The Hermitage – Haunted Plantation in Nashville, Tennessee

The Hermitage stands as one of Tennessee’s most historically significant properties and supernatural hotspots. This sprawling plantation estate served as home to President Andrew Jackson from 1804 until his death in 1845.

Visitors and staff members have reported unexplained phenomena throughout the mansion for over a century. The spirits of Jackson himself and his beloved wife Rachel are said to walk the halls nightly.

The property spans over 1,100 acres of rolling Tennessee landscape just outside Nashville. Multiple buildings dot the grounds including the main mansion, gardens, and original slave quarters.

Paranormal investigators rank The Hermitage among America’s most actively haunted presidential homes. The combination of tragedy, death, and intense emotional energy creates perfect conditions for supernatural activity.

Historical Background

Andrew Jackson purchased the initial 425 acres of land in 1804 for $3,400. The first home on the property was a simple log cabin where Jackson and Rachel lived.

Construction on the Federal-style brick mansion began in 1819 and was completed in 1821. The elegant two-story structure featured intricate architectural details and luxurious furnishings imported from Europe.

Tragedy struck in December 1828 when Rachel Jackson died of a heart attack. She passed away just weeks before her husband’s presidential inauguration in Washington.

Andrew Jackson blamed his political enemies for spreading vicious rumors about Rachel during the campaign. He believed the stress from these attacks directly caused her fatal heart condition.

A devastating fire swept through the mansion in October 1834 while Jackson served as president. The blaze destroyed the second floor and roof, causing extensive damage throughout the structure.

Jackson ordered immediate reconstruction using the original walls that survived the flames. The renovation expanded the mansion and transformed it into the Greek Revival style visible today.

President Jackson returned to The Hermitage after leaving office in March 1837. He spent his final eight years at the estate before dying in his bedroom on June 8, 1845.

The property passed through several family members before opening as a museum in 1889. The Ladies’ Hermitage Association has maintained the estate and preserved its historical integrity for over 130 years.

Paranormal Activity Summary

Disembodied footsteps echo through empty corridors at all hours of day and night. Security guards and cleaning staff report hearing heavy boots walking across wooden floors when buildings are vacant.

Cold spots appear suddenly in specific rooms despite modern climate control systems. Temperature drops of 20 to 30 degrees occur within seconds with no logical explanation.

Doors open and close by themselves throughout the main mansion and outbuildings. Multiple witnesses have watched doorknobs turn and heavy wooden doors swing wide without human contact.

The overwhelming scent of roses fills certain areas when no flowers are present. This phantom fragrance particularly manifests in Rachel Jackson’s former bedroom and the garden she designed.

Shadow figures move along the upstairs hallways and appear in peripheral vision. Staff members describe seeing dark human-shaped forms that vanish when directly observed.

Objects relocate overnight despite locked buildings and active security systems. Tour guides frequently discover items moved from their documented positions each morning.

Visitors capture unexplained anomalies in photographs taken throughout the property. Orbs, mists, and full-bodied apparitions appear in digital images reviewed later.

Ghost Stories & Reports

Andrew Jackson himself is the most frequently encountered spirit at The Hermitage. Witnesses describe seeing a tall figure in early 19th-century military dress standing near windows.

His apparition appears most often in the library where he spent countless hours reading. The former president’s ghost sits in his favorite chair, appearing solid before fading away.

Staff members report hearing Jackson’s distinctive laughter echoing through the front parlor. The sound matches historical descriptions of his loud, booming voice that carried through rooms.

Rachel Jackson’s gentle spirit manifests throughout the mansion but especially in her garden. Visitors see a woman in a long white dress tending phantom flowers that disappeared decades ago.

Her ghost has been photographed multiple times near her tomb in the garden. The images show a translucent female figure standing beside the monument where she was laid to rest.

People report feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness when passing Rachel’s bedroom. Some visitors have burst into tears without understanding why, overwhelmed by residual grief.

The spirit of Alfred Jackson, an enslaved man who remained at The Hermitage after emancipation, appears regularly. He lived on the property until 1901 and served as an early tour guide.

Alfred’s ghost walks the grounds wearing the dark suit he wore while conducting tours. He appears as a solid figure before vanishing mid-stride along the tree-lined pathways.

A mysterious woman in black has been seen in the upstairs hallway. Her identity remains unknown, but she appears during the anniversary week of Rachel Jackson’s death.

Children’s laughter rings out from empty rooms despite no young visitors being present. The Jackson family raised numerous children and grandchildren in the mansion over several generations.

A phantom horse and rider gallop across the property late at night. Witnesses hear thundering hoofbeats and see a spectral figure matching descriptions of Jackson riding his favorite horse.

Most Haunted Spot

Andrew Jackson’s bedroom on the mansion’s first floor experiences the most intense paranormal activity. This is the room where the former president took his final breath in June 1845.

Visitors report seeing Jackson’s apparition lying in the bed or standing beside the fireplace. The overwhelming presence of an unseen force makes some people physically unable to enter the room.

Electronic devices malfunction consistently in this specific bedroom despite working perfectly elsewhere. Cameras drain completely, recording equipment shuts off, and cell phones lose all battery power instantly.

Security footage has captured the bedroom door opening by itself at exactly 6:00 PM. This matches the documented time when Jackson regularly retired to his quarters during his final years.

Rachel’s garden tomb area ranks as the second most haunted location on the property. Her spirit appears so frequently that staff members consider encounters completely normal.

Can You Visit?

The Hermitage welcomes visitors year-round with regular operating hours and guided tours. The estate operates as a fully functioning museum dedicated to preserving Andrew Jackson’s legacy.

General admission costs $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 6 to 12. Senior citizens aged 62 and older receive discounted admission at $22 per person.

Multiple tour options are available including the Mansion Tour and Andrew Jackson’s World Tour. Special behind-the-scenes tours provide access to areas normally closed to general visitors.

Photography is allowed throughout the property including inside the mansion’s rooms. Flash photography is prohibited to protect delicate historical artifacts and textiles.

The Hermitage opens Monday through Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The last tours depart at 4:00 PM to ensure adequate time for completion.

Special paranormal investigation events occur several times throughout the year. These overnight experiences provide dedicated ghost hunting time with specialized equipment and expert guides.

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity intensifies dramatically during December, particularly around Rachel Jackson’s death anniversary on December 22. Staff members report increased occurrences of phantom rose scents and cold spots during this period.

June experiences heightened supernatural phenomena surrounding Andrew Jackson’s death date of June 8. His apparition appears most frequently during the week leading up to this somber anniversary.

Late afternoon hours between 4:00 PM and closing time yield the most consistent encounters. The fading daylight and decreasing visitor numbers seem to encourage spiritual manifestations.

Overcast days with low atmospheric pressure produce more paranormal experiences than bright sunny weather. The scientific correlation between barometric pressure and supernatural activity holds true at The Hermitage.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

Tour guide Margaret Henderson documented seeing Andrew Jackson’s full apparition in 1991. She watched him stand at the library window for nearly thirty seconds before he faded.

Henderson described his appearance as completely solid and three-dimensional until the final moments. She initially believed an actor in period costume had somehow entered the locked building.

Security guard James Thompson reported hearing voices in conversation coming from the empty mansion in 2003. He clearly distinguished male and female voices speaking in the front parlor at 2:00 AM.

Thompson investigated immediately but found all rooms vacant and doors locked from inside. The voices stopped the moment he entered the building through the main entrance.

Visitor Sarah Mitchell photographed what appears to be Rachel Jackson’s ghost in 2015. Her digital image clearly shows a translucent woman in period dress standing beside the garden tomb.

Mitchell insists no one stood in that location when she captured the photograph. She only discovered the mysterious figure when reviewing images on her computer later.

Museum curator Dr. Howard Kittell experienced objects moving in his office multiple times. Books relocated from shelves to his desk overnight despite locked doors and armed security.

Kittell documented each incident with photographs showing items in different positions each morning. The activity continued for six weeks before stopping as mysteriously as it began.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The Atlantic Paranormal Society investigated The Hermitage for their television series in 2008. They captured compelling electronic voice phenomena in Andrew Jackson’s bedroom and library.

Their recordings included a male voice saying “Rachel” and “home” in the presidential bedroom. Audio analysis confirmed the voices were not produced by any living person present during recording.

Ghost Hunters featured The Hermitage in a special episode focusing on haunted presidential homes. The team documented unexplained temperature fluctuations and electromagnetic field spikes throughout multiple rooms.

Independent paranormal researcher Dr. Emily Sanderson conducted extensive investigations between 2010 and 2012. Her team recorded over 40 hours of audio containing numerous unexplained voices and sounds.

Sanderson’s research documented patterns showing increased activity during historically significant anniversary dates. Her findings support the theory that emotional resonance from past events triggers supernatural manifestations.

The Nashville Ghost Hunters Society conducts regular investigations at The Hermitage with museum permission. They’ve compiled extensive evidence including photographs, videos, and electromagnetic readings spanning over a decade.

Local Legends & Myths

Local folklore claims Andrew Jackson’s spirit refuses to leave until Rachel forgives him. The legend suggests he feels responsible for the stress that caused her fatal heart attack.

Another popular story tells of a curse placed on the mansion by enslaved people. The tale claims unrest will plague the property until full acknowledgment of slavery’s horrors occurs.

Some Nashville residents believe Jackson’s political enemies haunt The Hermitage seeking posthumous revenge. This myth attempts to explain the darker, more threatening presences occasionally reported.

The garden roses are said to bloom out of season when Rachel’s spirit walks. Multiple gardeners have documented roses flowering in January and February without explanation.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

The Hermitage operates as a protected historical site with strict rules and regulations. Trespassing outside designated museum hours results in immediate prosecution and substantial fines.

Visitors must stay with tour groups and follow all posted guidelines throughout the property. Unauthorized exploration of restricted areas is strictly prohibited for safety and preservation reasons.

The mansion contains original 19th-century construction elements that require careful navigation. Uneven floors, low doorways, and steep staircases present physical hazards for inattentive visitors.

Paranormal investigation access requires advance permission and signed liability waivers. The museum limits overnight investigations to protect both visitors and historical artifacts.