The Bell Witch Cave is a historical site located in Adams, Tennessee in the United States. It gained its name from the famous Bell Witch haunting that took place in the early 19th century. The Bell Witch is believed to have been a malevolent spirit that tormented the Bell family for several years. The exact location of the Bell Witch Cave is on the property that once belonged to John Bell, the patriarch of the Bell family. The cave is situated in a remote and secluded area, surrounded by dense forests. It is said to be a significant part of the haunting phenomena that occurred during that time.
The Bell Witch Cave Is One Of The Strangest Places You Can Go In Tennessee
J.B. Weisenfels has lived in rural Arkansas for three decades. She is a writer, a mom, and a graduate student. She is also an avid collector of tacky fish whatnots, slightly chipped teapots, and other old things. In her spare time she enjoys driving to the nearest creek to sit a while. If you were to visit her, she'd try to feed you cornbread.
There is nowhere in the world quite like the Volunteer State, is there? And there’s no legend like the one you grew up hearing over and over. For many Tennesseans, that commonplace legend is the tale of the Bell Witch. We’ve got our own set of amazing, offbeat adventures hiding around the state, but no story gets stranger than the tale of the Bell Witch, and you’re going to love exploring her cave. Read on for more information:
Contrary to the sound of her moniker, the Bell Witch doesn’t live in a bell tower or wear bells in her hair. She is named for a farming family that lived in Adams, Tennessee. From 1817-1821, the Bell family, led by John Bell, Sr., experienced a haunting on their farm.
Pictured here is the Bell Family Cemetery.The entity who would be called the Bell Witch was described as having many supernatural powers, including invisibility, clairvoyance, and telekinesis. It’s no wonder the Bells felt haunted—the Bell property is hauntingly beautiful.
AdvertisementIf the legend of the Bell Witch sounds familiar, that’s because it’s wildly famous. Do you remember The Blair Witch Project? It was inspired by the legends surrounding the Bell Witch.
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The Tennessee Legend of the Bell Witch Haunting
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0 SharesWhether it’s the haunting blue eyes of the Moon-Eyed People , the mysterious Brown Mountain Lights , the hellish Mothman of Point Pleasant WV, or ubiquitous sightings of Bigfoot , many people find themselves drawn to things that are seemingly inexplicable, eerie, and often outright terrifying.
If such spine-tingling tales get your pulse pounding, you’ll find that Appalachian folklore offers an array of these “mysterious and spooky” stories.
One of our favorites is the Tennessee legend of the Bell Witch haunting, a horrific tale of intrigue that dates back to nearly 50 years before the Civil War .
There have been countless Bell Witch books, documentaries, movies, and podcasts trying to make sense of what the Bell family experienced in the early 1800s.
Fans flock to the Bell Witch Festival, an annual fall festival held in Adams TN, to see a dramatization of the Bell Witch haunting, hear other spooky Southern folk tales, and listen to live music by local artists.
Read on to learn more about this terrifying 200-year-old Appalachian folk tale of a tormented family reportedly cursed by the Bell Witch.
You’ll also learn how you can visit some of the historic sites connected to the Bell Witch story, where you can investigate for yourself the legend of the Bell Witch in Tennessee.
It is said to be a significant part of the haunting phenomena that occurred during that time. The cave itself is a natural limestone cave, and it is believed that the Bell Witch used it as her stronghold during the haunting. Many people believe that the cave is still haunted and hold paranormal activities.
The Legend of The Bell Witch Curse
The Activity Begins
In 1804, John Bell, his wife Lucy, and their 9 children moved to Adams TN, where they built a farm on 1,000 acres along the Red River. They lived a peaceful life there for over a decade before things started to go awry.
Around 1816 the Bells began to experience peculiar happenings on their property, starting with John Bell’s encounter with a strange dog-like creature. He is said to have shot at it before it ran away.
By 1817, odd occurrences were common, with other family members reporting sightings of strange-looking creatures around the house. These unusual encounters gradually became more bizarre and frightening.
There were myriad accounts of unnerving tapping at the windows, inexplicable gnawing sounds at the bedposts, and the sounds of wings flapping against the household’s ceilings.
The family also reported sounds of choking and strangulation, and the clanging and clunking of heavy chains being dragged across the floors of their house .
They sought out rational explanations, but none were discovered.
Whatever was invading the Bell family home soon increased the intensity of its visits. Some of the children reported being pinched and punched, having hair pulled, and their blankets being ripped from their beds while they slept.
With the exception of Lucy and one of her children, 9 members of the family had harrowing run-ins with the unwanted house guest, which continued for over five frightening years!
Drawing of Betsy Bell, via Public Domain
Other Witnesses to the Bell Witch
Daughter Betsy Bell was particularly tormented by the specter, and her fiancee Joshua Gardner also became an unwitting target.
Betsy finally called off her marriage to Gardner for fear of what might happen to him if she continued the relationship, but she continued to be a victim of the spirit’s malice.
Dean, an enslaved African in the Bells’ service, claimed that the witch appeared before him in the form of a black dog, and sometimes as a two-headed wolf.
He claimed he’d been turned into a mule and attacked by the witch, and other enslaved people on the farm also reported having been beaten and tortured by her.
According to local legend, future President Andrew Jackson (who owned land along the Red River at the time) heard the Bell Witch stories and wanted to find out for himself if the local rumors were true.
On the way to the Bell family’s homestead, Jackson’s wagon became stuck and unable to move. With no obvious explanation for this, he decided it must have been the work of the Bell Witch.
The ghost allegedly spoke to Jackson out of nowhere, at which point the wagon finally became unstuck and moved forward on its own.
Other family friends (including William Porter, John Johnson, and his son, James Johnson) claimed to have experienced similar haunting activities in the Bell Witch house.
All of them came to believe it was the work of a malicious spirit.
Who (or What) was The Bell Witch?
Martin Ingram’s book An Authenticated History of the Famous Bell Witch claims that the witch had once made herself known to the family.
She reportedly said, “I am a Spirit; I once was very happy, but I have been disturbed and made unhappy. I am the Spirit of a person who was buried in the woods nearby. The grave was disturbed, my bones disinterred and scattered, and one of my teeth was lost under this house. I am here looking for that tooth.”
Kate Batts is a name that always come up when you research the story of the Bell Witch.
Some Adams TN locals believed that the notoriously eccentric woman was behind the happenings at the Bell house, which resulted in the spirit being named Kate by the family.
The story goes that John Bell Sr. had once had a dispute with Kate’s brother.
But as rumors spread through the community, some folks began to believe that it was actually Kate that had the issue with John.
This hearsay, combined with the fact that some locals believed Kate had dabbled in witchcraft, ultimately resulted in her being blamed for the haunting episodes that plagued the Bell family for years.
The death of John Bell in 1820. Illustration published in 1894, via Public Domain
The Death of John Bell Sr.
The Bell Witch’s abuse and torment gradually took a heavy toll on John Bell’s physical and mental state, and he eventually became bedridden.
On December 19, 1820, his son John Jr. went to the medicine cabinet to get his father’s medicine. But instead of seeing the usual three bottles of medicine, he only saw one.
Martin Ingram’s book records the witch as saying, “It’s useless for you to try to relieve Old Jack. I have got him this time; he will never get up from that bed again!”
Then, she stated that she “gave Old Jack a big dose of it last night while he was fast asleep, which fixed him.”
John Sr. died the next day, and the witch was said to have caused quite the ruckus at his funeral.
Apparently, the witch’s ghoulish pranks declined dramatically after John Bell’s death.
Various paranormal investigators and enthusiasts have visited the cave in an attempt to document any evidence of supernatural occurrences. To visit the Bell Witch Cave, one must first obtain permission from the current owner of the property. It is not open to the public and is only accessible through scheduled tours. The tour guides provide visitors with information about the Bell Witch haunting and the historical background associated with it. The Bell Witch Cave remains a popular destination for those interested in paranormal activities and historical hauntings. It serves as a reminder of the mysterious events that unfolded during the Bell Witch haunting and continues to intrigue those who visit it..
Reviews for "Haunted Hotspots: The Bell Witch Cave"
- Jessica - 1 star - I did not enjoy Where is the Bell Witch Cave at all. It was boring and the pacing was incredibly slow. The story seemed to go nowhere and I found myself losing interest very quickly. The characters were flat and one-dimensional, making it difficult for me to become invested in their journey. Overall, I found this book to be a huge disappointment and I would not recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting and engaging read.
- Kyle - 2 stars - Where is the Bell Witch Cave was just okay for me. While the concept behind the story was interesting, the execution fell flat. The writing style was lackluster and did not captivate me as a reader. Additionally, I found the plot to be predictable and the twists and turns to be underwhelming. I think there are better books out there in the same genre, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend this one.
- Sarah - 2 stars - I was really looking forward to reading Where is the Bell Witch Cave, but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. The pacing was incredibly slow and there were several sections of the book that felt unnecessarily long and drawn-out. The characters lacked depth and I found it difficult to connect with them on any level. Overall, I was left disappointed and unsatisfied with this book.