Big Bull Tunnel is a utilitarian fixture in Southwest Virginia. It’s never been an actual attraction, simply another train tunnel in Wise County. It’s difficult to believe the arched throughway has such a dark and mysterious history. Construction was so problematic, and so many mishaps followed, that many suspected the structure was cursed. Rumors claim […]
Tag: ghost stories
The Nocturnal Wayfarer
Col. John Murphy was a Civil War veteran when he became one of most notable hotel magnates in Richmond, Virginia. Few people knew the successful businessman was involved in a ghostly tale of his own. A well-dressed young man named Jones visited the Murphy Hotel in 1893. He had worked as a missionary among the […]
The Mine’s Vengeful Wraith
An old southwest Virginia mine operator visited a historic tavern in Richmond. He loved the hustle and modern life in the city. It was the 1890s and he was well into his golden years. He ordered a drink and soon curious regulars directed the conversation to life in the mines. The story he told brought […]
The Featherbed Ghost
Dances were a common fixture of Appalachian life well into the early Dances were a common fixture of Appalachian life well into the early Twentieth Century. They were a form of entertainment, as well as a public forum to discuss community events and efforts. Everyone danced, feasted, and sang until well after midnight. Entire families […]
Ring of Fire
Burton Hensley was an out-of-state peddler when he arrived in the blossoming town of Bristol, Virginia. He was not a great success, but adequately provided for himself. The locals told Burton of a great mansion just about ten miles away. They suggested he travel there and speak with the landowner. With such a large mansion […]
Cold and Dark
Amery Harlan hated his wife. He hated her nagging and her constant push for him to be something he wasn’t. He’d became enamored by Martha Mills and she had returned his favor. Amery didn’t want a divorce, though. He didn’t want to be bothered with the formalities and legal mumbo-jumbo. He didn’t want to waste […]
The Cocks Crowed
T. Gilley was a showman of epic proportions. He was flashy, gaudy, and no matter how many claimed to hate him, he drew a crowd every Saturday morning. T. Gilley held illegal cock fights outside the West Hill Cemetery in Bristol. Despite the fact that they were breaking the law, men of all ages tended […]
Spirited Tuckahoe
This home, near Jamestown, Virginia, is also known as the “Randolph family mansion.” Most of the world, however, knows it as “Tuckahoe.” This home has a lengthy history of legend and haunting. The legend and lore behind it has been discussed for centuries. The house’s origins remain debatable because of its early age. Some records […]
Waverley Hills Sanatorium
Does it really have a “body chute?” Did 100,000 people die in this hospital? Questions are plentiful when it comes to the Waverley Hills Sanatorium, but the urban legends are more colorful than the history. Many paranormal shows on television have covered the infamous Waverly Hills. It has been featured 3 times on Syfy’s Ghost […]
The Bunny Man
The Bunny Man legend has made its way through many states in the nation, but most people still don’t know how it started. Who was the “Bunny Man?” This staple of urban myth is a common tale in my state of Virginia. As a matter of fact, the Bunny Man originated in Fairfax County, Virginia, […]