When looking for the most haunted places to stay in the nation, one may first think of visiting major cities such as New York and Chicago, where the history is filled with unfortunate events. According to CNN’s 2013 list of the most haunted hotels, it proves that this is not the case. While it may be surprising, the location that they listed as the second most haunted hotels in the United States is a B&B tucked away in the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee names the Thomas House Hotel.
The Thomas House Hotel, located in the tiny town of Red Boiling Springs, has become a favorite of paranormal investigators due to its endless list of supernatural happenings. Both the hotel itself and the grounds have stories attached to them that have brought the curious, from even as far away as China, to spend an evening. One might wonder what makes this site so active. It is all tied to the history of what this now sleepy hamlet once was.
Before modern medicine, individuals would often have to look to natural remedies to cure all their ailments. One of these alleged cures was drinking and bathing in mineral water. Red Boiling Springs in one of two places on the planet that can boast having five variations of mineral water flowing through it. Due to this, the town boomed during the 1880’s when the popularity of mineral waters was at its peak, with resorts popping up all over the city. This boom continued for many years, with the city transforming itself into a summer retreat for the wealthy. With the influx of rich tourists from all around the nation, the area also developed what was required to feed the decadent appetites of some of the travelers. A red light distract was born, alcohol was available during prohibition, and crimes such as murder became part of the new landscape.
The Thomas House Hotel, which was then named the Cloyd Hotel was one of the larger in the community. With numerous guest rooms, bath houses, live music, and even its own bowling alley, the hotel was the hot place to be. Many of those who came to partake in the darker side of the resort town stayed here and some of these have never left. The can be heard and seen still walking the halls.
Many of the preternatural occurrences that happen within the hotel can be directly tied back to a person or an event that happened at the location. For example, The Whistler is one of the most prominent spirits of the Thomas House. When walking through the hallways, sometimes a tune can be heard being whistled. After examination, no one can be found. This was even captured on an episode of Ghost Hunters from 2012 that was filmed at the hotel. It has been said by a descendant of Thomas Cloyd, the man who originally built the hotel, that he was a constant whistler and would often do so as he was working within the hotel. In the same area, a tall apparition can be seen that looks much like the picture of Thomas Cloyd which hangs in the hotel lobby.
Another such example is that a woman can be heard screaming. It is claimed that a woman was caught with her lover by her husband, which prompted to two men to begin fighting, the husband through the man from the second floor balcony where he fell to his doom. It is believed that the phantom scream belongs to the woman as she sees her lover fall to his death on the brick walkway below.
But this is just the beginning of the list of otherworldly happenings at the Thomas House. And luckily, the current owners are open about the haunted treasure that they possess. They have contracted with Ghost Hunt Weekends to conduct guided ghost hunts throughout the hotel and grounds. This allows all of those who are curious about the paranormal as well as experienced enthusiasts to encounter the supernatural firsthand. For those interested in joining the hunt, there are some dates still available for 2016 with the 2017 dates to be released shortly, and this can be found at the above link.
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BethAnn Williams, Paranormal Journalist, is thrilled to be the newest staff member of Ghost Hunters Fans and looks forward to keeping you posted in the happenings of the paranormal world.
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