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| 600 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37219, USA (Nashville, Tennessee)
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William Strickland and Samuel Morgan
The Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville has the reputation of being haunted by an odd pairing. In 1845, architect William Strickland was hired to design the new State Capitol, shortly after the capital was moved to Nashville from nearby Knoxville. Strickland moved from Philadelphia to Nashville, assuming that the move was temporary and he would return home shortly. The legislature then decided to hire someone to oversee the project and make sure that it stayed on budget and chose Samuel Morgan. The project turned into a nine year ordeal for both men, who disliked one another immensely and were often seen screaming at one another in disagreement. Strickland died in 1854 before the project was completed and in his honor, the state of Tennessee interred his body in a newly constructed vault in the Capitol. Ironically enough, they would give Morgan the same honor at his death, so the bitter rivals are still in close proximity to one another even in death. The Tennessee State Capitol was finally completed in 1859.
Some say that on quiet nights, you can hear the two men still bickering. Police officers patrolling the property have heard the arguments and rushed to investigate, only to find the building empty and no one around. The cries seem to come from the northeast corner of the building, which just happens to be where the bodies are interred. The two men apparently have continued their feud even in the afterlife.
Don't Mess With the Capitol
Another legend that haunts the building is a ghost that will quickly admonish someone if they disrespect the Capitol in any way. Members of construction crews that were hired to renovate the building report being shoved or loudly admonished not to touch something by a ghostly voice. Others have reported rearranging furniture, only to find it returned to its original positions only moments later. Some think the ghosts of Strickland and Morgan have finally found something they actually agree on and are protecting the Capitol. Others attribute the actions to the ghost of a Confederate Soldier that has been seen on occasion in the building, as well as wandering the grounds outside.
President James K. Polk's Tomb
President James K. Polk died in 1849 and was originally buried on the grounds of his mansion in Nashville. His wife, Sarah, would join him in burial when she passed away in 1891. When the mansion was torn down ten years later, their bodies were exhumed and re-interred in a tomb on the grounds of the Capitol. Combined with memorial statues of Presidents Andrew Jackson and Andrew Johnson, all of the presidents from Tennessee are remembered on the grounds. There are stories that the re-interment of the bodies of Polk and his wife may have stirred up their spirits as well. People have reported seeing dark shapes moving in the vicinity of the tomb, as well as strange anomalies in photographs of the tomb.
The Ghost in the Tower
Finally, the tower of the Tennessee State Capitol reportedly has a ghost of its own. Passersby from the street have often reported seeing a woman walking about the tower of the building in the day, as well as night. Some seem to believe that the ghost is that of Rachel Jackson, wife of President Andrew Jackson, who died shortly after her husband's election. Rachel had previously been married before meeting Jackson and wrongfully been told that her former husband had properly divorced her. The situation was properly resolved and the Jackson's were legally remarried. During Jackson's campaign for presidency, the press of the day dug up the story and accused her of adultery. She would die of a heart attack two weeks after the victory and be buried in the dress she had bought for his inauguration. While she died in 1828, several years before construction even began on the building and has no connection to the building whatsoever, people still insist that it is her ghost that bitterly walks the tower to this day. |
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| Related Sites |
Tennessee State Capitol
The site for the Tennessee State Capitol on the Tennessee State Museum site. The Capitol is reportedly haunted by the ghosts of the two men responsible for its construction. |
Prairie Ghosts: The Haunted Capitol Building
Prairie Ghosts' entry on the haunted Tennessee Capitol Building. |
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| See Also on TheCabinet.com |
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| Available from Amazon.com |
City Ghosts: True Tales of Hauntings in America's Cities |
Strange Tales of the Dark and Bloody Ground: Authentic Accounts of Restless Spirits, Haunted Honky Tonks, and Eerie Events in Tennessee |
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