Anderson County and the surrounding area is full of history, so it’s no wonder there are many places said to be haunted. Here are our top 4 places that are rumored to be full of paranormal activity. Check them out if you dare!
Don’t spook easily? Well, we think that may change after a visit to Drummond Bridge. Dick Drummond, a 25 year old coal miner was hanged from the bridge during the Coal Creek War. The Coal Creek War was an armed labor uprising that started after the Coal Creek Mining Co. sent prisoners from the Tennessee state prison system to work in the mines. This saved the company money but left many Briceville men unemployed. In 1891, coal miners took up arms and revolted. The war resulted in many scuffles and the convict labor system was eventually abolished. Dick Drummond was the only laborer who was killed by a militiaman sent in by the governor. Rumors of a love triangle surround his hanging. Legend also has it that the ghost of Dick Drummond still roams the area. If you dare to visit, look for the notch in the bridge where the rope once hung. You may be able to see a shadowy figure hanging from the bridge’s trestlework or walking the tracks. If you’re real quiet, you may even hear his cries. Have chill bumps yet?
Whether you’re familiar with Historic Downtown Clinton or not, you won’t have any trouble finding the Daugherty Building on Main Street. The large building was built in 1937 by J.R. Daugherty. Ask anyone around town and they’ll tell you they think it’s haunted. Daugherty lived, worked and died in the building and according to some, can still be seen peering from an upstairs window where he was known for sitting and looking out. According to one of the buildings previous owners, Craig Hansen, a chair could be found moved over by that very window even after he’d cleaned up for the night. Scuffling footsteps have been heard on many occasions and radio stations have been known to change inside the store without the touch of a hand. What might be the spookiest of all is the time Craig Hansen decided it was time to move all of Daugherty’s belongings out of his old room thinking that may calm the old spirit down. Well, the opposite happened. The very next day, Hansen closed down for the night by turning off all the lights, closing windows and locking doors. When he got to his car, he noticed the lights were all back on and the back window was open. Plan a visit to the old Daugherty building and let us know if the hair on the back of your neck stands up. Ours did!
The historic Alexander Inn, originally known as the Guest House, was built in 1943 during the Manhattan Project and housed J. Robert Oppenheimer and General Leslie Groves. Today, the Inn serves as an assisted living home. With so much history in one building, it’s no wonder there’s talk of paranormal activity. Rumor has it footsteps can be heard walking up the stairs when no one is around and an apparition has been seen peering through the window curtains. The speculation that the Inn is haunted has garnered enough attention that the Oak Ridge Revitalization Effort (ORRE) had to deal with many calls from ghost chasers before it became an assisted living facility. If you drive by the Alexander Inn, be sure to look up at the windows. You may be being watched!
If only the walls could talk, oh the stories we’d hear from Brushy Mountain Penitentiary! Home to some of the most violent criminals for 113 years, Brushy Mountain finally closed its doors for good in 2009. Numerous ghost stories have been told surrounding the prison, most coming from the violence and hatred that came from inside its walls. Rumor has it there are countless spirits still lurking the corridors and jail cells at Brushy Mountain. In fact, you can check it out for yourself because the prison is now open for paranormal tours if you’re feeling brave.
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