Most Haunted Places in America: The Lotz House
Johann Albert Lotz left his home to go to work in the European guild system and after 20 years earns the designation of Master Woodworker. After 20 years spent mastering his craft, he and his wife, Margaretha, come to America. They came to Franklin, TN in 1854 and one year later he purchases five acre’s and starts to build his show house. He builds it by hand over three years with no slave labor involved. Thanks to a day in 1864 however, the Lotz show home would forever be known as the haunted Lotz house.
The house was showed remarkable craftsmanship. He used very intricate details throughout the home. These details were specifically displayed in the three fireplaces. All three showing different design work from the simplest to the very elaborate. Most remarkable for that time period, was a solid black walnut handrail that wrapped around the staircase from the ground floor to the second floor. Also during this time frame the Lotz had three children, Paul and Augusta, twins and a daughter Matilda.
All this was about to change in November of 1864 when the Union Army began moving soldiers into the area of the Lotz home and their neighbors, the Carter’s. Expecting a Confederate attack the Union soldiers cut down every tree in the area to prevent Confederate snipping. They even went as far as poisoning the water supply. This move would be the first to adversely affect the Lotz family as the twins, Paul and Augusta were killed by the poison as they played in the nearby stream one afternoon.
The Confederates did attack and the Battle of Franklin is said to be one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The battles lasted for five hours as the Lotz took refuge in the cellar of the Carter’s home. The Lotz family emerged from the cellar to see their house still standing but being used as a hospital for the 8,500 that lay wounded. The battle led on Union soldier to claim, “The Devil took full possession of the Earth.”
With some much tragedy over such a short of time, it is no wonder there are tons of paranormal claims coming from the now Lotz House Civil War House Museum. There has been an apparition of a woman in a nightgown seen crying on the staircase. Another of a little girl staring out a window and many times voices of women can be heard and no one be there.
The current owner’s wife claims she saw a woman dressed in period clothing walking down the steps toward her one day asking, “Where is Anne.” Objects such as papers, phones, checkbooks and such will go missing only to be found later in odd places. One of the oddest stories is that of a 911 call from the house one evening and when police arrive, everyone inside the home was asleep. Just to make sure the lines were not messed up, the residents unplugged all the phones. The police responded to two more 911 calls originating from the home that night.
On their webpage they do claim to give ghost tours several times a year. They ask that you email or phone them for more detailed information. (615.790.7190 – info@lotzhouse.com) With all the paranormal claims coming from the museum, I am sure you could visit and walk the grounds anytime however and find out why it is called the haunted Lotz House.
sandra
on Jun 23rd, 2012
@ 3:00 pm:
I would love to visit! Always looking for local haunts. Thanks for the post