The Bell Witch Ghost Adventures is a famous and chilling tale that has been captivating people for generations. It revolves around the Bell family, who lived in Adams, Tennessee during the early 19th century. The supposed haunting began in 1817 when John Bell Sr., the patriarch of the family, encountered a strange-looking animal on his farm. This event marked the beginning of a terrifying series of paranormal activities that would plague the Bells. The apparitions and disturbances intensified over time, with the presence often taking the form of a female entity known as the Bell Witch.
The Bell Witch
The legend regarding the Bell Witch is one of the most interesting we have in America, and definitely one of the most unique. It is one of the most well documented cases of a haunting, and even resulted in the spirit taking a man’s life.
So, of course, I decided it would be a good idea to go check out the Bell Witch Cave.
An American Haunting, The Bell Witch Haunting, and Bell Witch: the Movie were all based on this legend.
An episode of Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel was filmed there.
If you’re unfamiliar with the story of the Bell Witch, I’ll give you a quick history:
From what I can gather from various sources, including the current owners of the property, the Bell family was plagued by a spirit, commonly referred to as a “witch”, that made their lives miserable. The entity would knock on the walls outside the home. Then inside. It would manifest itself to others, with the ability to speak and even change voices. It would claim to be dead natives buried on the property, or sometimes even claimed to be everything. But most commonly, it liked to claim the name of a peculiar woman in town by the name of Kate. So, frequently, that’s what they refer to the spirit as – Kate.
Word of the paranormal activity at the Bell property spread, even reaching Andrew Jackson, who decided to pay a visit and see the witch himself. On his way, his wagon was stopped, and the spirit spoke to him and the men traveling with him, promising they would meet again, later.
Over time, things grew worse. Mainly, the two most targeted members of the family were the father, John Bell, and Elizabeth “Betsy” Bell, who was frequently tormented, even being pushed so far that she ended an engagement because the spirit was threatening her.
But the most drastic event involved John Bell’s physical suffering and, ultimately, his death.
John had grown weak, his tongue “acting with a mind of it’s own”, and spitting food back out. Eventually, he became bed bound. Then, John took a turn for the worse, and the voice took credit for his demise. Lucy Bell, John’s wife, found a peculiar medicine bottle in their cabinet with a black liquid inside. The witch told them that was her special medicine for John. Lucy gave it to one of the animals, which ended up dying as John had.
So, while I was in Tennessee, I decided it would be cool to check out the Bell property, and hopefully the cave.
Replica cabin you can visit.
I thought it was interesting that they have a warning about taking anything, such as rocks, etc, from the cave. Not for any stealing type reasons, but because it never goes well for the people that have taken anything. I witnessed this firsthand, but I’ll get to that later. If you didn’t believe them, they offered PLENTY of letters from people apologizing and sending back whatever they’d taken home with them. In some cases, it was even items they had purchased in the gift shop.
I had joked, as we were parking, that I would take a stone from the cave. My mom didn’t find this very funny. Later, I decided it was definitely something I should not do.
The cabin, which was a replica, wasn’t the most remarkable thing. It was cool to have a room to be in while the audio played and told the history for those that didn’t know it. But I’d done my homework, so I was eager to get my new hiking shoes into that cave.
Before we went in, we were given a rundown about the graves around the entrance and inside the cave. Yup. Bodies.
That’s all I could think about, going in.
Apparently, 2-3 thousand year old Native American graves were both outside the cave entrance, and actually within the cave, itself. Some bodies had been disturbed already by the former owners, as well as people that snuck in and stole a body. Not to mention, the bodies disturbed by the Bell children in the 1800s.
Yeah. You read that correctly. Someone stole a body.
Stone box grave where the Native American girl’s body was, before it was stolen:
I’m glad that I’m used to hikes and climbing around on rocks and such, because this would have been rough for anyone with poor balance. But what do you expect in a cave, right? Haha.
The cave itself was beautiful and fascinating to explore. But as you continued into the cave, it became more and more cramped. A few times I felt like a Tetris piece.
There were a few instances that I did feel like there was something watching me. I learned later that I wasn’t the only one.
In the back of the cave, as I was taking pictures of everything, I didn’t notice the face in the rocks I see clearly in the photos. Which is, apparently, pretty common there.
While nothing overly disturbing occurred during the time in the cave, there were a handful of weird things. Like a teenage girl there with her family that, despite being warned, picked up a rock. The entire time she was in the cave, things kept happening to her: rocks came from nowhere and hit her, she felt uncomfortable, and eventually ended up crying and wanting out.
We were warned even accidentally bringing things back had nasty consequences.
My mom listened to that, while I did not. Again, while nothing overly disturbing happened to me, I have had a string of odd things, including weird dreams.
Thanks, rocks stuck in my shoe.
Overall, it’s hard to deny that something happened at the Bell Witch Cave. Was it a ghost? Poltergeist? Even a demon? Let me know what you think in the comments!
And if you want me to go on more spooky adventures, let me know!
7 Scariest Places in Tennessee
T ennessee is known for its whiskey, bustling music scene and beautiful scenery, but did you know it’s also known for being one of the most haunted states in the country? In the spirit of Halloween, take a look at seven of the scariest places in Tennessee.
The apparitions and disturbances intensified over time, with the presence often taking the form of a female entity known as the Bell Witch. This ghost was said to possess a high-pitched voice and communicated by either speaking directly or through knocking and scratching sounds. The Bell Witch targeted various members of the family, but it seemed to have a special hatred for John Bell Sr.
Tennessee State Prison
Nashville, TN
Video Credit: TNECD
A former correctional facility located near downtown Nashville, the Tennessee State Prison is well-known for being featured in The Green Mile and two Eric Church music videos. Built in 1898, the castle-like prison was operational for almost 100 years, but it closed in 1992 due to overcrowding. During its use in the 19th and 20th centuries, it housed some of Tennessee’s most dangerous criminals and was known for riots and jailbreaks. People who have entered in the past have reported what they believe to be the sounds of cell bars clunking, blood-curdling screams and footsteps that seem to echo throughout the halls, solidifying the old Tennessee State Prison as one of the scariest places in Tennessee.
Despite the prison’s popularity among fans of haunted places, the Tennessee State Prison is not open to the public due to unsafe conditions, and access is prohibited.
and his daughter, Betsy. The encounters with the Bell Witch became increasingly violent and frightening. The entity would pull hair, slap, and scratch its victims. It would also hurl objects around the house, create loud noises, and mimic voices. The haunting drew attention from visitors far and wide, attracting curious individuals who were eager to witness the supernatural occurrences. Some of these witnesses included religious leaders, scholars, and even future U.S. President Andrew Jackson. Efforts to rid the Bell family of the Bell Witch were futile. The entity always seemed to evade capture or punishment, continuing its torment unabated. Eventually, the events took a toll on John Bell Sr.'s health, and he passed away in 1820. After his death, the Bell Witch claimed responsibility for his demise. The haunting of the Bell family reportedly continued for a few more years until it suddenly ceased, leaving the family to live in peace once again. Nevertheless, the story of the Bell Witch and the terror it inflicted has left a lasting impact on the community and continues to captivate ghost enthusiasts and paranormal researchers to this day. Various theories have surfaced to explain the Bell Witch phenomenon. Some suggest that it was a case of poltergeist activity, while others believe it was the result of a curse or the work of an evil spirit. Skeptics, on the other hand, assert that the events were fabricated or exaggerated for attention and personal gain. Whichever belief one subscribes to, the Bell Witch Ghost Adventures remains an intriguing and spine-chilling piece of American folklore..
Reviews for "Exploring the Bell Witch Trail: Ghost Hunter's Guide"
- JohnDoe97 - 1/5 stars - This show was a complete disappointment. I was excited to watch a ghost adventure series, but "Bell Witch Ghost Adventures" did not deliver. The investigations lacked any real substance and it felt like the crew was just trying to create drama for the sake of ratings. The dramatic music and over-the-top reactions from the investigators were more laughable than suspenseful. Overall, it felt like a poorly produced and scripted reality show rather than a genuine paranormal investigation. Save your time and skip this one.
- ParanormalSkeptic - 2/5 stars - As a skeptic, I was willing to give "Bell Witch Ghost Adventures" a chance, but it ended up being a mixed bag for me. The production quality was decent, and the locations were interesting, but the evidence presented was unconvincing. The paranormal activity captured on camera seemed highly questionable and easily explainable. Additionally, the investigators relied too much on pseudoscience and personal anecdotes rather than employing rigorous investigation techniques. While it may provide some entertainment value for believers, it fell short in terms of providing legitimate paranormal evidence.
- GhostHunter101 - 1/5 stars - I have watched my fair share of ghost adventures series, but "Bell Witch Ghost Adventures" was by far the most disappointing one. The investigations lacked any real credibility and relied heavily on cheesy jump scares and exaggerated reactions. The constant use of night vision cameras became more annoying than atmospheric after a while. The show also seemed to drag on with unnecessary filler content and repetitive scenes. Overall, this series failed to capture the true essence of ghost hunting and felt more like a poorly executed attempt at cashing in on the paranormal craze. Pass on this one if you're looking for a genuine ghost adventure experience.