There are legends, tales, and more hauntings all along not just Western North Carolina, but the Blue Ridge itself. Ghost hunting has always attracted visitors; whether curious about the supernatural, or just simply going along with somebody else's word. Either way, you'll feel that thrill of excitement while going searching for the unknown and unexplainable.
You might ask though, what places are really haunted in the Blue Ridge Mountains? Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina all have their own "sweet spots". They can be found in cemeteries, inns, sanatoriums, and places hidden in nature. Some of them have gruesome pasts; others simply have a few additions to the property, if you will.
Below are some of the most haunted places in the Blue Ridge Mountains, spanning from North Carolina to Virginia. The Blue Ridge is full of history, and in that history, the supernatural often remains hidden.
Keep reading, if you dare and if you are really willing to explore the unknown...
1- Tilley Bend Cemetery
The Tilley Bend Cemetery in Blue Ridge, GA, is complete with the story of an alleged witch. In the late 1800s’ a feud between the Tilley family and the Stanely family caused a series of unfortunate events. The bickering and rivalry led to a church shooting and a raid of the Stanley settlement.
A daughter of the Tilleys’ had been married to one of the Stanleys’, and she had to watch as her husband died. She herself ended up dying in childbirth, along with the baby.
The mother, Elizabeth Jane Tilley Bradley, was known for witchcraft. She cursed both settlements that every child born would die. The following year came, and every child was either still-born, or they didn’t last the year. It was the Tilley family who put an end to it, hanging her from a tree.
Right before she died, she vowed to return. Today, her headstone stands alone, and the area around it is barren. The graves of the children are in the very back of the graveyard. Some say they can see her walking through the tombstones, and the daughter that died hasn’t yet left, either. Other times, people can hear the cries of babies.
2- Martha Washington Inn
The Martha Washington Inn is located in Abingdon, VA. It was once a beautiful mansion, and it also was used as a hospital for the wounded during the Civil War.
The inn is said to be one of the most haunted places in Virginia, although the ghosts themselves don’t cause too much harm. Some Confederate soldiers were shot on the property, and they died from the wounds. Bloodstains that were caused decades ago still sometimes appear, no matter how many times the carpet is replaced or cleaned.
Phantom-like figures roam the halls, and sometimes, you’ll catch a glimpse of the spirit of a horse roaming the property. Violin music will play when there’s no one there to play, and an unknown woman still searches for her lover to this day.
3- Mansouri Mansion
The Mansouri Mansion, located in Flat Rock, NC was built in 1850. It was known as the "Farmer Hotel" to begin with, and later on, it became the Woodfield Inn. The place may have been used as a hospital at one point, which only adds to the mysterious aura.
The mansion is a great place to stay for the night, particularly if you're interested in the supernatural. Sometimes, people have heard the footsteps of children running up and down the third floor. Or they might see BT Morris, a Confederate Captain, hanging around the Morris Room.
Whether or not you believe that such ghosts still remain, it's still an exciting reason to visit the historic inn. Who knows? You might find something that'll change your mind.
4- Forrest Hills Resort and Conference Center
Forrest Hills Resort and Conference Center is located in Dahlonega, GA. The land was once a part of the Trail of Tears, as well as a place where moonshiners of the past used to rendezvous. A suicide had also taken place in the center, so it’s no huge surprise that people have seen things out of the ordinary.
If you’re in the Goldfinch or Sparrow cabin, you might have something set down, only to find that it’s not in the same place you left it.
Or you might be walking in Treelopper Lodge, and suddenly, the lights switch off, but there’s nobody near the light switch. You might even catch a glimpse of a spirit or two inside the conference center.
5- Green Park Inn
The Green Park Inn in Blowing Rock, NC, is well-known for its hauntings, although the hotel itself does not advertise the news. The story starts with the daughter of the founder, Laura Green.
Her soon-to-be husband left her at the altar. Distraught, she hung herself in her room, room 318. She is known to lurk the halls of the third floor, as well as the Victorian Suite, a popular suite for newlyweds.
She’s also been spotted with a man, who is speculated to be her fiance. The sounds of ghostly children and distant parties have been heard, and there is a ghost log for anyone who stays there to either browse or write about their own encounters.
6- The Patrick Henry Hotel
In Roanoke, VA, the Patrick Henry Hotel was built in 1925. The hotel has gone from a place to stay to a center of retail stores including a restaurant, apartment, and office spaces. It's still open to this day, so, all the more reason to check it out.
Several ghosts are known to roam the halls, simply choosing to keep watch over the place they either stayed at or died at. Three in particular are known to watch, but never engage. Their deaths are unknown, but still, they remain.
Another ghost sits at one of the tables, smoking his pipe and messing with the tablecloth. Sometimes, you can hear the voice of an elderly woman who had passed away, floating down the halls.
7- Stonepile Gap
Stonepile Gap is down in Dahlonega, GA. It’s the grave of a Cherokee maiden by the name of Trahlyta. Upon seeking a witch to find answers, she was told to drink the water of a nearby spring to be made beautiful. That spring today is now known as Porter spring, and it’s still said to have healing powers.
Her beauty had not gone unnoticed, and Wahsega, a Cherokee warrior, asked for her hand. When she said no, he kidnapped her and made her his bride. Her health declined, and before she died, she asked for her grave to be somewhere where strangers could pass and drop a stone on her grave.
From there, she would grant them the wish to be happy and beautiful. There have been two reports of accidents there, from those who had tried to take rather than give. Some road workers had attempted to move the stones for work, and their trucks ended up crashing down the side of the mountain. Some of the men ended up dying.
8- Paint Rock
In Hot Springs, NC, Paint Rock is a great place to check out, and maybe even hike around a little. According to legend, however, it isn’t the best option to spend a night camping.
The story goes back decades, telling tales of a hauntingly beautiful song that echoes during the night. Men will awake to that very song, and, entranced, they'll make their way to the edge of the water. In the reflection, a beautiful Cherokee woman is singing to them, beckoning them to follow.
Just as they go to reach for her, the image changes, and they're dragged underwater by an unknown creature and drowned. This "siren song" has lured many to their death, and most people passing by tend to steer clear of the water by Paint Rock.
9- St. Alban's Sanatorium
In Radford, VA, St. Albans Sanatorium is a popular place for visitors seeking a ghostly encounter. It was built in 1829, originally as a Lutheran boys’ school, and before the school was made, a reported massacre had also occurred on the grounds.
However, the strict rules led the school to become rough and competitve; several homocides and suicides were known to have happened. The school eventually closed down and in 1916, it became a sanatorium.
As with many sanatoriums during that time, many inhumane methods were used upon patients, and several deaths happened. It, too, was closed down. Today, if you visit the place, you might encounter a few different things.
Your hair might be pulled with no one there, or you can catch objects moving on their own. Broken conversations whisper through the halls, and screams echo in the rooms. Dark shadows might flit past, or the sound of footsteps might be closing in behind you.
10- Riverside Cemetery
The Riverside Cemetery is located in Asheville, NC. It was the site of one of the civil war’s final battles, the Battle of Asheville. The battle lasted five hours between the Union and the Confederate exchanging fire. Eventually, General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate soldiers surrendered.
In 1885, the site became a cemetery as there was great need for one. Over 13,000 people lie in the Riverside Cemetery, perhaps more, because many graves are unmarked. It’s a popular site for people to visit, and the apparent hauntings make it all the more exciting.
People have heard gunshots and cannon fires in the distance. Some see the ghosts of Confederate soldiers marching in formation. There have also been reports of the sounds of children laughing. They have been speculated to have been buried in the cemetery after dying of yellow fever.