The Victorian era was full of dangers both known and unknown, but many don't realize that it was also full of legends. Tales of the dark and sinister were among some of the stories shared during the early and late 1800s and of them, the tale of the Bell Witch was the most prominent in Tennessee. Dating back to 1817, the tale of a monstrous entity would haunt one family forever seemingly without any rhyme or reason.
The story of the Bell Witch was born and to this day, daring parties can still visit the cave in which it's believed she resides. However, once they hear the story of this ominous force, they might want to rethink any potential road trips...
The Story Of The Bell Witch
While this horror story didn't begin until 1817, it started roughly 13 years prior to that fateful date. It started with the Bell family, who settled in Robertson County, Tennessee. John Bell and his family moved to begin a new life on their 320-acre farm and for a little over a decade, they found the peaceful life of farming they had been seeking. John Bell became the deacon at their local Baptist church their farm yielded an abundance of crops, with success following the family to Red River. However, the peace would soon end and with it, a story that still plagues the area to this day.
Seemingly for no apparent reason, the family began being terrorized by an unseen force. Their anxiety began when the family started witnessing strange, unrecognizable animals around the property, which they didn't think about much until noises began accompanying them - knocking all along the outside of the house was not uncommon once night fell. Eventually, the knocking came closer until it sounded like it was coming from within the house. These sounds were eventually accompanied by the sounds of rats gnawing on the bedposts, chains being dragged through the house, rocks being dropped randomly around the house, and other inhuman noises.
It wasn't until one year later that the Bell family asked for the help of their neighbors to get rid of their problem and after others began witnessing the uncomfortable phenomena, a formal investigation was launched by the town. Eventually, the being found a voice and said her name was Kate, and her goal was to take the life of John Bell and also to prevent his daughter from marrying a neighbor boy. Over the span of three years, the family enduring mental torment as well as physical abuses by the being known as Kate, until eventually, John Bell succumbed to whatever it was that had plagued him for so many years. Supposedly, Kate reappeared seven years later (as promised) to speak with John Bell Jr., and then said she wouldn't be back for more than a century. However, there are many who believe that she never actually left - and that her presence could be in multiple places at once, which is how then entire town of Adams knew about her.
The Bell Witch Cave
The story of the Bell Witch is so well-ingrained in the history of Tennessee that it's often taught about in schools and a legend that's shared among kids as the ultimate in horror stories. The story even made its way to Andrew Jackson, who was to be the president, after piquing his curiosity about the witch that plagued the Bell family.
The cave in which the witch was said to dwell in is creepy, to say the least. It's only open on weekends during May, September, and October, but it's open six days a week through the summer months. The entrance to the cave alone is creepy, with a large iron door that seals off the opening when the cave is closed to visitors. The interior of the cave features long tunnels that definitely resemble what most think of when they imagine a witch crawling down its long passageways. It's dimly lit in some places and when going around corners, it's not possible to immediately see the next room visitors are turning into. There's no immediate danger associated with exploring the cave, however, visitors should know that this, too, was once owned by John Bell. The cave itself is on the land that the family once lived on, which is why it became associated heavily with that of the Bell Witch tale.
Every October, there's a Bell Witch festival near the cave which celebrates the lore and legend of the Bell Witch herself.