AMERICAN HAUNTINGS GHOST HUNTS
NIGHT AT OCTAGON HALL
FRANKLIN, kENTUCKY
NEXT AVAILABLE DATE: APRIL 9, 2022
7:00 PM TO 2:00 AM | $85 PER PERSON
SOLD OUT!
Strange voices.
Eerie Apparitions.
Touches from invisible hands.
These are only a few of the experiences that have been reported at what is considered “one of the most haunted houses in the South.” It’s appeared on numerous television shows over the years but are the hauntings at Octagon Hall truth or are they manufactured by paranormal TV? Hundreds will tell you that the house IS haunted – but why not discover that for yourself on this chilling night?
Octagon Hall is located just over the state line from Tennessee in Franklin, Kentucky. This antebellum, eight-sided, three-story brick home -- one of only four brick eight-sided homes remaining in this country -- began construction in 1847 and was completed in 1859.
It was built as the residence of Andrew Jackson Caldwell and his family. When the Civil War began, Caldwell, a slave owner with a brother who was a colonel in the southern army, threw his support behind the Confederacy. Scores of Confederate soldiers who needed food, medical care, or any assistance were hidden at the farm during the conflict – leading many of them to die on the grounds and in the house’s attic.
In February of 1862, the famous “orphan brigade” fled Bowling Green and headed for Nashville, Tennessee. It is estimated that 12,000 Confederate troops camped on the property one night and, within a day, an estimated force of 18,000 Union troops that were in pursuit also used the farm for several days. Documents say that at least two soldiers were buried on the far, -- and do no rest here in peace.
The Caldwell family had its own tragedies to add to the hauntings at the house. There were several deaths in the house, including the tragic demise of seven-year-old Elizabeth Caldwell. Elizabeth was playing in the basement “winter” kitchen with her cousin one day and her caught her dress on fire and she burned to death. She may have been buried in the family plot, but her spirit has not left this house. To this day, there have been dozens of reports of visitors who have encountered her in the basement.
Many of the other stories of ghosts on the farm are also connected to the Caldwell family, including the smell of flowers and then the stench of decay on the anniversary of Andrew Jackson Caldwell’s death. The police have been summoned to the house on many occasions when motion detectors have triggered alarms, only to find the house locked and secure.
In 2001, after several owners and being used as rental property, the Byrd family purchased the property and began to renovate the house, turning it into a Civil War museum. After work began on the renovations, the house “came alive” with activity. Weird events began – beds that were part of historical exhibits were found with the impression of a body lying on it; shadowy figures were spotted; doors opened and closed on their own; voices were heard and picked up on recordings, including what may be the voice of little Elizabeth screaming for her mother; and the list goes on. Since opening to the public, Octagon Hall has appeared in documentaries for PBS, The History Channel as well as The Discovery and Sci-Fi Channels.
This is a place that anyone with an interest in haunted history needs to see for themselves! Even if you are unsure about the hauntings, it’s connections to the Civil War make this a must-see location. Plus, who knows? Octagon Hall might make you --- as it has done so many other people – into a believer!