Written by Alexandra Arnold
Clarksville, TN – It’s that time of year again. The leaves are turning rustic shades of red, orange, yellow, and brown, the air is becoming crisp, and the wind is whispering in your ear. It’s the perfect time to watch a scary movie or listen to a chilling ghost story. Some daring souls take this opportunity to investigate haunted places to get a glimpse of the unknown.
Tennessee has its fair share of these haunted places. One of the most famous American ghost stories comes from the nearby small town of Adams, Tennessee. Paranormal enthusiasts have flocked to the Bell Witch Cave to learn about the tale and investigate the site’s rumored spirits.
Many Clarksvilleians would be spooked to find out that there are haunted sites right here in their own town. The Smith Trahern mansion is the most notable, with reports of Lucy Smith’s ghost walking along the balcony of the 18th-century home.
Clarksville’s lesser-known paranormal hot spot is one that may come as a shock to readers. It is one of the places that put Clarksville on the map and is a significant part of our city’s history. It is said that spirits roam Austin Peay State University’s campus.
The land Austin Peay State University sits on has been occupied since as early as 1806 when it was Rural Academy. Stewart College was founded on the land in 1855 and occupied the grounds for 19 years. In the 1860s, the college was evacuated when Union soldiers came through on their way to Fort Defiance. Stewart Hall, a dorm that was located where Felix G. Woodward Library now stands, was used as a hospital for injured soldiers. In 1927, Austin Peay Normal School was founded and later changed its name to what we know today.
There are many buildings on APSU’s campus, and many of them are said to be haunted. “Haunted Hall” is what students like to call one of the school’s buildings due to its haunting history and reported paranormal experiences. It is rumored that a young woman ended her life in the building while it served as a girl’s dormitory.
There are no facts to back this story, which isn’t shocking. Horrific deaths such as this one would not have been publicized, especially during earlier time periods. Another explanation for the lack of evidence could be that the story was created as a way to explain the strange happenings experienced by students and teachers.
A campus police officer experienced a fire alarm repeatedly ringing despite constantly turning it off. Professors have heard odd noises while in the building alone, and visitors have felt like someone was with them when, in fact, they were really alone.
While Harned Hall has the most popular ghost story on campus, there are other buildings that are rumored to be haunted. One such building is the Red Barn. Legend has it that there is a ghost mule that haunts the building and the land around it.
After WWII, soldiers came to Austin Peay State University, bringing their families with them. A mule worked in the community garden, and children would take turns riding the mule. In the late 40’s, it is said that the mule died and was buried on the land. When the Red Barn was built, several people did not want the mule’s grave to be moved, so the building was built on top of the grave. The grave is rumored to be under center court in the gym. Experiences range from hearing hooves in the building to seeing an apparition of a mule.
The university’s library is another building where people have experienced activities. As previously mentioned, the library’s land used to be home to a dormitory that was used as a hospital during the Civil War. Famed paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren visited the library in 2009. Warren claimed she saw Civil War soldiers in the basement and felt that she could not stay. Noises and voices have also been heard in the library.
Melissa Arrington, a graduate student and adjunct instructor at Austin Peay State University, conducted an investigation of Harned Hall during the late months of 2019 and made a documentary about the ghost hunt and the ghost stories of Austin Peay State University. The documentary consists of interviews with students and professors telling their experiences from Harned Hall, as well as other buildings on campus.
A ghost-hunting investigation is also featured in the film. Investigators experienced equipment malfunctioning, doors slamming on their own, and general uneasiness while in the building.
Arrington herself says she’s experienced things while at the university. “I’ve spent late hours in the library and heard odd sounds. I’ve also spent late nights in the MMC and heard what I thought were the sounds of people talking or walking but didn’t see anyone,” she said.
There are also many people in one area going through these experiences at the same time. Arrington says: “I honestly don’t think any stories about the paranormal and colleges should be shocking. When you have such a large number of people with lots of emotions in a small area, you are bound to have paranormal stories.”
From past students and current professors to a famous paranormal investigator, Arrington says that she’s learned many people are interested in the spirits of Austin Peay State University. Many people want to know more about the stories of the university and to answer the question: Is Austin Peay State University haunted?
