The GHOSTS of Chattanooga’s Historic Read House Hotel
Chattanooga, Tennessee could probably be sited as one of the most haunted locations in the United States. The mid-size city’s Civil War past harbors one of the bloodiest battles in the War Between the States with approximately 34,000 dead and wounded soldiers, second only to Gettysburg. It’s a city of enormous beauty and quintessential history that is sure to please those like myself who love to hunt haunted locations. Perhaps that is the real reason that I am intrigued by ghosts; it’s the history that lures me in. And add the fact that I’ve been a lifelong paranormal researcher studying the unexplained since I was able to obtain a library card and check out books. It’s a fascination that began after I experienced my first encounter with the living dead.
During a weekend getaway to Chattanooga in July, 2016, my daughter and I visited the famous Sheraton Read House Hotel at 827 Broad Street. The hotel was originally built in 1847 and was conveniently located across from the railroad, the main source of business and imports. Known then as the Crutchfield House (named after the Crutchfield family who owned the property), the hotel burned to the ground in 1867 and the Crutchfield’s decided not to rebuild. This decision paved the way for Dr. John T. Read to purchase the property years later and build a ten-story building in the Georgian architectural style…
