost-tour-at-ruby-falls-by-lantern-light/
Tickets are $41.95 for ages 12 and up.
For times and availability visit www.rubyfalls.com.
The Natural Bridge Hotel and the Southern Spiritualist Association
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the most popular attraction on Lookout Mountain was The Natural Bridge. Located at the north end of Lookout Mountain, about a mile from Sunset Rock, The Point, and the Incline station, people came from far away to see this rock structure and to drink its youth giving mineral water.
In 1884, a religious group called the Southern Spiritualists Association purchased The Natural Bridge Hotel and surrounding grounds. This group reportedly held midnight seances and held meetings where mediums talked to spirits. The was common in the late 1880s.
The Spiritualist sold the property in 1890, but The Natural Bridge remained popular through the 1920s when it was featured on penny postcards. Development in the area and the popularity of the commercial attractions has caused this natural rock phenomenon to be all but abandoned although people can still visit it.
There is a historical marker pointing towards the direction of the former camp. The marker is at or near this postal address: 122 N Bragg Ave, Lookout Mountain TN 37350, United States of America. People say you can still feel the energy of the spirits that were summoned.
Hale’s Bar Dam
The Hales Bar Dam has a haunted history rooted in a Native American curse and numerous tragedies, including worker deaths and the drowning of children, which are believed to have left lingering spirits. Visitors and several paranormal investigation groups report encountering apparitions, disembodied voices, and unexplained physical sensations, such as being touched or pulled by unseen hands.
The land where the dam was built was once a significant site for the Cherokee people. Legend states that in 1775, a Native American War Chief named Dragging Canoe cursed the land, declaring it would be "dark and bloody" for anyone who settled there. Construction from 1905 to 1913 was plagued by difficulties and accidents.
Many workers died during the building process, and some reports claim hundreds lost their lives. A tunnel under the dam, used by children to travel to school, reportedly flooded and drowned at least two children Today the site is now repurposed as a distillery and event space, including a haunted house attraction for Halloween.
Last year Petulla and others shared more stories about ghosts in our area. You can read those here: chattanoogapulse.com/citylife/news/haunted-halloween-spooky-stories-from-around-chattanooga/
Do you know of any other haunted locations? Send me an email at: PattyL@brewermediagroup.com