Home to the King of Rock ‘N Roll, Memphis doubles as the birthplace of the blues, breeding tales of terrifying hauntings that plague this Tennessee metropolis.
Book NowJoin Memphis Ghosts to uncover centuries of misfortune that continue to plague Bluff City. Assassinations, unsolved murders, and the heartbreak of Elvis Presley’s final years have helped shape Memphis’s disturbing otherworldly side and created some of the most haunted locations in the South.
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The tour features several stops and a variety of stories so (geographically) close together that I h... read more
The tour features several stops and a variety of stories so (geographically) close together that I h... read more
The tour features several stops and a variety of stories so (geographically) close together that I h... read more
The site of calamity, where one of the nation’s most atrocious acts was carried out. Memphis Ghosts takes you to the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King, JR took his final breath. Today, it’s a historical landmark preserved from that day of infamy. Visitors can see Dr. King’s car still parked in the parking lot and experience the heaviness that forever engulfs this sacred site.
Built in 1928, the Orpheum Theatre was home to family-friendly entertainment, featuring both films and live entertainment, with some of the world’s biggest acts gracing the stage. But even something so wholesome isn’t immune from tragedy. The Great Depression would kick off decades of misfortune, but the tragic death of a young girl right in front of the theatre would make this the most well-known haunted theatre in Memphis and possibly the state.
The Pontotoc Hotel’s backstory is one that you won’t hear of most. Built in 1906, the hotel was established for a particular purpose: to serve as an upscale bordello. It would be the site of mayhem for years to come, coming to a head when the former caretaker was found dead in the boiler room. Though it serves as a private residence now, the spirit of the former caretaker is said to still consider it his home, making appearances and continuing in about his drunken, otherworldly day.
Embark on a ghoulish journey of some of Memphis’s darkest hours, shocking an entire nation and creating a devilish whirlwind of terrifying phenomena that dwells within the walls of the city’s oldest and most infamous landmarks.
Uncover unspeakable tragedies, gruesome murders, and tragic events that laid claim to the home of Elvis Presley and continue to plague the site of Martin Luther King, Jr’s assassination.
Visit the city’s most haunted locations and experience the side of Memphis that paved the way for the Blues.
Known for its lively Blues clubs and signature barbecue, Memphis is a shining beacon for music lovers and southern cuisine diehards. But the thriving city you see before you today suffered the same affliction of race and prejudice that so many others did in the shaping of our nation. Though it would eventually break free from slavery, racism would continue to run rampant, consuming the city and leading to one of the most heinous acts committed in America.
Memphis Ghosts takes you to the Lorraine Motel, where prolific civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King JR took his last breath, gunned down in a grotesque act of hate. On the morning of April 4th, 1968, the beloved activist stepped out onto the balcony, where he was met by a single bullet from the gun of James Earl Ray. The gunshot would prove beyond destructive, killing Dr. King and ultimately causing the death of hotel owner Loree Bailey.
Hear the excruciating accounts of the heavy and dreadful energy that exudes from room 306, Dr. King’s room. Visitors claim to feel the anguish and despair that dominated that dreadful day, with one of those visitors being actor Chi McBride. His experience was so terrifying it was featured on an episode of Celebrity Ghost Stories.
Visit Memphis’s Most Haunted Locations Including:
Memphis is known for its electric music scene and its unique and eclectic bars that house some of the state’s best Jazz, R&B, and Blues Bands. Here, even the dive bars are renowned, and Memphis Ghosts takes you to one of the most haunted in the city. Discover Earnestine and Hazles, the famously haunted dive bar that sits on the same land once occupied by a church.
If the exterior gives you the creeps, wait until you hear the disturbing details of what’s occurred within its walls. In its earlier days, Earnesting and Hazle operated a brothel out of the building, making it popular, profitable, and, eventually, paranormal. As it lost its luster, the bar was purchased by entrepreneur Russell George, who would go on to shoot himself – inside the bar! His death was unlucky 13 for the bar.
Today, the spirits of Earnestine and Hazels are as active as ever, with their biggest trick being their control of the jukebox. For years, patrons have been spooked by the musical apparatus that will play at random, often choosing a tune that matches the patron’s conversations. The entertainment stops there, however, as the upstairs that once housed the brothel is known to induce heavy feelings of pain and despair.
Hear the hair-raising reports of disembodied voices, staff and visitors being touched by unknown forces, and the sight of full-blown apparitions of former ladies of the night. Experience chills when we reveal which song the jukebox freely played at the announcement of the death of James Brown. Be sure to keep your ears open; the jukebox might just play a song for you too.
In the days of outlaws and gunslingers, bars were prime real estate for target practice. Back in its heyday, The Green Beetle was no exception. Prepare to pay a visit to the oldest tavern in Memphis, which once served as a speakeasy during prohibition. It also served as a hangout for Memphian and notorious gangster George “Machine Gun Kelly” Barnes.
Walk the path that the infamous gangster once strolled when he stormed into the bar and shot it up using his weapon of choice that also spawned his nickname. And the violence would never cease. Learn about the unhinged behavior that gave this bar its reputation for being dangerous and for being one of the most haunted.
Memphis Ghosts introduces you to The Green Beetle, home of heinous acts of violence, despicable murders, and unexplained ghostly activity. Staff have reported items moving on their own, lights turning off and on, and disembodied voices. More terrifying are the wine glasses that are mysteriously launched from behind the bar, as though the rage once experienced in the bar continues to manifest.
Some of the dive bars may have a seedy reputation due to their dark past, but it’s hard not to when operations are happening in a time of barbaric behavior. Hotels experienced their own collateral damage from the era, including the infamous Pontotoc Hotel. Embark on a journey of this brooding building that started as an upscale bordello and ended up as a private residence that is anything but.
Stand on the very streets where prostitution and addiction overtook the outside of the hotel, adding to its vice-ridden reputation. Violent attacks and gruesome deaths ravaged the inside of the hotel, with its most known demise being that of resident and former caretaker Sidney. A loud and obnoxious drunk, his body was found charred beyond recognition in the boiler room.
Prepare to experience chills when you hear about Sidney’s spirit visiting the young daughter of a family that once inhabited the third floor, scaring them so terribly that they moved in a matter of months. As you stand outside the ominous-looking building, keep your eye on the windows and your phone ready, as many have claimed to see a girl crying and have captured orbs in their pictures. And if you smell the horrific stench of burning hair, say hi to Sidney.
Memphis has been home to several of the nation’s most cruel and heartbreaking events, exposing nearly every inch of the city to tragedy. Built as a place for family entertainment, the Orpheum Theater featured films as well as live entertainment, making it a hotspot for locals… and the otherworldly.
Join Memphis Ghosts as we take you to the most haunted theater in town, where the spirits are as lively as the entertainment. Before it was the Orpheum Theater, the Memphis Grand Old Opera House stood in its place, bearing witness to the horrific death of a 12-year-old girl who was killed right in front of the theater.
It’s said that she’s remained all these years, often being seen in her favorite seat, C5. Though innocent in appearance, those who’ve seen her have reported an eerie feeling in her presence. Another entity is known to terrorize the staff and anyone who encounters it, forcefully opening and slamming doors and tormenting an individual so bad he was never seen again.
One visit to Memphis will show anyone why musicians such as Justin Timberlake find inspiration for their chart-topping music in the heart of the city. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the very spot Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley would create the music that turned the industry on its head. But not all Memphis landmarks tell a delightful tale.
Visit the nationally known Peabody Hotel, made famous by the Peabody Ducks that live on the rooftop and make their way down to the lobby to swim in the fountain daily. It also happens to be famous for the spirits that haunt the 11th floor, which has become popular amongst ghost hunters over the last several years. Uncover bone-chilling sightings of orbs and silhouettes, as well as eerie cold spots and the petrifying sound of disembodied voices. With a history like that of Memphis, even the most sophisticated of locations aren’t immune to the horror of the city’s past.
Memphis is home to a variety of history-making events. From its historic place in the Civil Rights Movement to producing some of the biggest musical stars of our lifetime, the city has tales that are as unique as they are tragic. There’s plenty to explore in the city, but for an experience of Memphis you’ll always remember, take an exciting and engaging tour with Memphis Ghosts.
We’ll take you to places that aren’t your typical tourist traps, such as Memphis’s oldest restaurant, The Arcade. Here, you’ll learn about the turmoil it faced following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, JR. During its roughest years, the spirit of the original owner, Speros Zepatos, began appearing at his former beloved restaurant. Though it’s believed he’s there to keep an eye on the business, the spirits of the Yellow Fever victims buried beneath the restaurant are there to wreak havoc and terrify the staff. As we said, this is a tour of Memphis you’ll never forget.
Whether you’re a lover of history, ghosts, or both, it doesn’t get much better than a ghost tour that explores the perils of a dark history and the ghosts that are derived from its brutality. Spine-chilling stories and the fear-inducing sites they were bred await you on this petrifying journey through the dark underbelly of the Home of Rock ‘N’ Roll.
Civil unrest, plagues, tragic deaths, and the loss of a living legend are just a few of the disastrous misfortunes that put Memphis on the haunted map. Book your tour tonight and join us for a ghost tour you’ll always, hauntingly remember. Welcome to Memphis Ghosts.
* This is a walking tour and we do not enter privately-owned buildings or private property *
