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History: Believed to be one of the most haunted locations in Kentucky, construction on the unusual 8 sided home just outside Franklin, Kentucky begun in 1847. By 1850 it was home to Andrew J. Caldwell and his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth and two children would die prior to 1855 and are buried on the property. There are also an unknown number of slaves buried on the property.
By 1856 Andrew had remarried and together with his second wife Harriet, would live at Octagon Hall until his death in 1866. Harriet would remain in the home, overseeing a large farming operation until 1918. She would later die in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1920. |
Located near the L&N Railroad and on what was then known as the Nashville Pike, it is very likely the property would have seen both Union and Confederate troops marching through on their way to and from Bowling Green. Letters from Andrew’s daughter-in-law and grandchildren in the archives of the Simpson County Historical Society, speak of Union troops being on the property, killing livestock and contaminating the family’s well – their only source of drinking water.
Andrew was a slave-owner and known southern sympathizer. Letters from family also indicate that he hid wounded Confederate soldiers in secret hiding places in his home. Through the years several of these secret places have been located including inside the entry wall and under the front steps.
Claims: Paranormal claims include seeing apparitions and shadow figures, objects moving on their own and doors opening and closing on their own. Our tour guide mentioned that all types of paranormal activity occurs regularly at the home and out on the grounds.
Our Findings: We investigated Octagon Hall in August, 2022. For 15 hours we conducted EVP and spirit box sessions, used a variety of equipment including full spectrum cameras, rempods, laser grids, SLS cameras and every other device available to us to try to make contact with the spirits said to inhabit the home and grounds.
Unfortunately, we were not able to document any of the claims of paranormal activity. Sometimes you investigate a location and come up empty handed. That’s what happened to us at the Octagon House.
Personally we did feel a lot of heaviness and sadness in the home and experienced some equipment malfunction. Perhaps it was just an off night for the spirits….or us. Haunted or not, the Octagon House is a great piece of history and well worth the visit.
Andrew was a slave-owner and known southern sympathizer. Letters from family also indicate that he hid wounded Confederate soldiers in secret hiding places in his home. Through the years several of these secret places have been located including inside the entry wall and under the front steps.
Claims: Paranormal claims include seeing apparitions and shadow figures, objects moving on their own and doors opening and closing on their own. Our tour guide mentioned that all types of paranormal activity occurs regularly at the home and out on the grounds.
Our Findings: We investigated Octagon Hall in August, 2022. For 15 hours we conducted EVP and spirit box sessions, used a variety of equipment including full spectrum cameras, rempods, laser grids, SLS cameras and every other device available to us to try to make contact with the spirits said to inhabit the home and grounds.
Unfortunately, we were not able to document any of the claims of paranormal activity. Sometimes you investigate a location and come up empty handed. That’s what happened to us at the Octagon House.
Personally we did feel a lot of heaviness and sadness in the home and experienced some equipment malfunction. Perhaps it was just an off night for the spirits….or us. Haunted or not, the Octagon House is a great piece of history and well worth the visit.