George Jones Memorial Baptist Church - Oak Ridge, Tennessee USA - Ghosts and Hauntings on Waymarking.com

Before we go into any of the ghost stories here I should tell you a brief history of the place.

The church is located in what was once the Wheat Community. The community of Wheat was originally known as Bald Hill. Bald Hill was established in 1846, and it continued under that name until it was renamed Wheat, in honor of the area's first postmaster, Frank Wheat. During its heyday, Wheat was a thriving community, and home to several churches, including George Jones Memorial Baptist Church, and a liberal arts college known as Roane College which closed in 1908, after being in operation for 22 years. Wheat was one of the 4 area communities acquired by the federal government in 1942 for the Manhattan Project, leaving the church and the cemetery isolated.

Now for the ghost stories.....

One of the main stories I keep hearing is of the minister going mad one evening and hanging himself in the bell tower. It's said that on some nights you can see the rope in the tower.

There is another story that claims there were several murders in the area near the church, and that an evil spirit roams the site, scaring those who dare visit especially after dark. Could it be one of the people forced from the land when the government stepped in and took this rural community, still angry and scornful? Or is it one of the murder victims, looking for his killer?

There's also the African Burial Ground nearby that was part of the Wheat Community. It's believed some of the people buried there were part of the Gallaher-Stone Plantation and held as slaves.

Personally there just seems to be some bad mojo there! We've been there several times and it's just really creepy. You feel like you are being watched constantly and when I'm there by myself I never feel alone.

Public access?: This area is now part of the Oak Ridge greenway system and is open to the public. You can't drive to the church. You must walk about .5 mile (round trip). Parking coordinates are N 35.936834° W -84.373513°. You can also park along Hwy 58 at N 35.936850° W -84.370676° for a good but distant view. Website about the location and/or story: [Web Link] Visting hours: Not listed

Visit Instructions:

• Please submit a photo(s) taken by you of your visit to the location (non-copyrighted photos only). GPS photos are also accepted with the location in the background, and old vacation photos are accepted. Photos you took of paranormal activity are great. If you are not able to provide a photo, then please describe your visit or give a story about the visit
• Tell your story if you saw, felt, or smelled anything unusual. Post pictures of what you saw.
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• Be careful and do not enter areas which are off limits or look dangerous. No waymark is worth harm. Use your 6th sense, because sometimes there are unseen things which are telling you to stay out.
• Use care when using your camera flash so you do not disrupt any possible nearby residents. Time lapse can be the best tool on your camera in many circumstances.

 

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