Grim & Ghostly
A Walk Through Franklin’s Darker Side
Franklin, Tennessee, is known for its charming streets and historic architecture—boasting four historic districts on the National Register and seven local historic districts. It’s so picturesque that the Hallmark channel has filmed a few movies there, including one coming out this holiday season. But lurking beneath its surface are chilling tales of restless spirits, murder, and mysteries.
The Grim & Ghostly Walking Tours offer an intimate, after-dark experience through Franklin's haunted past, weaving together the town’s Civil War history, eerie folklore, and spine-tingling ghost stories. Led by expert guides with a passion for the paranormal, these tours take participants on a journey into the shadows, revealing the hidden, haunted side of this Southern town.
We met our guide, Chelsea, in front of Landmark Booksellers on East Main Street. This Greek Revival building dates back to 1808, so it’s a literal landmark as well as being the first stop on the tour. As Williamson County’s oldest commercial building, it has received visits from Andrew Jackson and Davy Crockett, and served as a Civil War hospital, so it certainly has a lot of stories to tell.
Another stop was the Masonic Temple, built in 1823 as one of the region’s first three-story buildings. It was also the site of President Andrew Jackson’s infamous Treaty with the Chickasaw Indians wherein they were forced to cede their lands in exchange for land west of the Mississippi. Other sites were filled with tales of prohibition adventures, public scandal, murder, suicide, and the echoes of the people who lived in and traveled through Franklin.
As we strolled the downtown streets, we heard accounts of ghostly encounters and murderous escapades at infamous locations that have witnessed real tragedy and unexplained phenomena. At the Perkins-Howarth House (circa 1820)—also known as Cherry Manor—ghost walk participants see up-close evidence of the one-time girls’ school and hear of a tragic fire one of the girls may have set on purpose.
Given our interest in history and the paranormal, we have taken in a fair number of ghost walks, and we were impressed not only by the quality of the storytelling, but also the attention to detail apparent in this tour. We heard about the continual research done by the guides, were shown mysterious photos taken by previous walk participants, and learned about new specialty tours being developed.
In addition to the annual Tombstone Tour featuring costumed actors in Franklin’s historic cemeteries, a new series of tours will be hosted at the Maury-Darby Building, now home to Twine Graphics and the oldest on the town square. The history of the town square is macabre enough—the site of a former slave market and a courthouse with a history of public executions—but true crime fans will also get to learn about the two people shot to death in 1935, and enjoy special guest appearances by a psychic medium, tarot card reader, or pendulum reader depending on the night.
These tours are more than just a retelling of local legends—they offer a glimpse into Franklin’s darker history, where the spirits of the past still linger.
In case you missed it, be sure to read “Blood-Stained Floors and Silent Graves” about our tour of Carnton, which is also located in Franklin, Tennessee.