Rotherwood Mansion
The Rotherwood Mansion, off Netherland Road, is said to be haunted by a young woman who died in the river that runs beside the mansion. Her father, a wealthy land owner, frowned on her love with a soldier, and forbade them ever to see each other. One night before going to war, however, the young soldier came to see his lover. The woman’s brother found them, fought the young soldier, and threw him in the river. The soldier was then swept away with the current. Heartbroken, the women, threw herself into the river to find her beau. She drowned trying. Now it is said that she can be seen, walking along the river at night, carrying a lantern, looking for her lost love. She is said to wear a long white dress, that may be a nightgown.
man that is so scary and nasty! i wouldn’t go in that house. Can you belive it could do that?
Comment by Allyson Ledford | 01.30.2006 | 7:28 pm
really spooky and interesting
Comment by tommy and courtney | 04.13.2006 | 11:12 pm
I feel sorry for any one who got tricked to buy that place! Now a days you just don’t know.
Comment by Ashley | 04.24.2006 | 3:42 pm
sounds wicked ill have to see it myself
Comment by jake | 05.8.2006 | 4:20 am
I have heard a lot about the rotherwood place because I live like 2 miles from it!!!I also heard a different story but I wount get in to that.But I will say that sometimes on dark stormy nights you can hear howling coming from the house.
Comment by jennie | 05.11.2006 | 2:05 pm
First of all, the city the Rotherwood Mansion is in is Kingsport. Netherland is the name of the road it is on. I’ve lived here all my life and I have never heard that version of the story. I’ve always heard that the woman and her lover were allowed to be together. They were actually getting married. The day before the wedding, he was fishing in the river in front of the mansion and drowned. I don’t remember exactly how she died, but she’s supposed to be haunting the place still. There is also supposed to be the ghost of another owner who lived there later and a large ghost dog. I’m not sure of the details of those, but there is plenty of information and pictures of the mansion on the internet if you look for it.
Comment by Lacey | 05.24.2006 | 6:16 pm
That’s still sad about her lover dying and all. But I’ld love to see the ghost dog!
Comment by Destiny | 06.11.2006 | 12:32 am
Lacey — thanks for the correction. I’ve edited the location to reflect the new information.
Comment by Andy Powell | 07.9.2006 | 7:45 pm
i have been in that house before renovations took place. it was abandened (sp) at the time and the doors were open. i think all origanal fixtures and stuff was in there. i rem it had old victorian style wall paper and a hudge crystal chandiliar, barefoot claw tubs, and a big spiral staircase, i was too affraid to go up stairs. i was a little girl when my mother took me. it was amazing though, i can see it being haunted by more that one ghosts. i also rem the slave quarters where still on the grounds and had the chains and everything still in it.
Comment by kim | 09.4.2006 | 7:48 pm
well i was doing research on it and it claims that on there wedding day they were on a boat and it capsized killing him. aand years later she remaried and he died of yellow fever, then 10 years after that she remarried again and had a lil girl and her lil girl died and apparently she killed jer self b/c she could take it ne more
Comment by sylvia | 09.22.2006 | 11:49 am
This is an interesting story, but growing up in the south, it is just one of our everyday tales.
Comment by joni brothers | 10.20.2006 | 11:31 am
Its as real as it gets i live in kpt and have been spooked several times by this woman. Also worth noting is Sensenball Tunnels(check the spelling of name)
Comment by mindfreak | 10.27.2006 | 10:28 am
I grew up in kingsport, and the story is partially correct. The young women’s husband to be was drowned during a fishing/boating accident on the day before or the morning of their wedding. The father was ok with the marriage. In fact, the young woman would later marry, but not happy, she hanged herself in the house.
The house was later bought by a man who was said to be cruel and wicked, and upon his death some strange thing happened during the funeral.
The house was used during WWII as a army commanders residents fdor the neighboring Holston defence Corp.
The house has been fully remodeled and is currently owned by a doctor.
Please excuse my spelling and grammer.
Comment by randy shanks | 10.30.2006 | 5:02 pm
Here is the deal with Rotherwood. The place was built by a man name Fredrick Ross in 1818 before the city was even known as Kingsport(it was actually called Rossville). He had a daughter named Rowena (the lady in white). On her wedding day her mans boat flipped and he drowned. Then 2 years later she married again and that husband died of Yellow fever. Ten years later she married again and had a daughter of her own, which later died and made Rowena commit suicide. Then in 1847 Ross sold the place to a man named Phipps. He was supposed to be an evil man and cruel slave owner who actually had the torture chamber in the house for the slaves. He was nothing though compared to his wife that is rarely mentioned. If he was evil, she was the devil. Phipps died of very unussaul causes (a swarm of flies entered his room and suffocated him, now who the hell dies like that). On the way to bury him the coach holding the casket would not move at all, no matter how many horses they hooked up. then a very large black dog is said to have jumped out of the carriage and run back to Rotherwood, some say it is the hound of hell, which is where the howling comes from. The third ghost is a hard one to say who it would be, but everyone speculates that it is Phipps. Now I have been there countless times to get pictures and stuff and with the evidence I collected I say the hound is the spirit of Phipps and the third and unidentified spirit is of his wife. Overall I would not recommend going out there for just thrill seeking like the cheerleader earlier mentioned. For lack of better terms the place is just evil. From the moment you step on the property you know you are not wanted there. I do not intend to freak anyone out about the place but believe me it is not for the faint of heart. I have several photos that show what people go out there to see and have recordings of the howling. My e mail address is new_age_concepts@yahoo.com feel free to e mail me and I can send out the pics and such, just dont go up there.
Comment by Joshua Hubbard | 10.30.2006 | 7:49 pm
I live in Cumberland Gap, Tn. I find haunted houses very interested. I grew up in White Pine, Tn and there is a house there that is said to be haunted. A lady was supposed to have baked her baby in the oven of the house, and they say you can hear the baby crying at night. Now I don’t know I have never been to the house myself, but I would love to visit this one. Sounds very interesting. There is also a house in Cumberland Gap, where there were slave quarters, and it is said to be haunted. Very scary looking. I have been to this one. Love this stuff. Anyone have any interesting, scary, haunting pictures, please email me at kelleygirl_2008@yahoo.com
Comment by Trish | 12.6.2006 | 4:39 pm
I’ve herd of this ! Yeah it was on the travel channel . Intresting to say the least
Comment by Samantha | 12.30.2006 | 5:10 pm
my emaul is padmedelacour@yahoo.com to people who want to hear about my experices and stuff. And Joshua I read that exact story in Ghost stories of Tennessee. By A.S. Mott?
Comment by Samantha | 12.30.2006 | 5:21 pm
I have heard of the Rotherwood haunting and I think it is scary but I would love to go and see the inside of the house I also enjoy reading about ghost stories they are realy interesting They kind of creep me out but that is the fun of it.
Comment by Elizabeth Tester | 03.4.2007 | 6:53 pm
Hi. My name is Tyler and I grew up in Kingsport, TN. I have spent many nights on that river…alone of course, and never once recall seeing anything. I have been in that house as well, and never felt anything really wrong with it. But, that’s just me.
Comment by Tyler | 03.7.2007 | 12:51 am
Here is what I heard I heard that the woman was down @ the river bank with her next day to be Husband but he died when he was fishing and something pulled him in and made him drown under water and she died trying to recieve him out of the water and now she walks the bank waiting for her husband to come out.
Comment by Tierra | 03.13.2007 | 11:37 am
wow what a beatiful love story
Comment by hjl | 03.23.2007 | 8:32 pm
Ok.I was born and raised here in Kingsport Tn. I know Rotherwood mansion very very well..I have researched it probably more then anyone. It is an awesome old mansion. With so much history entwined in every brick.The man above Joshua Hubbard was for the most part correct as far as the status of poor Rowena Ross and her men.The other stories are local lore. well about the hound from hell.. I guess you know how that goes. The statement I would like to challenge was the one about it being evil..This place is awesome it is a beautiful statement to the architecture of that time. I would also like to tell you that the house that is there now isn’t even the original house. It caught on fire and had extensive damage so they had to rebuild it.I do believe there are sprits there with unfinished business but as for evil??? I beg to differ. I have been there countless times took many photos. The slave quarters are somewhat disturbbing. There are images in the photos also the original fixtures from the main house were stored in there..really nice..and the wall paper murals are actually hand painted on the walls.. Truely a site to see..it has been renovated… and most of the grounds are now gone to a new subdivision.Sad very sad that it is not intact..The old hedge maze is gone also the stables..I have always loved this place and never felt anything harmfull there.. I guess it’s a matter of ones own self. but if you do get a chance to see it ..it is a site to behold!!!
Comment by Monica | 03.31.2007 | 4:14 pm
When I was in elem. school we went on a tour of the house, it was pretty wicked…. I suggest going there if you want a thrill. And by the way, a woman does live there, I used to go to church with her.
Comment by Krista | 06.22.2007 | 2:20 pm
That is really screwed up.Why was her brother such an ***hole,did his father tell him to do that.Some people just have to stick there nose in other peoples business.That pisses me off.
Comment by Cory | 08.11.2007 | 2:49 pm
I know the story of Rotherwood Mansion it is kind of scary.Ghost have always fascinated me and honestly i would like visit the mansion, but in the daytime i used to know somebody in school who had a doctor who lived there or still does i really don’t know.
Comment by Lizzie | 08.27.2007 | 4:52 pm
I think that they should let people go in it. I live in Greeneville,TN and their are no haunted houses there so I wish they would put it open to the public! I’d go!
Comment by Autumn | 09.4.2007 | 9:54 am
I love ghost stories too
Comment by Autumn | 09.4.2007 | 9:56 am
I love ghist stories and love stories! So romantic
Comment by Autumn | 09.4.2007 | 9:57 am
heyyyy.guys whats up
this story is pretty dang scaryy.
its scaaring theeee poopers outta me.
but i dont thinkk its truee!
you got a problem withh me thinking that
then build me a bridge and fall off of it,
thanks email me sumtime.
abby-chrstn@yahoo.com
Comment by abby | 09.20.2007 | 12:41 pm
I completley agree with lacy. I have lived in Kingsport most of my life and i have never heard that version of the story.First off the love was not forbiden and he died the day of the wedding.He was fishing with some of his friends and there boat sank. The woman (Rowenna) was trying on her wedding dress and looked out the window and saw all this going on.Everyone but her husband surrvied. She later was married to two differnt guys and had a daughter. When her daughter was six years old she commited suicide. And the other ghost it Phibbs. He later ownend the propety and had slaves. He treated his slaves horriably. I dont remember how he supposely died but when they were caring his coffin up to the cementary on the hill (now located in the subdivison Rotherwood Hills) a black dog jumped out of the coffin it is said to be the hound of hell. It is said that you can see a black dog walking arounde the property at night and you can hear the slaves crying for mercy some times in the basement.
Comment by emily | 10.6.2007 | 5:32 pm
I have been in this house before, and it is beautiful. I know the woman that lives there now and she says she has NEVER had any strange “goings on”. She lives in this house alone, so I find it hard to believe that any ghosts are living there with her. I too find ghost stories facinating. Kingsport is full of great ghost stories. The ghost of Rowena is not suposed to be in the mansion, but on the banks of the Holston river in front of the Rotherwood property. The woman that lives there has never seen her but I don’t think that means that Rowenas ghost doesn’t exsist. I just think some people are more sensitive to such sightings and maybe a bit more receptive.
Comment by sue | 10.8.2007 | 11:16 pm
this story sucks
Comment by ashkeigh | 10.31.2007 | 10:02 am
Interesting! Everyone else says the story is different but there’s a ghost in all of them. SPOOKY!
Comment by tara | 11.26.2007 | 1:30 pm
hi i love u booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo scary
Comment by bob tret | 12.6.2007 | 6:53 pm
I’m a lifelong resident of Kingsport. This is a popular campfire story for local scout trips, and a good tail for a night of drinking but not much else. Most citizens dont know else do not believe in this farce spun into supposed reality. The house has been for sale many times, and one time was owned by a holding of a celebrity. It’s now under private ownership and off-limits to investigation.
Comment by legacy | 01.1.2008 | 2:48 am
I seen this ghost not at the river but up the road it was at sinsnball tunnal
Comment by Morgan | 02.19.2008 | 4:15 pm
Ummm… This is stupid.
Comment by Tiffany | 02.20.2008 | 2:20 pm
hi i would like to clear the air one there was no cruel man to own the house after the death of the the ross daughter and after her death the house was given to kingsport historic society i know be cause i work with the historic society and her husban did die but it wasent cause of a bother or boating trip it was yellow fever she had a daughter who died at birth she dident kill her self over her daughter she died of old age and for the rumor of the area not being kingsport at the time wrong it was kingsport and at the time the Netherland inn was built and a little more history for you guys the Netherland inn was built because mister Netherland children had to cross the river and it cost a lot of money so he moved to the other side of the river and built the stage coach and he died of a from being hit by a coach he was a drinker no the place isnt haunted and the slave houses behind it were moved there they dont be long there they cam from the ross manision and one from main
Comment by cody leonard | 03.17.2008 | 12:55 am
this story is really cool, me and my friend are going to write a report on it! XD
Comment by Rachel | 04.15.2008 | 2:02 pm