Nashville Haunted Handbook (Paperback or Softback)

Nashville Haunted Handbook is the second book in the new Haunted Handbook line within the popular America's Haunted Road Trip series. The Haunted Handbooks are city-specific travel guides to nearly one hundred places within a major city.

Each of the places in Nashville Haunted Handbook is presented in a two-page spread that includes directions, a brief history, details about how the place is haunted, and advice on visiting the place. Each spread also includes one or two photos. The places are organized into sections, including schoolhouses, roads and bridges, hotels and inns, and others.

Nashville Haunted Handbook is written with the ghost enthusiast in mind. All 100 chapters contain information on the history as well as the haunting surrounding each location, as well as detailed directions on how to locate each site. Many of the chapters also contain insider information that only a local would know, making it easier for ghost hunters to investigate.

EXCERPTS

Dyer Cemetery
8538 Dyer Rd., Rockvale, TN 37153

Directions
Take I-24 East for about 23 miles to Exit 74A, TN 840 West toward Franklin. Follow this road for a little more than 2 miles to Exit 50 toward Beesley Road, and then turn left at the end of the exit ramp onto Veterans Parkway. After another 2 miles, turn right onto Franklin Road. Take your second left onto Kingwood Lane. Follow Kingwood for another 2.5 miles before turning right onto Windrow Road. Follow Windrow for 3 miles before angling right onto South Windrow Road. After another mile, turn right onto Dyer Road. The cemetery is near the end of Dyer Road.

History
When they needed a place to bury their loved ones, a family in this remote area with the last name of Dyer established the Dyer Cemetery in the early 1800s. Since this property was somewhat remote, it made sense for them to create their familys cemetery on the grounds. Eventually the cemetery fell into the care of the Leathers family who lived nearby. The Leathers family cares for the cemetery today.

A strange story circulates about the cemetery. The story takes place in the 1800s, but it is unclear whether the events occurred before or after the Dyer family started using the land as their own. What happened was that three women in a nearby town were accused of being witches and of conspiring with Satan. They fled the town but were followed by a lynch mob to what was or what would become the Dyers property. Eventually the witches were cornered, and the mob hung the witches from a tree and then burned their bodies. Their charred remains were buried where the cemetery is today.

Ghost story
Victims of the ghosts here are most often initially approached at the front gate. Due to the terrain and the condition of the gate itself, it is difficult to push open in order to enter the cemetery. Many times, though, people who are struggling to open the gate will have it suddenly fling open for no apparent reason.

Once inside the gate, there is no lack of ghostly activity. Visitors will encounter shadowy figures that approach quickly and maliciously and then vanish. Footsteps will approach people in the dark of the cemetery, but no one will be there. Most of this activity will occur near the rear of the cemetery.

In the front of the cemetery, a cedar tree is rumored to have been the tree where the witches were hung. Near this tree, people will feel a hand grab an arm or shoulder but then turn around and find no one there. Others will feel scratches that resemble either fingernails or straw running down an arm. Sometimes, balls of fire will appear near the tree and will slowly ascend the tree and then disappear. If the story of the witches is actually true, the ghosts seem to be quite upset.

Visiting
Unfortunately, in order to see the ghosts here you will have to go at night. The strange behavior of the front gate, the shadowy figures, the balls of fire, and the sounds have been exclusively reported after nightfall. From what we can tell, it seems that the cemetery is open after dark. If you do go there at night, make certain that you search for any signs along the road or at the front gate that suggest that the cemetery closes at dusk. These rules are always subject to change, so even if the cemetery is open all night now, that rule may change tomorrow.

Also, keep in mind that this cemetery is rather remote. Make sure to keep your safety in mind at all times. Dont go alone. And dont approach the shadowy figures; they may just be real people up to no good.

Grave of Granny White
Travelers Ridge Drive and Granny White Pike, Nashville, TN 37220

Directions
This strange location is about 5 miles outside of downtown Nashville. Simply take 12th Avenue South from the city. After a couple miles, the road changes its name to Granny White Pike. Follow the same road for a