What Waits in the Dark Adults Only Tour

What makes this experience truly unique is its adults-only approach to Franklin’s haunted history - unfiltered, immersive, and rooted in real events. Unlike typical ghost tours, Echoes of Death blends historically accurate Civil War storytelling with chilling paranormal accounts, revealing the darker side of Franklin’s past. Guests explore locations that once served as field hospitals, homes, and gathering places during one of the bloodiest battles of the war - where more than 10,000 lives were forever changed. Experience a gripping narrative built on documented history, local legends, and firsthand accounts of unexplained phenomena - from shadow figures and disembodied voices to lingering “residual energy” tied to real human tragedy. Designed for mature audiences, the experience embraces the eerie, emotional weight of these stories in a way that’s both thought-provoking and deeply unsettling.

1. 1

   Stop 1

   10 min

   Known to locals as Cherry Manor, the Perkins-Howarth House carries a reputation that’s hard to ignore, and even harder to explain. Once a Civil War hospital and later a school and nursing home, the home has witnessed generations of life, death, and turmoil. Many who stand before it describe a heavy, almost oppressive feeling, as if the past hasn’t quite let go. Stories of moving objects, ghostly figures in military dress, and a lingering female presence have made this one of Franklin’s most chilling locations. Some guests don’t stay long, whatever resides here doesn’t always welcome company.

2. 2

   Stop 2

   10 min

   Not all hauntings come with shadows and footsteps. At the McPhail-Cliffe Office, the presence is quieter, but no less powerful. This former home witnessed a love story born during the Civil War and ended in unimaginable loss. Belle Cliffe Brownlow, her husband, and their children all died within a short span of time, leaving behind a space filled with sorrow and memory. Guests often describe a lingering heaviness here, as if the building itself remembers. It’s a different kind of haunting, one rooted not in fear, but in heartbreak.

3. 3

   Stop 3

   10 min

   At first glance, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is peaceful, almost serene. But beneath its historic beauty lies a far darker past. During the Civil War, the church was transformed into a makeshift hospital, filled with the sounds of suffering and death. Many believe that energy never left. Guests have reported hearing footsteps echoing through empty spaces, spotting shadowy figures near the graveyard, and feeling an unexplained presence watching from just out of sight. Some even claim to have seen a ghostly soldier still wandering the grounds, as if the war never ended.

4. 4

   Stop 4

   10 min

   This marker honors the soldiers who fought and fell during the Battle of Franklin, a conflict that transformed the entire town into a battlefield. The violence didn’t stay contained, it spread through homes, churches, and streets, leaving behind a legacy of unimaginable loss. Visitors often describe a strange stillness here, as if time briefly pauses. It’s not a place of loud hauntings, but of quiet remembrance, where the past feels closer than it should.

• Wheelchair accessible
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.