Blackwell House
It is said that no family has been able to live in this exquisite home for more than a month or so. There are reports of a man walks through the house all night dressed in his Sunday best. It is said that if one drives by the house at night, either every light will be on or no lights may be on at all. There is one particular report of a family that awoke one night to find the lamp on the night stand on. They turned it off. An hour later, they woke up again to find this lamp on. This time, they unplugged it. A little while later, they saw the bulb glowing again, but the lamp was still unplugged. Suddenly, the bulb exploded into flames. The next day, they heard that Mr. Blackwell never allowed his children to sleep in the dark.
thats kinda creepy
Comment by danielle | 10.20.2005 | 10:42 am
exploded? ordered there children to NOT sleep in the dark? i’m not sure if i read this wrong for not. but sounds like this guy really hates his children. man he must be a freak
Comment by Dan | 10.21.2005 | 10:30 pm
Er…Wow I’m Related to The Blackwells’ Though my Dad’s mom And Sister……Crazy….Maybe This Mr. blackwell Didn’t want his children to be afraid of the dark so He made them Keep it on…so they cant be afraid of Ghosts and Boggie mans…..
Comment by Chris | 10.28.2005 | 8:27 pm
that is a much better reason!!! that was nice of him to do that
0 thats kool chris!!!!!
Comment by kara | 12.15.2005 | 12:03 pm
i would not be in that house
Comment by tori | 01.13.2006 | 7:29 pm
Does anyone know where this house is?
Comment by Kyle | 01.25.2006 | 2:21 pm
man that is so sweet but also kinda creepy. but atleast he has feelings unlike some ghosts. some try to kiil you!
Comment by Allyson Ledford | 01.30.2006 | 7:25 pm
Not a bad story!
Comment by jaimeleigh | 02.15.2006 | 2:35 am
Yea, actually this house is in Bartlett , TN which is basically Memphis. Its supposed to be very haunted people live there now and they are constantly bugged by ghost hunters
Comment by Roger Perkins | 03.7.2006 | 4:14 am
Did they move after that?
Comment by bobbobkins | 04.19.2006 | 11:35 pm
I got them balls on my chin
Comment by bobbobkins | 04.19.2006 | 11:36 pm
If you try to sleep in the dark I’ll burn you alive. This guy has issues. I mean I light kids on fire all the time but it’s just for fun.
Comment by Soldier85 | 05.15.2006 | 9:38 pm
Roger — thanks for the heads up on the location. It’s been corrected.
Comment by Andy Powell | 07.9.2006 | 7:42 pm
If someone is living their now; how long have they been there and have they actually seen anything themselves. Not to mention, are there any more places not listed closer to Nashville?
Comment by Kayla | 08.23.2006 | 1:11 am
Dude i had shivvers down my back when i read this.(chrissy) Yo i went into a house like that one time and there was blood on the walls & there was undies nailed to the wall & this is true but LOL
Comment by Chrissy/Jacquelene | 09.2.2006 | 9:37 pm
This ia scary story,and Soilder85 shut up.
Comment by Sarah | 09.16.2006 | 11:00 pm
This is a true story. I’m from the area and my grandparents live down the street. The house was always up for sell when my mom was growing up, and it’s not as bad now, because the ghosts in the house are not mean. They don’t bother the people who live there. It’s rarely up for sell anymore. If you want to know where it is, it’s at the corner of Blackwell, which is near the Bartlett High School, just drive around, you’ll find it. It’s a big white house, with burgandy shutters and huge front porch.
Comment by jennielaine | 09.18.2006 | 12:57 am
IM SCARREDD
Comment by YOULL ARE CRAZY IF YOULL GO THERE CAUSE IM NOT | 09.26.2006 | 8:46 pm
my friend actually lived in that house and they said that at 12 o clock the door would slam shut and wen it is already shut it wud open and shut
Comment by Chandler | 10.2.2006 | 7:09 pm
Thanks for the awesome information about the Blackwell House. Too bad the folks who live their can’t open it up on October 29-31st for tours or something. Maybe a B&B. Wishful thinking perhaps. I live in Cordova, Tn and I love all this history stuff. Thanks for Sharing.
Comment by bsupermom06 | 10.3.2006 | 1:51 am
Hi all, I’m trying to locate a haunted place my grandmother told me about in the menphis area- she doesnt remember anything that would help pinpoint the location any more, but she says it was a octagonal 3 story, with a full wrap around porch, a full basement, and - this place kinda sounds like it might be the right place- can one of the locals verify, or de-verify(?) that this place fits the discription- or maybe some other place that does fit it? i’d certainly appreciate it. thanks!
Valkyrie_veritech@yahoo.com
Comment by Dana | 10.7.2006 | 9:41 pm
Allyson writ;
man that is so sweet but also kinda creepy. but atleast he has feelings unlike some ghosts. some try to kiil you!
Comment by Allyson Ledford | 01.30.2006 |
Lawd Chile ain’t that thar the Gospel. I was kilt by a ghost onst.
Comment by Jobo | 10.15.2006 | 8:50 pm
Yeah,
I have actually been in the house. I was younger. My dad worked with the guy brian who lives beside it. I never knew it was haunted until years later.
Alison
Comment by Alison | 10.20.2006 | 1:02 am
Okay..Yes this really happened!! I was in the house at the time!!…It was really freaky!! I was scared to death. The light bulb really did explode..&& it even caught the house on fire but it just went straight out. So…it was really weird b/c we didnt even need water to put out the fire. So yes this really happened and after that day I NEVER sleep in the dark. The first night I tried it and everytime the light came back on. For some reason I feel like he just follows me around for my protection. I got there from time to time just to remember what really happened && to know that what I say was no fake. It was ALL REAL!!
Comment by Monica | 10.27.2006 | 10:50 am
Okay Okay!!..Yes this really happened!! I was in the house at the time!!…It was really freaky!! I was scared to death. The light bulb really did explode..&& it even caught the house on fire but it just went straight out. So…it was really weird b/c we didnt even need water to put out the fire. So yes this really happened and after that day I NEVER sleep in the dark. The first night I tried it and everytime the light came back on. For some reason I feel like he just follows me around for my protection. I got there from time to time just to remember what really happened && to know that what I say was no fake. It was ALL REAL!!!!!!!!
Comment by Monica | 10.27.2006 | 10:52 am
All of that information is true! I live in Bartlett and have spoken to the family living in the house now. The owner of the house now says that he and his family have been living there for four years and haven’t had any experiences with anything, yet! He also says that his dogs are tame at night so he never has a reason to worry.
Comment by Katelyn | 10.28.2006 | 2:33 pm
Here is an article that was in the local Commercial Appeal News Paper. The address to the house is 3077 Sycamore View Bartlett, TN.
The 137-year-old Blackwell House on Sycamore View is said to house the ghost of a man who walks through the house at night in his Sunday clothes. Allegedly, all the lights in the house will be on at night. Or perhaps no lights.
One story says that one evening a lamp was on, which the family turned off when they went to bed, only to find it on again later. This time, they unplugged it but woke to see the lamp still on and still unplugged. Suddenly, the bulb exploded.
They heard later that Mr. Blackwell never allowed his children to sleep without a light.
The Mr. Blackwell referred to is Nicholas Blackwell, a local physician for whom the house was built around 1869. Blackwell was Bartlett’s first alderman and second mayor, and was influential in the settlement of the city, including donating land and a building for the first school. He died in 1910.
Ghost stories about the house also have it that no family has been able to live in the house for more than a month since the Blackwells. After living in the house with his family for four years, current owner Ben Witt, naturally enough, doesn’t credit any of them.
“We’ve never experienced anything,” he said. “The dogs are very tame and never act like they notice anything out of the ordinary — except squirrels in the backyard.”
The age of the house makes the ghost stories natural enough, Witt said, and admitted that the family takes advantage of the house’s look — and reputation.
“When we decorated for Halloween, it is your picture-perfect haunted house,” he said. “And, when we decorate for Christmas, it’s postcard-perfect too.”
Comment by Christine | 10.30.2006 | 11:11 am
That doesn’t sound to bad to live their as long he didn’t do anything to hurt them then I guess you could live the supernatural I did for long time and then after a long time of praying they just went away.If you want to find out more email me at padmedelacour@yahoo.com
Comment by Samantha | 12.30.2006 | 5:25 pm
hey you all this is not true don’t fall for it i’m one of the producers of this story. Really believe me i’m the one who came up with part of the story believe me this is not true.
Comment by Candy | 01.19.2007 | 12:33 pm
This is Rachel Witt, the daughter of the Ben Witt quoted in the article posted by Christine. I just want to say that our house is definitely not haunted. I’ve been living here five years now and nothing weird has ever happened. This is for bsupermom06: I’m not sure when we’d do it again, but we have had open houses, so just read the ads in the Bartlett Express to see when the next one is. And this is for Alison: I know who you’re talking about! Brian Cooper is my neighbor!
We have had exorcists come to the house, which was hilarious, though we tried to be as polite as possible even though they were most likely just trying to get money.
Comment by Rachel Witt | 06.13.2007 | 5:21 pm
My friend presently lives in the Blackwell House, they have lived there for over a year, and they have yet to see any really suspicious activity, except for the lights randomly coming on.
Comment by Jamie | 06.30.2007 | 11:20 am
Comment by bobby | 08.4.2007 | 5:16 am
:{
Comment by bobby | 08.4.2007 | 5:17 am
Awwwwwww. And they were scared of THAT??
He’s like a 24/7 nanny or nanner[whatever]
Comment by Jacquelyn Brown | 08.6.2007 | 12:31 am
Uuuummmmm..Jamie, how can a friend of yours presently be living there for a year, when the Witts have presently been there for 5 years and have never experienced anything?!!!!! I swear, would all of you young immature kids quit posting BS and lies?!!! Half of you can’t spell and the other half don’t know how to talk…doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. Get a life! Geez!!!
Comment by koolmomof4 | 10.6.2007 | 10:49 am
Been living in Bartlett and driving by the Blackwell house for years. Never noticed anything funny about the lights, but it’s an awesome house. Definately has that “haunted house” look.
Comment by troyal | 10.6.2007 | 7:25 pm
Here are some more ghost stories from the Memphis area: http://memphis.about.com/od/halloween/p/ghosts.htm
Comment by strvnwritr | 10.9.2007 | 5:43 pm
maybe the lamp had a short in it. and the light bulb just popped. i don’t know about that one. there’s other scary things in TN. ever heard of the Bell Witch?
Comment by tara | 11.26.2007 | 2:01 pm
BOO!
Comment by Jonny | 12.5.2007 | 1:44 pm
Bologna! There is no such thing as a haunted house.I could stay there anytime.
Comment by Ikey | 12.30.2007 | 7:24 pm
pretty freaky!!!!!!
Comment by Kylie | 01.5.2008 | 12:57 am
I have lived across the street from that house most of my life, it is not true that no one has lived in that house for more than a month. However, I remember there being a small plot of a few gravestones behind the house when I was really young and first moved in across the street. I swear I remember this, but it’s possible it was a dream or I imagined it, but someone told me a long time ago that the bodies were moved to another location. There is a pool in it’s place now. Can someone confirm if this is true or not?
Comment by Christina | 02.17.2008 | 1:56 am
I used to go to Bartlett, and that house has always creeped me out, but I’ve never heard of it being haunted. You people are so odd.
Comment by Marissa | 03.14.2008 | 3:31 pm
I would scream & run as fast as I possibly could. I would be so scared if I turned a light out then woke up a bit later with it on, a never ending cycle. Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!I would get out of there as soon as it did that. I think i’ll tell my parents about this so we can go visit it, just not stay the night. We do alot of stuff like that.
Comment by Tiffany | 03.24.2008 | 6:42 pm
The Commercial Appea 05:07 p.m., April 22, 2008
Bartlett firefighters this afternoon battled a fire at a historic home north of Stage and Sycamore View.
The Blackwell House, which was built in 1869, suffered damage to its upper floor in the blaze, which was reported about 3:40 p.m. by several passers-by, according to Lt. Rory Mack, spokesman for the Bartlett Police Dept.
A Bartlett historic Landmark sign stands in the front yard of the white clapboard home at Sycamore View and Blackwell in the suburb’s historic district.
Comment by Smith | 04.22.2008 | 8:35 pm
Correcting my original post to: The Commercial Appeal
Comment by Smith | 04.22.2008 | 8:40 pm