East Tennessee State University

Posted: 02.12.2025 | Updated: 02.12.2025

On any given night, inside a dark and quiet college dormitory, students are rudely awakened by the mysterious sound of children playing upstairs. Some say they feel the presence of spirits watching over them as they sleep or eyes from a painting following them in the hallway as they’re on their way to class.

While these stories may sound like something straight out of Hogwarts, they are actually tales from a university in a small southern town in East Tennessee located near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Are you ready to learn more about the most bone-chilling ghost tales of the South? Schedule your tour with Gatlinburg Haunts today to find out more about the creepiest location in the heart of the Smoky Mountains and surrounding areas.

Is East Tennessee State University Haunted?

The halls of East Tennessee State University see plenty of activity after hours, and it’s not just from students heading to a late-night party at a nearby dorm. 

Throughout the years, there have been multiple stories shared of ghost encounters, making ETSU not only one of the most haunted institutions in the state but also in the nation.

About East Tennessee State University  

Located near the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee in Johnson City, TN, ETSU was Initially known as East Tennessee State Normal School. The university opened its doors with 29 students registering on its first day in 1911. 

At that time, the school offered both a four-year curriculum and a two-year normal curriculum consisting of English, History, and Science, as well as classes in industrial and agricultural training.

East Tennessee State University now offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs for the 15,000 students who enroll there each year. This accredited school offers students a great balance of higher education opportunities and exposure to Appalachian culture, which includes the local’s fascination with urban legends and lore.  

The Ghosts of ETSU

The historic campus of ETSU is home to many of East Tennessee’s most haunting tales involving everything from accidental deaths to tragic plane crashes. Many students, both current and alumni, recount having a spooky experience on campus. 

There are many stories of students hearing strange noises or feeling a dark presence follow them as they make their way back to their dorms after a long night of studying.

Perhaps the most haunted location at the school is the mysterious Lucille Clement Hall.

The Ghosts that Haunt Lucille Clement Hall

You can’t talk about the ghosts of ETSU without mentioning the eerie Lucille Clement Hall. This five-story housing unit has endured the majority of ghostly activity on campus thanks to the spirit of a young boy the locals refer to as “Marble Boy.”

Although his real name is unknown, Marble Boy has been a popular legend in the area for many years. According to the legend, a young boy was playing with his marbles on the tiled floor in one of the upper stories of the building.

A few of the marbles got away from him and fell down a nearby elevator shaft. As the boy ran to retrieve them, he fell down the shaft to his unfortunate death.

In the middle of the night, students staying at the Lucille Clement Hall can hear the sound of marbles rolling on the floor upstairs. They also hear the marbles crashing against the floor one by one. It’s been said that yelling for the boy to stop will only make matters worse and cause him to drop the marbles against the floor repeatedly, making more noise.

Marble Boy is not alone in his hijinks. There are also claims of the spirit of a young girl, known as Sink Girl or Lucy. Lucy is believed to be responsible for tampering with the sinks in the building, as faucets mysteriously shut off and on throughout the night.

Victims of the 1985 Plane Crash

Accompanying Marble Boy and Lucy in Lucille Clements Hall are the spirits of what many alums believe were the victims of the plane crash that occurred in the school’s parking lot in 1985. The jet plane barely missed the hall when it crashed, resulting in the death of three passengers.

Students who live in the dorm have reported their TVs changing channels on their own, the elevator opening and closing when no one is there, and objects like bottles of soda flying off surfaces. Some have also mentioned seeing the apparition of a woman who watches over you while you sleep, as well as the ghost of a mysterious man who disappears after speaking a creepy, barely audible message.

Sidney Gilbreath

Sidney Gilbreath was the first president of ETSU when the university opened in 1911. Although he passed away in January 1961, his presence has never left the school. 

Known as Uncle Sid, he will wander around the halls of the building, closing all the doors and windows during thunderstorms. There have also been reports of Uncle Sid telling students to get to class and turning off the lights in unoccupied classrooms. 

While it can be unsettling, most students who have encountered this ghost have remarked they are not scared, and he seems to be a friendly spirit.

Christine Burleson

In the 1960s, Burleson Hall gained its own ghost story following the death of Professor Christine Burleson. Christine was the daughter of David Sinclair Burleson, who was one of the first faculty members of ETSU, serving as an instructor and the chairman of the mathematics department.

Christine taught Shakespeare literature at the school before becoming a wheelchair user following the diagnosis of a harmful disease. Due to her hardships, Christine felt like she was a burden to her family and, unfortunately, became so depressed that she took her own life.

The spirit of Christine has been seen following students around the building and watching over them. There is a portrait of her father hanging in the hallway, whose eyes seem to move and follow you in every direction. According to legend, the eyes belong to Christine, not David.

The Ghost of Cooper Hall

The ghost of Cooper Hall has a long history attached to it. The ghost, known by the locals as Alice, is believed to be the spirit of the daughter of a wealthy business owner named George Carter. George donated the land that the ETSU campus is built upon.

Alice once fell in love with a young man her father disapproved of. Because she was forbidden to be with her true love, Alice took her own life by ingesting a lethal amount of rat poison. 

Her father was so distraught by her death that he had a stained-glass window made immortalizing her. The window was installed in the family home.

After George died in 1936, the house was abandoned for several years before ETSU purchased it to use as a dormitory for female students. It was renamed Cooper Hall. That’s when the hauntings began.

Students who lived at Cooper Hall reported hearing a female voice singing in the halls and sometimes screaming in the middle of the night. Objects would often go missing and later turn up in different locations. Some residents said they felt like they were being watched at night.

After the house was abandoned, the stained-glass window was removed and relocated. It has since been lost. However, many of the menacing events that took place inside Cooper Hall occurred in the area where the window was originally installed.

The Truth Behind George Carter’s Child

A local Johnson City historian named Ray Stahl researched the history of George Carter and Cooper Hall for a story and made a remarkable discovery. He found there were no records of George Carter and his wife ever having a daughter. So, was there any truth to the legend of the Cooper Hall Ghost?

The legend may still be true, with a few changes added. Carter’s only child was a son named James Walter Carter. 

During his research, Stahl found old photos of the Carter family and saw that John was a beautiful child with long, flowing hair. George and his wife had wanted a baby girl, and perhaps they held that against their son, causing him unnecessary pain and torment.

Cooper Hall was later closed as a dormitory, and the building became an office space and later a radio station for the campus. Students still had encounters with spirits during this time.  The building was eventually torn down in 1984.

Haunted Gatlinburg

It’s uncertain why so many spirits cling to the ETSU campus. Perhaps they feel at home in the peaceful surroundings of the Appalachian mountains. 

Those who have worked there in the past, like Christine Burleson and her father, may take comfort in being around such familiar surroundings and staying close to the students. Whatever the reason, their stories have become a strong part of the school’s and Johnson City’s history.

If you would like to learn more about all the haunted areas in Gatlinburg and throughout the U.S., be sure to check out our blog, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram accounts for the latest updates. And be sure to book your next tour with Gatlinburg Haunts the next time you stay in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge.

Sources:

• https://www.etsu.edu/global-engagement/education-abroad/aboutetsu.php

• https://easttennessean.com/2018/10/29/etsu-is-one-of-the-most-haunted-campuses-in-the-nation/

• https://easttennessean.com/2022/10/15/what-haunts-etsus-campus/#google_vignette

• https://www.wjhl.com/haunted-tri-cities/haunted-tri-cities-a-look-inside-the-halls-of-etsu/

• https://jayboy74.tripod.com/story14.html