Special Edition 2: Echoes in the Mist: A Labor Day Staycation on Haunted Lookout Mountain

A Magical Adventure on Lookout Mountain: Cravens House and the Whimsical Cottage Beside It

A Magical Adventure on Lookout Mountain: Cravens House and the Whimsical Cottage Beside It

Discovering Cravens House

Sometimes the best adventures aren’t the ones we carefully plan, but the ones that surprise us along the way. That’s exactly what happened the day I set out with three of my girlfriends to explore Lookout Mountain. We had been craving something different — something fun, close enough to home that it wouldn’t turn into a long trip, but still far enough to feel like an escape. Lookout Mountain seemed like the perfect choice. We wanted big views, a little history, and just the feeling of being somewhere out of the ordinary.

When we arrived, though, it wasn’t quite what we pictured. The mountain was crowded, much more crowded than we wanted to deal with. Tourists, families, cars filling every available space — even the overlooks were packed so tightly that it felt like you had to wait in line just to catch a glimpse of the view. None of us were in the mood for that. But instead of turning back, I pulled out my phone and started searching for other spots on the mountain. That’s when I came across Cravens House on Google. None of us had ever heard of it before, but the pictures instantly caught our attention. It looked quiet, historic, and different from the usual overlooks. Without much thought, we decided to go check it out, not realizing just how magical this detour would become.

As we drove away from the busier areas of Lookout Mountain, the atmosphere started to shift. The air felt heavier somehow, like the mountain itself carried layers of memory far older than the Civil War. I remembered reading that this land was once sacred to the Cherokee, who lived here before their forced removal along the Trail of Tears. To them, Lookout Mountain wasn’t just a ridge overlooking the valley—it was a place of spiritual power. Stories have lingered of sacred ceremonies, ancient trails, and even restless spirits tied to the deep wounds of history. Some visitors claim to hear whispers in the wind or sense presences in the woods, and whether or not you believe in the paranormal, it adds a certain weight to the mountain’s silence. With those thoughts in mind, we continued our drive, not realizing that our next stop—the historic Cravens House—would deepen that haunting sense of stepping back in time.

Pulling up to Cravens House felt like stepping straight into history. The original farmhouse, built in 1855 by ironmaster Robert Cravens, once stood here before it was destroyed in the Battle of Lookout Mountain in 1863. During the battle, it served first as a Confederate command post and later as Union headquarters. After the war, Cravens rebuilt the house in 1866, and nearly a century later, in the 1950s, it was restored once again by preservationists. Today, it still stands, cared for by the National Park Service, a tangible reminder of the turbulent days that swept across this mountain.1,2

Standing there with my friends, knowing that soldiers once stood on that same ground, and that the home had been destroyed and rebuilt as part of the mountain’s story, was something I’ll never forget. The atmosphere carried a weight of history, but also a strange kind of quiet beauty — the kind that makes you feel both small and connected to something much larger all at once.

Discovering Cravens House

Pulling up to Cravens House felt like stepping into history — and maybe something more. Originally built in 1855 by ironmaster Robert Cravens, the farmhouse was heavily damaged during the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, 1863. During the fighting, it first served as a Confederate command post and was later taken over as a Union headquarters. The house was rebuilt in 1866 and eventually restored in the 1950s by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities. Today, it stands as a preserved symbol of that turbulent era, offering visitors a glimpse into the past.1,4

Yet Cravens House carries more than just military history. Local lore speaks of lingering presences on the property, including the tale of a phantom matron sometimes linked to Robert’s wife, Mary Jane Cravens. Visitors over the years have reported unexplained sounds, fleeting shadows, and the unnerving sense of being watched while walking the grounds. These stories, paired with the house’s dramatic Civil War legacy, give Cravens House its dual identity — both as a landmark of national history and a cornerstone of Lookout Mountain’s haunted reputation.7

Standing there with my friends, I was struck by the layers of history that property holds. It felt peaceful, even sacred—the kind of place that invites quiet reflection on the past.

An Enchanted Discovery: Williams/Hardy House (Littleholme)

A short walk revealed another wonder hiding just south of Cravens House. Partially obscured by trees and rock, we spotted a small cottage that looked like something from a fairy tale—whimsical and a bit eerie.

This was the Williams/Hardy House, affectionately known as Littleholme. Built in 1928 by Ethel Soper (Edith) Hardy, it was designed in Tudor Revival style by architect Clarence T. Jones. Along with charming features like green-painted timbers, decorative ironwork, and pink-and-green tiled bathrooms, Littleholme exuded storybook charm.3,4

Over time, however, it fell into disrepair—ivy crept up to the roofline, the stucco darkened with mold, and many decorative elements vanished or were removed.3,4 The National Park Service, which acquired the house in 2001, considered renovating it for park use but estimated costs at $1.2 million, ultimately opting for demolition instead. Preservationists argue repairs could cost as little as $250,000, and that the house is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.3,4,5

A Ghostly Folklore I Discovered Later

At the time, all I saw was an enchanting cottage bathed in afternoon light. It wasn’t until later, when I began researching the history of the property, that I came across stories of a little girl ghost said to linger near the Williams/Hardy House.

According to regional ghost-lore accounts, visitors and locals have described sightings of a young girl with long hair, sometimes seen near the cottage or wandering in the surrounding woods. She is most often linked to the house’s abandoned state and its eerie atmosphere, rather than to any specific Civil War event.7

Learning this afterward gave me chills—it deepened the magical, haunting quality of my memory of that day. It was as though the house had quietly kept its secrets until I was ready to discover them.

A Tale of Two Houses

What echoed most in my mind that day was the contrast between these two structures:

  • Cravens House, carefully restored and celebrated, stands open to visitors as a testament to Civil War history.
  • Littleholme, whimsical yet neglected, teeters on the brink of demolition despite its charm and local significance.

It struck me as unjust: Cravens House itself is a post-war reconstruction, yet it was saved through public fundraising. Why shouldn't Littleholme be granted the same chance?1

Visiting Today

If you go:

  • Cravens House has free, seasonal access and scenic trails offering sweeping views and historical immersion.
  • Littleholme, though not accessible inside, remains visible from the grounds. It’s a haunting yet captivating sight—storybook decay in the best sense.

Preservation efforts persist. A Change.org petition and a Facebook campaign called Saving Littleholme have rallied community support to save the cottage.6

My Reflections

What began as a crowded outing turned into a profoundly magical experience. My friends and I sought views and tranquility—and found history, architecture, whimsy, and perhaps even a whisper from beyond.

Cravens House connects us to collective memory and the end of a war. Littleholme represents personal stories, quieter histories, and the fragile beauty of what remains. And if there truly is a little ghost girl, she stands as a bridge between history and folklore—reminding us that sometimes the past lingers in ways we cannot always explain.

Together, they remind me that Lookout Mountain is more than a battlefield—it’s a tapestry of stories, seen and unseen, waiting to be discovered.

Footnotes

  1. National Park Service, “Cravens House,” Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. nps.gov/chch/learn/historyculture/cravens-house.htm
  2. James Lee McDonough, Chattanooga: A Death Grip on the Confederacy (University of Tennessee Press, 1984).
  3. National Park Service, “Battle Above the Clouds,” Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. nps.gov/chch/learn/historyculture/battle-above-the-clouds.htm
  4. Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, official brochure and interpretive markers, National Park Service.
  5. National Park Service, “Lookout Mountain and the Civil War.” nps.gov/places/lookout-mountain.htm
  6. Chattanooga Times Free Press, “Haunted Lookout Mountain: Legends of Ghosts and Spirits,” October 2016.
  7. Reports of a little ghost girl near the Williams/Hardy House appear in regional paranormal lore and ghost story discussions connected to Lookout Mountain, as referenced in local lore forums. (Shadowlands Haunted Places Index – Tennessee)
  8. James Mooney, Myths of the Cherokee (Bureau of American Ethnology, 1900). Digitized edition: archive.org/details/mythsofcherokee00moon
  9. William G. McLoughlin, Cherokee Renascence in the New Republic (Princeton University Press, 1986). Publisher page: press.princeton.edu
  10. National Park Service — “Lookout Mountain” (history & context within Chickamauga & Chattanooga NMP): nps.gov/chch/learn/historyculture/lookout-mountain.htm
  11. Museum of the Cherokee People — background on Cherokee beliefs, sacred places, and cultural context: cherokeemuseum.org
  12. National Park Service — Trail of Tears National Historic Trail (regional context for Cherokee removal): nps.gov/trte

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