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Tennessee Legends

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Tennessee Legends: 12 stories people tell across 6 regions, each with what the named sources say is actually documented. Vote believe it or no way, then see the answer, and collect them all. The stories are for fun; the facts are sourced.

  • 12Stories with named sources
  • 6Regions, Memphis to the mountains
  • 41Sources, linked on each page
  • Oct 30Checked, 2026
Collected 0 of 12All legends

Nashville Area

Memphis & West Tennessee

Knoxville Area

Chattanooga & Southeast

Tri-Cities & Northeast

Southern Middle Tennessee

How We Choose

A story is listed only if at least one named source covers it: a state or federal agency, an archive, a university, the Tennessee Encyclopedia, or a named newspaper. We tell the story, then say what is documented and what is not. Paranormal claims are always given as “according to” a named source. Every legend belongs to a real public place that is open to visitors, never a private home. Nothing here points to land a Tribe asks visitors to avoid, and Native sacred places are not part of this trail. No story that blames a victim, and none about a private person.

Looked for and Not Found

We searched for these and found no source we could name, so they are not on the trail:

  • Tennessee State Library and Archives Bell Witch page
  • NPS page on Bell Witch or Crockett bears
  • USGS statement of Reelfoot Lake as wholly new
  • Guinness record for the Lost Sea on any primary page
  • National Natural Landmark status on any NPS page
  • A tn.gov or loc.gov page on the Scopes trial
  • The Casey Jones museum's own page on the wreck or ballad
  • A Tennessee Encyclopedia entry for the Lost Sea
  • A documented person named Mary tied to the Orpheum
  • Memphis or Shelby County archives page on the Orpheum ghost
  • A Tennessee Encyclopedia Orpheum Theatre entry
  • The origin of the Elvis-is-alive idea in an allowed source
  • The parrot at Jackson's funeral in any Hermitage page or the Tennessee Encyclopedia
  • Library of Congress or National Park Service page on Nearest Green
  • Tennessee Encyclopedia entry on Nearest Green
  • Library of Congress or dated newspaper record of the MoonPie coal miner request
  • Lookout Mountain-only casualty figures and the first use of the name Battle Above the Clouds

Keep Exploring

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Tennessee legends true?

Some have a documented core and some do not. Each page tells the story first and then lists what named sources confirm.

Does my vote count anywhere?

Votes and your collected set stay in your own browser. We do not store or share them.

Can I visit the places?

Each legend page names a real public place that belongs to it and links to its official page. Stay on public paths and follow posted rules; we do not point to private land.

Still Unconfirmed

  • Tennessee Historical Commission marker text for the Bell Witch (only on hmdb.org)
  • Andrew Jackson visit to the Bells (no contemporary record found)
  • https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nnlandmarks/state.htm?State=TN (placeholder page, no content)
  • https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/72001251_text (not confirmed; check with the National Park Service)
  • https://www.tnhistoryforkids.org/history/people/casey-jones/ (read, but not used as proof; not on the allowed list)
  • https://thehermitage.com/learn/andrew-jackson/ (no relevant content)
  • Historical Marker Database listing for the Orpheum (seen only in search results, not opened; fire date October 17 reported)
  • Ghost-origin tellings for Mary (blogs and a podcast; not allowed as proof)
  • Jack Daniel's own history pages (jackdaniels.com/our-story/our-history, the Black History Month page on Nearest and Jack, and the Vault page on how Jack Daniel came to make whiskey) are not used here; their details on Dan Call and apprenticeship dates are unconfirmed. Check with Jack Daniel's.
  • The Jack Daniel Distillery tours page used as the home link appeared in a search result and is not confirmed here.
  • The Uncle Nearest site (nearestgreen.com) did not mention Shelbyville or Jack Daniel's on the page we read; the Shelbyville distillery detail comes from the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development page.
  • House Joint Resolution 364We read its text but did not confirm it was adopted.
  • The MoonPie shop blog page (shop.moonpie.com) is not cited.

Sources

  1. Bell Witch, by William T. Turner (Tennessee Encyclopedia, Tennessee Historical Society)
  2. Bewitched in Tennessee (North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources blog, December 20, 2016)
  3. Summary of 1811-1812 New Madrid Earthquakes Sequence (U.S. Geological Survey, October 2, 2019)
  4. Earthquakes, 1811-12, by Allen R. Coggins (Tennessee Encyclopedia)
  5. Reelfoot Lake State Park entry (titled "Reelt Lake State Resort Park" on the page), by Carroll Van West (Tennessee Encyclopedia)
  6. Reelfoot Lake Highlights (Tennessee State Parks)
  7. Reelfoot Lake State Park (Tennessee State Parks)
  8. Crockett, David "Davy", by Michael A. Lofaro (Tennessee Encyclopedia)
  9. Bear Hunting in Tennessee, from Narrative of the Life of David Crockett of the State of Tennessee (1834), edited by Angel Price (University of Virginia, Twain at Large)
  10. David Crockett (University of Virginia, Twain at Large)
  11. David Crockett Birthplace State Park (Tennessee State Parks)
  12. The Scopes Trial (Tennessee Encyclopedia, Tennessee Historical Society)
  13. Rhea Heritage and Scopes Trial Museum – About (Rhea County Historical Society)
  14. Rhea County Courthouse (Rhea County Historical Society)
  15. Rogers Pharmacy, Thomison Hospital, and Wilkey Barbershop (Rhea County Historical Society)
  16. Jonathan Luther "Casey" Jones (Tennessee Encyclopedia, Tennessee Historical Society)
  17. The Folklore and Folksong of Trains in America, Part Two (Library of Congress Folklife blog)
  18. Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum (official site)
  19. History of the Lost Sea (Lost Sea Adventure, official site)
  20. Our History (Orpheum Theatre Memphis, official site)
  21. Elvis History 1974-1977 (Graceland, official site)
  22. Graceland (Tennessee Encyclopedia)
  23. Elvis Sightings page (Graceland, official site)
  24. Andrew Jackson's Tomb (The Hermitage, official site)
  25. Garden & Mansion Features (The Hermitage, official site)
  26. Jackson, Andrew (Tennessee Encyclopedia)
  27. Jack Daniel Distillery (Tennessee Encyclopedia)
  28. Historic Distilleries (Tennessee Encyclopedia)
  29. Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniel's join forces to launch the Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative, June 11, 2020 (Jack Daniel's press room)
  30. House Joint Resolution 364, 111th General Assembly (State of Tennessee, capitol.tn.gov); a legislative tribute resolution
  31. 10 Places to Celebrate Black History Year-Round in Tennessee (Tennessee Department of Tourist Development)
  32. Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey (official site of the Nearest Green brand)
  33. About Us (MoonPie / Chattanooga Bakery, official site)
  34. Chattanooga Bakery Company (Tennessee Encyclopedia)
  35. Cravens House (National Park Service)
  36. Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (National Park Service)
  37. Grant at Lookout Mountain (National Park Service)
  38. The Battles for Chattanooga (National Park Service)
  39. November 24 (Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, National Park Service)
  40. Lookout Mountain (Tennessee Encyclopedia)
  41. Chickamauga and Chattanooga, Battles of (Tennessee Encyclopedia)

Read on October 30, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? tell us.

Cite this page: It's Tennessee, “Tennessee Legends”, itstennessee.com/legends/ (updated ). By the It's Tennessee editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.

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