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‘A Journey into the Haunted’ Visits ‘Historic Rugby, Tennessee’

 

While researching Brushy Mountain State Prison, I stumbled upon the little town of Rugby, Tennessee. When I started this series I covered all the “Famous” locations in my articles. The ones everyone had heard of. Then I wanted to find locations that maybe the readers haven’t heard of. I wanted to find locations for the readers who love the paranormal just like I do, locations they can go to and enjoy for themselves. I want to find locations that you can go to and do your own investigations if you want to legally and safely.  I will continue to do the “famous” locations but I will also continue these stories as well because I want to share these gems with my fellow ghost lovers. This little town that was founded in 1880 by Thomas Hughes. Hughes who was a lawyer, an author, a voice for England’s second son’s (who often inherited nothing in the family line) and a dreamer of a different lifestyle. So, with that dream, Hughes moves to the United States with several other “dreamers” who together started their dream “utopian community”.  The small colony had a nearly 70 beautiful Victorian businesses and homes. They had a drug store, dairy, butcher general store, library and newspaper. In the beginning, the colony thrived but as with the times, things change.

A typhoid epidemic, in 1881 seemed to set Rugby on a downward spiral. By 1900, most of the original colonist had moved away. There were a few people who remained in the small town that seemed to just seem to exist until 1966 when Brian Stagg decided to give Rugby new life. Stagg wanted to see Rugby restored to the grand and wonderful colony it once was and soon Historic Rugby would be born. Thanks to Mr. Stagg’s commitment to this special village Rugby has been brought back to its “utopian” and amazing community it once was.

Historic Rugby is not like any other town you will ever visit. If you are interested in the paranormal I would highly suggest this small town where you will not just find one haunted location, you find the whole little town seems to be haunted. There is a couple of these haunted locations you can even stay in while you are visiting. As I was going through my photos to finish putting together my article an interesting story has emerged from an unlikely location.  In Rugby, they had a “Commissary” where the colonist each paid so much to each month to have a share in. Well, this location is still alive and well in Rugby and we stopped by during our visit.  My photographer took the following photos that I made into one photo that I will explain.  The main picture of the photo is of the commissary if you look at the window in the top right corner you will notice something in the window that seems to be looking down. I at first thought it was something sitting in the window in the store but I couldn’t remember anything being in front of the window.  However, the orbs in the photo were very noticeable though they could be debunked however my ghost hunter gut says they are not from the sun.  So as I was showing my photographer the orbs I decided to ask him about the thing in the window. He also agreed that there had been nothing sitting in the window. I then came across a photo from the inside of the commissary of that same window that proves that there is nothing sitting in that window.  I have put the main big photograph, the smaller up close photo of the image in the window and then added the picture proving that there is nothing in that window. As I said I did not plan this part to be in the article I wanted to share this photo to show just how haunting Historic Rugby can be.

'A Journey into the Haunted' Visits 'Historic Rugby, Tennessee'
Possible evidence caught in the window as well as three orbs.

 

The Newbury House—This Bed and Breakfast has been open since 1880. Even though it has been updated over the years and many guests have come and gone there has been one guest that has stayed. It is believed that Charles Oldfield has decided to stay in room 2 which is the room he rented during his stay here while he was here from England for work. He fell in love with Rugby Tennessee and even tried to convince his wife to join him in Rugby however he became sick and passed away in room 2. It is said that when female guests are asleep in the bed in room 2 they will wake up to Mr. Oldfield standing over them. They also report a feeling of sadness attached to his spirit. While visiting the Newbury House we took photos as we toured the house and we found a couple of orbs in one of the rooms. Someday I hope to go back and do an investigation overnight myself. If you are interested in booking a stay at The Newbury House visit www.historicrugby.org.

 

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Spirit of Red Hill—This haunting we happened upon by chance. From across the street, I felt a pull to this building. My team and I cross the street and enter. I follow one of my team members as we felt lead to the same area in the back. When we get back to the back the room was empty and the other doors locked. She asked if I had seen him. I had not seen him, but I had felt him, and I knew he was in the locked room. So, we went out to talk with the owner. I introduce myself. I ask Annie Patterson about the history of her building. She explains that it is a replica of the original house. They took photos and made everything exactly the same in the EXACT SAME SPOT. That was my moment because we know that spirits can be attached to the land. I explain what my team and I were in town for and asked if she had any experiences. She told me that when they were across the street in the Board of Aid to Land Ownership building that they had so many paranormal experiences that they had a hard time keeping help but I was more interested in her current location. I just ask and she said, “well now that you mention it we have had a couple of things.” A few weeks before our arrival she had a guest come down the next morning telling her about a dream she had the previous night about this priest. In the dream, the priest was teaching the guest how to play this game. The woman began to describe the game and Annie knew it was cricket. It then hit Annie who the guest was speaking of. She took the guest to the other B&B room where there is a photo of the priest and sure enough it was the same priest from the guest’s dream.

'A Journey into the Haunted' Visits 'Historic Rugby, Tennessee'
The Alexander-Perrigo House in Rugby Tennessee.

Annie then offered to show us the same photo and asked us to follow her. Well dear readers, can you guess where we followed her? Yes, that same locked room that we were lead to as we entered the building and once my team member saw the photo she said that was the person she was following. So if you are interested in booking that locked room at the Alexander-Perrigo House please visit www.spiritofredhill.com.

'A Journey into the Haunted' Visits 'Historic Rugby, Tennessee'
Owner of Alexander-Perrigo House Annie Patterson

 

Those are just a few stories from our brief stop off in this unique little town. I plan to add this to one of my actual investigation sites when I get a chance but if you are interested in visiting these haunted locations check out their website www.historicrugby.org and book your haunted vacation now.