Читать книгу Nashville Haunted Handbook - Jeff Morris - Страница 31

directions

Exit downtown Nashville by taking I-65 North for about 11 miles to Exit 95. Take Exit 95, TN 386 North toward Hendersonville/Gallatin. Take TN 386 for 16 miles, and then turn right onto the entrance ramp to TN 109 South. Follow TN 109 for about 7 miles, and then turn right onto Hartsville Pike. After another 3.5 miles, turn left onto Cragfont Road. The Cragfont mansion will be on your right.

history

The original Cragfont home was built in 1785 and was a simple log cabin on a high bluff. It was built by two men, James and George Winchester, who were important figures in the early history of Tennessee. George was eventually killed by Native Americans in nearby Gallatin, leaving James the property. James decided to build an opulent mansion on the site of the original cabin.

By 1802, the mansion was completed and was considered by many to be the grandest home west of the Appalachian Mountains. James was involved in Tennessee politics, becoming the speaker of the Tennessee senate at one point in his career. The house itself would host many of the most important people in Tennessee, such as Andrew Jackson and Sam Houston.

James Winchester died in the house in 1826, but the house stayed with the family until the death of James’s wife, Susan, in 1864. The home switched owners several times before the State of Tennessee purchased the house in 1958 and opened it to the public.

ghost story

Many strange things happen at the Cragfont mansion. Most of the time, these strange events occur after the building has been locked up for the night. Caretakers will often return to the building after it has been closed, only to find things very different from the way they were left the night before. Furniture will be moved to different places throughout the rooms. Beds that were neatly made the previous night will appear to have been slept in during the night. Candles that were unlit the night before will be lit when the building is opened in the morning.