Haunted Memphis (TN)

Haunted America

by Laura Cunningham

Much like its muddy riverbanks, the mid-South is flooded with tales of shadowy spirits lurking among us. Beyond the rhythm of the blues and tapping of blue suede shoes is a history steeped in horror. From the restless souls of Elmwood Cemetery to the voodoo vices of Beale Street, phantom hymns of the Orpheum Theatre and Civil War soldiers still looking for a fight, peer beyond the shadows of the city's most historic sites.
Author and lifelong resident Laura Cunningham expertly blends fright with history and presents the ghostly legends from Beale to Bartlett, Germantown to Collierville, in this one-of-a-kind volume no resident or visitor should be without.

128 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2009

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good, but overly short. Also, facts about given sites are often listed breezily and semi-coherently with little attention given to chronology or narrative clarity.

[Janelle M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I first saw this book in the bookstore, I thought "this is going to be awesome". I've heard rumors about hunted places in Memphis, but I had never seen a whole book dedicated to the alleged hauntings. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed in how the author presented the stories. I'd say the book was 80% history lesson and 20% stories about the alleged ghosts that haunt sites all over the city and and surrounding areas. The photos should have been in color, also. This book was not worth the price that I paid for it, and I don't recommend it for anyone who may be interested in reading it. Find another, better-written book on haunted Memphis.

[Kathryn Grace Loves Horror · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I used to work with the author of this book and actually used to live in one of the buildings covered in it. (No, I never saw any ghosts). That said, I’m certain I would have enjoyed this book even without those personal connections.

Having grown up in Memphis, I was familiar with many of these stories (Elvis, the Orpheum ghost, etc.). However I was surprised to find there were some stories in here of which I was completely unaware, a few of which, like the Pig Man of Shelby Forest and the mysteries of Callie Cutoff, were legitimately creepy.

Fun story: I’m a pretty hardcore sceptic, and the only place I’ve felt truly unnerved for no reason as an adult is the upstairs at Earnestine & Hazel’s. Even though I had heard it was haunted, up until reading this book, I never knew the details. Turns out a woman allegedly killed herself in the bathroom I was using at the time I got the creeps. Interesting, although I’m not sure it quite makes me a believer.

This is an entertaining and well researched collection of Memphis history that any native or visitor should pick up. There were a few places that could have used another read through by an editor, but other than that minor quibble, Haunted Memphis is a highly enjoyable book. Dog lovers may want to skip the “Guardian Dog’s Ghost” section of the Southern Folklore chapter, but otherwise this is one I’ll definitely be revisiting again and again.

[Candice · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a shame I read this alongside 50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True. My finely-honed skepticism puts a wet blanket on ghost stories. Though it was at least amusing to read the words, “Another local woman claimed that Elvis once possessed her television set.” And “According to the Weekly World News...”. And also, “The National Enquirer once published a story about the apartment...”

Lots of references to photos with orbs. But no actual photos of orbs, so... And permanent bloodstains that get darker when it rains: that should be pretty easy to photograph, no? The author may get away with it with the disclaimer that she is not trying to prove the existence of ghosts but rather to preserve stories that may otherwise be forgotten. Eh.

[J Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is replete with typographical errors and poor writing. Many entries about Memphis locations include no haunted history whatsoever. Sections and even paragraphs veer between topics in a nonsensical sequence. I’m left to wonder whether author had the benefit of a single human fluent in English to proofread this book just once before it went to publication. Certainly, no editor ever touched these pages.
As a Memphian, I’m disappointed that several stories / locations were omitted (like Court Square, the Mississippi River, and the Peabody).
Rather than spending money on this book, go get a Soul Burger from Earnestine & Hazel’s and enjoy your own haunting.

[April Qualls · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an impulse buy at a Walgreens in Memphis (of all places, right?) back in October of last year, and I honestly just needed a break from studying to read something different. Now, all I wanna do is go see these landmarks and historic sites because the pictures in this book are somewhat lackluster, but I just want to see the properties now. Very interesting book on some of the ghost stories and folktales of Memphis, Tennessee.

[Cheri Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and informative!

I totally enjoyed this book. Especially the
part about Elvis. I'm always looking to
read about true hauntings and such
around the world. Love history that has
ghosts along with it.

[Kelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not even a little creepy.
This read more like a very dry, disjointed, and dubiously-accurate history book. Most of the stories were new to me, but calling them stories is being generous. They are collections of random facts grouped by location.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good. I looked up some of the places mentioned and was very proud to see that some of the buildings had not been torn down but made into apartments and put to good use.

[MagicStones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fast read. Wish I had visited some of these locations while visiting Memphis.
Wondered why the PEABODY HOTEL wasn't mentioned?

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a case of more not being better. There are too many stories. Most stories are just a few paragraphs long with the majority being poorly written and researched.

[Susan Caylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was more of a history lesson than haunted tales. Some stories never even mention a haunting at all. Pretty disappointed. 😞

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit too short, but a nice varied collection.

[Chet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having lived in Memphis for the better part of my life, I’m well aware of the violence that happens in this city. It just seems like there would be more ghosts hanging around, but I guess not as this is a pretty short book. It is pretty interesting to learn about all of the supposed hauntings around the city and the stories behind some of them. The biggest problem with the book is that a lot of it is just Memphis history and doesn't necessarily further the narrative regarding the hauntings…it just sort of adds pages to make it seem longer than it is. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but I don’t see anyone but a native Memphian being interested in any of it. The other problem I have is that some of the stories aren't much more than, “There’s supposed to be a ghost up there. Nobody has seen it except Bob the Janitor and somebody heard a door slam once”. That was not an actual excerpt, of course…just my own synopsis but these type things just seem like they should have been more thoroughly researched or left out. Still, overall, it’s a pretty interesting book, but probably only if you live in Memphis and actually know the locations. I don’t know if I believe in ghosts or not…I've never seen one, but this made me kind of want to drive around and check some of these places out…even though several of them are long gone.

[Kim Fiveash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book and learning about the "darker" side of Memphis History. Even if you are not a believe in the "spirits" it's still full of excellent information about Memphis's rich history.

[Mitzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book. Wish it would have been longer & more in detailed. I have lived in Memphis all my life and they had several that I had never heard of. There was a person that she had "quoted" in there that is not reliable, but I'm sure the author did not know it at the time.

[L. Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Haunted Delight!

A fascinating look into the haunted past of Memphis, Tennessee. Very well researched. I loved the details. I would definitely recommend this book!

[Ellen Whittington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the history in the book. Especially with the places I frequently go to. So interesting!

[Emily Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and easy to read - historical facts mixed with legends - a pure delight!

[Carla Martz · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a life-long Memphian I really enjoyed all of the history. Many of these stories I had never heard, but some I had only heard parts of the stories. This book helped fill in the blanks and explain the histories as they transitioned into legends.
As a teenager I was introduced to the "Crying Angel" and the stories of "Chase Mansion". I believe that the Chase Mansion became more legendary because of the connection to Sivad; however, Sivad is not mentioned in this book.
The reminders of Memphis and Shelby County past, certainly pulled at the "heart-strings" of my youth.