Legends & Folklore

Campfire Series

The world of Tennessee folklore is a bit like an old attic - full of weird stuff, half-forgotten stories and the occasional surprise that makes you stop and think.

Whether it's ghosts with unfinished business or cursed creatures hanging out in the woods, these tales have been cemented into the state's history. Sure, on the surface they're fun little campfire tales. But underneath - like all good folklore - there are a few enduring lessons that we can take on board.

The Tailypo

The Tailypo is a mysterious, nocturnal, and often frightening creature from an Appalachian folktale. The Tailypo is said to have a long tail, pointed ears, and dark fur. It's often described as a demon or ghost, but some say it's more like a wild dog or a wampus cat.

On to the Story

The Lost Confederate Gold

Somewhere in Tennessee, if you believe the legends, lies a treasure trove of Confederate gold hidden away during the Civil War.

The gold was supposedly transported to keep it out of Union hands, but the men guarding it never lived to tell its location.

On to the Story

Spearfinger

The Cherokee had plenty of reasons to keep their children close to home, and one of them was Spearfinger.

According to legend, this shape-shifting witch disguised herself as a sweet old woman to trick kids into trusting her.

On to the Story

Headless Train Conductor

It is said that one night back in 1867 in Brunswick County, perhaps a rainy or misty night, a tragic train accident occurred along a swampy stretch of the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad just west of Wilmington, killing brakeman Joe Baldwin. The caboose he was in was hit by a train from behind, catapulting the man from the train and decapitating him.

Legend of Tsul 'Kalu

Long before Bigfoot fever swept across the country, the Cherokee were telling stories about Tsul 'Kalu, a giant, hairy figure who roamed the Appalachian Mountains.

Old Green Eyes of Chickamauga

During the Civil War’s Battle of Chickamauga, soldiers reportedly saw a mysterious figure with glowing green eyes wandering the battlefield at night.

John Murrell

John Murrell was an outlaw with a reputation—some say he was a hero to the downtrodden, others claim he was nothing but a thief.

Either way, his name became legendary in the early 19th century as a man who, with his band of robbers, schemed, stole, and swindled his way through Tennessee.

Davy Crockett

Davy Crockett wore a lot of hats — not just a coonskin cap. He was a famous hunter, a charismatic politician, and a war hero. Some people know him for his legacy — his fight for the fair treatment of the poor and his participation in the Texas Revolution.

Sequoyah

Sequoyah was one of the most influential figures in Cherokee history. He created the Cherokee Syllabary, a written form of the Cherokee language. The syllabary allowed literacy and printing to flourish in the Cherokee Nation in the early 19th century and remains in use today.

Alvin York

Alvin Cullum York, also known by his rank as Sergeant York, was an American soldier who was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I.

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton's story is one of rags-to-riches, from growing up in poverty in the Appalachian Mountains to becoming a country music legend.

Jack Daniel's

The story of Jack Daniel's is about Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel, who founded a distillery that produced Tennessee whiskey. Daniel learned to distill from an enslaved man named Nathan "Nearest" Green.