Chattanooga's most famous haunting has a room number: 311 at the Read House Hotel, where a guest named Annalisa was murdered and is said to make her displeasure known, especially to male guests. The list widens from there: ghostly porters at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo depot, a woman at the Hunter Museum's windows above the Tennessee River, and the disputed underground city whose tunnels still run beneath downtown. Here is where the river city's ghosts gather.
Haunted Places in Chattanooga
The Read House Hotel: Operating since 1872, the Read House Hotel is known for having a serious haunting or two. The hotel itself has an eclectic, art deco vibe to its lobby and billiards room. However, it is room 311 where all the paranormal action resides, and most of it is attributed to a former guest. Annalisa was brutally murdered inside 311’s bathroom, apparently by her husband, and she’s been known to play havoc in the room. Lights turn on and off and male guests complain of feeling an angry pair of eyes boring into their back. The Hunter Museum: Sitting on one of the highest bluffs along the Tennesse River, the Hunter Museum has a storied past. At some point in the 1920s the property was bought by members of the Thomas family, one of the founders of Coca-Cola. A nephew, George Thomas Hunter, was an antiques and art collector who set up the foundation that keeps the museum open to this day. It might have been a mysterious murder in 1914 that set the stage for the hauntings. While the story is a long one, the ghost of a woman has been reported staring out of the windows and walking the bluff’s paths in the evenings.
The Depot: The Chattanooga Choo-Choo lives on–and not just in song. The historic train depot has been renovated and restored as downtown’s shining jewel. Besides the history, restaurants, hotels and shopping available, sightings of ghostly porters in 1800s garb have been reported mingling among the tourists. Also detected: passengers who fade away before one’s eyes, a crying child–both seen and heard, and Civil War soldiers seen waiting to board a train before disappearing. Underground Chattanooga: Have you ever walked a downtown sidewalk, only to be told there is another city right beneath your feet? Apparently that’s one more oddity Chattanooga has going for it. In the 1970s Dr. Jeff Brown, an archeologist, noticed the tops of buildings peeking up through the streets of downtown. He did his research and came to the conclusion that, due to the devastating floods from the Tennessee River, the people decided to rebuild the town on top of the original. While many dispute his findings it is true that downtown Chattanooga has a tunnel system that spreads throughout the city. Locals and shop owners that still have access to the tunnels report eerie vibes in the basements and some have seen apparitions that disappear into the caves. Mountain City Club: Originally chartered in 1889, the Mountain City Club is a private entity in downtown Chattanooga. It serves the community by fosteringthe economic and cultural progress of the city. The Club has relocated several times since its inception and two of the sites are said to have an eerie vibe when passing by. Cold spots, taps on the shoulder and the feeling of being watched are a few of the complaints. At night, the sounds of laughter and glasses clinking that emanate from a dark garden tell tales from the Club’s past.
Questions people ask
What is the most haunted hotel in Chattanooga?
The Read House, operating since 1872. Room 311 is the center of it: Annalisa, murdered in the room's bathroom, is blamed for lights turning on and off and for the angry stare male guests report feeling at their backs.
Is the Chattanooga Choo-Choo depot haunted?
Reports say so. The restored train depot draws sightings of porters in 1800s dress moving among the tourists, passengers who fade from view, a crying child, and Civil War soldiers waiting for a train that never comes.
Is there really an underground city in Chattanooga?
There is a tunnel system beneath downtown, and archaeologist Dr. Jeff Brown argued in the 1970s that flooding pushed the city to rebuild on top of its original street level. The theory is disputed, but locals with basement access report eerie feelings and apparitions that vanish into the passages.
