Octagon Hall: Haunted and Historic

Octagon Hall is located in Franklin, Kentucky. Yes, we were intrigued by the ante bellum architecture, but learning it is supposedly one of the most haunted places in the South sealed the deal for this road trip. 

There could not have been a more lovely day for us to arrive in Frankin—a sunny 70-degree day with a breeze. The grounds are beautiful with large trees marked by name, old barns, a summer kitchen, and the octagon itself. It is worth noting that the co-champion largest dogwood in Kentucky stands here. While what’s above ground is alluring, below it holds a sad history. There is said to be a mass grave of limbs from amputations made in the basement during the Civil War, along with unmarked graves of soldiers, a family cemetery, and a slave cemetery. 

Once inside the house, we dropped the requested $5 donation in the jar and listened to Mike, the very passionate volunteer, tell us the house’s history which included that of the Andrew Jackson Caldwell family who built it, how it was used to hide Confederate soldiers, the basement being a makeshift hospital, tunnels that lead to caves, and much more that we won’t try to recount because we think it would be best if you heard it from Mike himself. After listening to the history we were free to roam the house by ourselves and encouraged to take plenty of photos. 

Artifacts, historical displays, and evidence of paranormal sightings can be found throughout the home. We greatly enjoyed seeing the beautiful wooden front door (that occasionally unlocks itself, sometimes multiple times a day), stained glass with a “C” for Caldwell, the passages soldiers hid in, and the view from the inside looking out (which many of the spirited residents have been spotted enjoying as well).

We were not searching for anything paranormal during our visit but we can’t say it didn’t feel like our hair was touched a couple of times or that there aren’t some things that look out of the ordinary in our photos. Paranormal teams can book the space or there are novice paranormal hunts anyone can purchase tickets for. 

Reservations are not required for a regular visit to the Octagon, but it would be good practice to call in advance to make sure no one has rented the space. They are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. They do ask for adults to bring a $5 cash donation.

We highly recommend this spot to anyone in the area with spare time or who has an interest in history, the paranormal, or architecture. Don’t forget to pick up a Kentucky After Dark Passport at the Franklin-Simpson Tourism office so you can mark it off your list!