Witch on a broom in moon6/30/2023 READ MORE: The 7 Best Caves & Caverns in North Carolina Map of Bigfoot sightings in Georgia, photo by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett 2. To experience these Appalachian legends for yourself, visit the Historic Bell Witch Cave, which located in Adams TN. Some stories claim that she promised to return to haunt John Bell’s direct descendants in 1935, but there were no reports by Nashville physician Dr. She even forced Betsy to break off her engagement with Joshua Gardner before eventually disappearing for good. To punish him, the witch set her sights on the man, giving him a beating that had Jackson’s men begging to leave.Īfter John Bell’s mysterious death in 1820, the Bell Witch continued to haunt his family. One man, claiming he had knowledge of how to deal with witches, boasted that his silver bullets were keeping the witch at bay. The Appalachian ghost story eventually became famous enough to reach General Andrew Jackson.Īccording to legend, Jackson and his party set up their tents outside of the Bell home. John Bell grew so concerned by these violent escalations that he shared his story with a family friend, James Johnston.Īfter Johnston experienced the spirit first-hand, word quickly began to spread. She would often focus on John’s daughter Betsy Bell, pulling the sheets off her bed, or even physically harming her with kicks, punches, and scratches. The hauntings began sometime between 18, when the Bell Witch would show up disguised as an animal, such as a dog or bird. This legend centers around the Bell family. The Bell Witch (who is thought to be a woman named Kate Batts) was supposedly cheated in a land purchase by John Bell, the patriarch of the Bell family. The story of the Bell Witch is one of the most popular examples of Appalachian Mountain folklore, and it began in Robertson County, Tennessee. READ MORE: The 15 Best Fall Festivals in Georgia Bell Witch Signs, photo by BRad06 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 1. READ MORE: 30 Fascinating Blue Ridge Mountains Facts Sunrise at the Thunder Hill Overlook, photo by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett APPALACHIAN FOLKLORE GUIDE Read on to learn more about some of the most famous Appalachian folklore stories and superstitions. While they may not be as widely practiced today, these myths and mountain folklore were passed down by countless generations.Īppalachian culture is full of its own myths, legends, and ghost stories, many of which were made famous by TV shows such as The X-Files and Mountain Monsters. Maybe you’ve even sped up on a mountain road at night, thinking you see glowing red eyes in the woods?Īppalachian culture is known for superstitions and legends like these. Have you ever stopped yourself before walking under a ladder? Or held your breath when you’re passing a cemetery? Since settling in the mountains in the 18th and 19th centuries, Appalachian people have developed a unique blend of cultures that has its own way of thinking. Stretching from Alabama and North Georgia to Maine, the Appalachian mountain range was formed millions of years ago before being settled by Native Americans and, later, Scots-Irish, English, German, and Polish immigrants.
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