The Spirits of Pegram County Cemetery
In the small, unassuming town of Pegram, Tennessee, lies the Pegram County Cemetery, a place steeped in history and shrouded in mystery. Unlike other cemeteries that serve as serene resting places for the departed, Pegram County Cemetery is reputed to be a hotbed of otherworldly activity.
Stories of ghostly apparitions, disembodied voices, and inexplicable occurrences have become synonymous with this cemetery. This is not your ordinary cemetery; in fact, it is far worse. The land that you are walking on is something you would not expect.
Why is the Pegram County Cemetery haunted?
One of the most significant periods in the cemetery’s history is the Civil War era. Uncover the ghostly impact that the perils of war had on this unassuming cemetery in our blog, and to hear some of these tragic tales in person, book a Nashville ghost tour with Nashville Ghosts.
The Chilling History of The Cemetery
Pegram County Cemetery dates back to the early 19th century, with the first recorded burial occurring in 1825. The cemetery was established to serve the small farming community that settled in the area. Over the years, it became the final resting place for many of Pegram’s residents, including Civil War soldiers, victims of epidemics, and everyday townsfolk.
One of the most significant periods in the cemetery’s history is the Civil War era. Tennessee, being a pivotal battleground state, saw numerous skirmishes and battles. Pegram, though small, was not immune to the war’s ravages. The cemetery contains the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers, many of whom died violent and untimely deaths.
The Pegram Family Cemetery was sitting and deteriorating until the 1970s when things began to change. A group of individuals purchased the land and razed a stretch of land that was located along a river, which included the Pegram Family Cemetery.
The developers took proper precautions and removed those buried in the cemetery before they began building homes. However, five short years later, the Harpeth River had risen thirty feet, unearthing a coffin with the remains of Mrs. Carrie Pegram Heath. This incident garnered major attention, which revealed that the developers weren’t as caring with the graves as they’d claimed.
Regardless, the developers were allowed to continue their builds, and though Mrs. Heath was reburried, her coffin would resurface again during another flood. Mrs. Heath would once again being interred, but her soul is hardly at rest.
Hauntings at the Pegram County Cemetery
Following Mrs. Heath’s re-interrment, strange things began happening in the town. It wasn’t just the cemetery that was cursed; the developers had sold the dirt they’d taken from the cemetery and sold it to other builds around town. Unusual flooding occurred regularly, flooding the basements of homeowners, primarily those whose homes were built on the sacred dirt.
Then, fires began to ravage the town. The local supermarket eerily burned down, along with various other buildings and homes. What was more odd, some of the fires would reignite long after being extinguished. It seemed that the poor practices of the developers created a curse that the town could not escape – one that exists to this day.
Visitors to the area don’t leave without a good spooky story or two to take home with them. A creepy feeling is said to wash over people as they enter the town. One person has claimed that tombstones can still be found in the yards of some of the homes.
One account tells of a couple that was lying in bed when they heard a mysterious voice on the other side of the wall. “Well, you believe that you got it bad?” the couple claimed to hear, believing it was a man in his thirties. The couple searched the home and electronics but found nothing that would have produced the voice. Today, the couple is often greeted by a “hello” when they walk up their stairs.
Another tale features a family who moved into the area in 1976. The night that the family moved into their home, they experienced a tremor not normal to the area. The shaking continued, and it would affect various house in the neighborhood – all built on the dirt from the cemetery.
Haunted Nashville
Pegram County Cemetery’s haunted reputation is built on a foundation of historical events, local legends, and documented otherworldly encounters. For more haunted history of Tennessee, check out our blog. Take a trip down cursed lane to see some of Tennessee’s most haunted locations in person on a Nashville ghost tour with Nashville Ghosts!
Sources:
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/nashville/nashville-haunted-cemetery/
http://www.ghostsofamerica.com/3/Tennessee_Pegram_ghost_sightings.html
http://paranormalstories.blogspot.com/2017/09/pegram-family-cemetery.html
https://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/pegram-family-cemetery-location/
