The haunted Cabin on Roaring Fork

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The Haunted Cabin On Roaring Fork

There’s a strange cabin in an even stranger part of Tennessee that has become a deep part of their local folklore. The town in question is Gatlinburg, which is a stunningly beautiful slice of Blue Mountain heaven. 

Driving alongside the roads near the White Forks River will yield nature photographs worthy of National Geographic. However, steeped in the lush growth of Gatlinburg’s natural beauty are numerous log cabins, some of which are older than sliced bread. 

One such cabin is known as the Cabin on Roaring Fork. While this name might not sound very distinctive, locals will immediately know which cabin you’re referring to if you ask them about it. However, its notability doesn’t come from its old age or unique design.

It comes from its mysterious inhabitant, who many believe to be a ghost who’s wandered these woods for over a century now.

Keep reading on to learn just who this ghost could be. After you’re done, we’re sure you’ll want to learn even more about haunted Tennessee. The best way to do that is by booking an in-person ghost tour with Gatlinburg Haunts.

Is the Cabin on Roaring Fork Haunted?

Ask just about any local, and they’ll tell you that there’s no doubt it is. There are too many unexplained events that have happened there for them to see any other possible explanation. 

But to fully explain where this ghost may have come from, it’s first necessary to go back in time and find out how so many cabins sprang up around here in the first place. 

History of the Cabin

Old man at cabin
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

The history of Gatlinburg—and the many cabins that dot its landscape—is curious and fascinating. It begins in 1802 when an early American settler named William Ogle fell in love with the scenery of the Smoky Mountains. While hunting there, he discovered an isolated clearing that would one day be called White Oaks Flats. 

He knew that such a clearing would yield a beautiful crop if someone was bold enough to build a farm on it. Knowing that he was up for the task of building a farm so close to his favorite mountain ranges, he hurried home to tell his family what he’d seen. He also told them of his plans: to start chopping logs to prepare for the log cabin he would build on White Oaks Flats. 

Unfortunately, right after he’d finished chopping the logs, Ogle was stricken with malaria and died in 1803 while preparing for the move. However, his widow kept his dream alive and established her late husband’s dream cabin. 

This was just the beginning of Gatlinburg, which soon evolved from a rural hamlet into a thriving town. Others had heard of the bountiful White Oaks Flats and soon moved in with their own log cabins. 

One of those men was a bombastic man by the name of Radford C. Gatlin. Despite owning the town general store, he was not a beloved figure. Perhaps it was due to his Democratic leanings in a town full of Republicans. 

Or perhaps it was his constant preaching towards visitors to his shop. Whatever the reason, he ended up feuding with his neighbors so much that he was actually banished from the town

Hauntings at Cabin on Roaring Fork

Woman ghost on road
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

Only one ghost is said to haunt the Cabin on Roaring Fork, and it’s a sad tale. Her name is Lucy, and these days, if you’re quiet enough and come to Gatlinburg when the weather is just right, you may be able to get a glimpse of her. 

One visitor to town certainly did back in 1909. His name was Foster, and, by all accounts, he was a well-to-do gentleman of good humor and from a good family. Yet, he was still a bachelor in his thirties, unusual at the time. Most folks just said that he enjoyed his own company too much to settle down. 

But one day, that notion was challenged when he came across a barefoot young woman walking near the Roaring Fork River. She looked to be in distress and told Foster that she had sprained her ankle while walking the trail.  

Ever the gentleman, Foster offered her a ride in his horse-drawn carriage. She told him her name was Lucy and gave him directions to her home. They had a conversation along the way that captivated Foster. She was well-spoken, funny, and utterly charming to him. 

He dropped her off at home and they said their goodbyes. That may have been the end of it, but for whatever reason, Foster could not get the woman out of his mind over the next few days. He decided to do something about it, and he went back to her house, flowers in hand. Foster was set on marrying Lucy and he wasn’t leaving her place without an answer. 

After he hitched his horse and knocked on the door, it was an old man who answered the door. Lucy was nowhere in sight. 

Lucy the Elusive 

Confused, Foster entered the little house. The old man’s wife offered him tea and while sipping it, Foster had the strangest sense that this old couple expected him to come calling. At the very least, they didn’t seem all that surprised that he was here. 

“You must be Lucy’s parents!” Foster said after a time. The old man nodded as he took the seat across from Foster. 

“I was the one who gave her a ride in the cold after she sprained her ankle. I know it was only a short ride that we shared together, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it after all this time. I’ve come to ask for her hand in marriage. Is she around?” Foster asked expectantly, craning his head as if she were around the corner. 

At this, the old woman burst into tears. “Lucy died years ago,” the old man said gruffly, pointing out the window into his yard, where a solitary headstone stood out amongst the snow. 

“This is our second home here. The first one burned down years ago with Lucy in it. You’re not the first man to come calling after her hand since we built it,” the old man told Foster. Foster left soon after but Lucy certainly hasn’t. 

Many still say she haunts the area, striking up pleasant conversations with visitors who are unaware of the ghost story. People who do know of Lucy, however, will find her difficult to track. She seems to only come out when she wants to, and she prefers people who don’t know her story. 

Nevertheless, there are a few breadcrumbs to follow for those who want a glimpse of the ghost girl of Gatlinburg – she’s known to keep her family’s cabin tidy over the years, folding clothes and storing silverware away when no one’s watching. 

Haunted Gatlinburg

Maybe you’ll also be able to get a glimpse of Lucy if you take the road up to her cabin on your next trip to Gatlinburg. Just make sure not to fall in love with her too fast, as so many have done before and probably will again. 

If you liked this story and want to learn similar tales, check out our Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. They spotlight other offbeat ghost stories all over the United States. Checking our blog is another good way to stay up-to-date with all the latest ghost stories and haunted spots in America.  

If you want to explore Tennessee ghosts specifically, a ghost tour with Gatlinburg Haunts is the best way to do that. Our guides are knowledgeable and enthusiastic and can provide even more information on the area. 

Sources:

  • https://www.smliv.com/stories/gatlinburgs-ogle-family/
  • https://www.gatlinburg.com/plan/about-gatlinburg/history-and-culture/
  • https://www.mysmokymountainpark.com/park/history/lucy-ghost-roaring-fork/
  • https://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/cabin-on-roaring-fork/

Book A Gatlinburg Haunts Tour And See For Yourself

Experience the haunted side of this tiny town and the mysteries it harbors, known only to the hermit-like early inhabitants of the formerly suspicious community. Feuds, witches, ancient Scots, and Celtic traditions live on in this remote corner of the Smoky mountains.

Join Gatlinburg Haunts for a ghost tour into the eerie corners of this quaint mountain town. Our stories include cannibals, family feuds that go back generations, and witchcraft. See where ghosts of the past are seen walking these streets to this day, and learn of their spine-tingling hauntings and history as they search for the peace they were unable to find in this quaint corner of Tennessee.