Bell Witch Cave
National Register of Historic Places

Bell Witch Cave

Adams, Robertson County, Tennessee
Listed
March 21, 2008
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
08000237

About this property

The Bell Witch Cave is a karst cave located in Robertson County, Tennessee near the city of Adams, where the Bell Farm once stood. The cave is approximately 490 feet (150 m) long. The cave is privately owned, and tours are given during the summer months and in October. This cave has been associated with the haunting of the Bell Witch, a period during which the Bell family was allegedly haunted by an entity now referred to as the "Bell Witch." The cave is located on property once owned by the Bell family. Many believe that when the witch departed the family, she fled to the sanctuary of this cave. In the particular legend in which the cave is featured, young Betsy Bell and some of her friends had gone to explore the cave. While they were there, one of the boys crawled into a hole and became stuck. A voice cried out, "I'll get him out!" The boy felt hands grasping his feet, and he was pulled out of the hole. The supposed entity (still invisible), then gave the young explorers a lecture on reckless cave exploring. According to science writer Brian Dunning, while the cave is close to the Bell family homestead, it did not play any role in the original Bell Witch stories. The alleged cave adventures by the Bell children were created and written many years after the event.

Location

430 Keysburg Rd.
Adams, Robertson County, Tennessee
36.59145, -87.05554

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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The Land
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Geology
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Nearby Historic Sites

Red River Blockhouse Number 1
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1.5 mi
Glen Raven
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4.1 mi
Port Royal Road
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5.3 mi
Woodard, Thomas Jr., Farm
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6.8 mi
Wessyngton
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6.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bell Witch Cave listed on the National Register?

Bell Witch Cave was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 21, 2008.

What type of historic resource is Bell Witch Cave?

Bell Witch Cave is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bell Witch Cave?

The period of significance for Bell Witch Cave is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Bell Witch Cave?

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