Drive-By
Exterior and Gay Street History
View the eighteen-story 1929 brick high-rise from South Gay Street, near the northeast end of the Gay Street Bridge.
- Duration:
- 20 min
Haunted Hotel / Inn
Andrew Johnson Hotel
1929 eighteen-story former hotel on South Gay Street in Knoxville where country music legend Hank Williams spent his final conscious hours on New Year's Eve 1952 before dying in a car en route to Ohio.
912 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 4sources
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Currently county/state offices; redevelopment to 'Hotel Americana' announced but not yet open
Access
Wheelchair OK
Downtown sidewalks; building interior currently office space
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1929 · Eighteen-story Beaux-Arts hotel completed 1929 · Site of Hank Williams' final conscious hours on New Year's Eve 1952 · Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1980) · Converted to government offices after 1980; redevelopment to 'Hotel Americana' approved 2020
The Andrew Johnson Hotel was constructed from 1918 to 1929 at the northeast end of the Gay Street Bridge in downtown Knoxville, rising eighteen stories above South Gay Street. It opened as a luxury hotel and quickly became one of the city's most prominent commercial buildings, providing competition for the older Farragut Hotel a few blocks north.
On the evening of December 31, 1952, country music star Hank Williams checked into the Andrew Johnson Hotel. Williams, who had been struggling with chronic pain and substance abuse, became ill during the night, and a Dr. P. H. Cardwell was summoned to administer injections of vitamin B12 and morphine. At about 10:45 PM, Williams and his driver Charles Carr departed for Canton, Ohio, where Williams was scheduled to perform on New Year's Day. By the time the car reached Oak Hill, West Virginia at dawn, Williams was dead.
The hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and was converted to office space, housing Knox County and state government tenants for decades. Redevelopment plans to convert the building back to a hotel under the name 'Hotel Americana' were announced in 2017 and approved in 2020; as of recent reporting the renovation had not yet begun.
The Andrew Johnson Hotel and the adjacent Knox County Courthouse appear together on Knoxville historical and country-music walking tours, and the building is a recurring stop on Haunted Knoxville Ghost Tours.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Johnson_Building
- https://knoxvillehistoryproject.org/andrew-johnson-hotel/
- https://southernedition.com/AndrewJohnsonHotel.html
- https://hauntedknoxville.net/hauntedknoxville-blog/tag/Andrew+Johnson+Hotel
Footsteps in upper-floor hallwaysSense of unseen presenceCold spots near the floor associated with Williams' stay (per ghost-tour material)
The paranormal narrative attached to the Andrew Johnson Hotel is anchored almost entirely to the death of country-music star Hank Williams on or about January 1, 1953. Williams checked into the hotel on December 31, 1952; received injections of vitamin B12 and morphine from a Dr. P. H. Cardwell; and departed for Canton, Ohio around 10:45 PM with his driver Charles Carr. He was pronounced dead at dawn in Oak Hill, West Virginia.
The exact moment of death has been disputed since at least the 1950s — some narratives place Williams' death in the hotel itself, others have him still breathing when Carr loaded him into the car. According to Haunted Knoxville Ghost Tours and other local ghost-tour material, this ambiguity has fueled longstanding lore that Williams' spirit lingers in the building, with reports of footsteps in upper-floor hallways and feelings of an unseen presence.
The Andrew Johnson Hotel is a recurring stop on Haunted Knoxville Ghost Tours, which keeps the Hank Williams ghost story in active circulation. Published, named eyewitness accounts of Williams-related phenomena are not robustly documented in academic or news sources we located; the lore is best characterized as tour-grade narrative built around an indisputably real and culturally significant death event at the property.
Notable Entities
Hank Williams (country music star, d. January 1, 1953)
Media Appearances
- Featured on Haunted Knoxville Ghost Tours
- Subject of many books and articles on Hank Williams' death
Plan Your Visit
2 ways to experience Walking Tour Booking Required
Haunted Knoxville Ghost Tour Stop
Recurring stop on Haunted Knoxville Ghost Tours covering Hank Williams' final hours.
- Duration:
- 30 min
Sources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
Similar Destinations
.jpg)
Haunted Hotel / Inn
Battery Park Hotel
Asheville, NC
The Battery Park Hotel is a 14-story brick Renaissance Revival hotel completed in 1924 in downtown Asheville. Built by tonic magnate Edwin W. Grove on the leveled site of an earlier 1886 Queen Anne hotel of the same name, the building closed as a hotel in 1972 and was converted into senior apartments, which it remains today.
$ All Ages
Family: Moderate
Haunted Hotel / Inn
Leland Tower
Aurora, IL
The Aurora-Leland Hotel was constructed in 1928 at a cost of $3.1 million, designed by architects Anker Sveere Graven and Arthur Guy Mayger. At 22 stories, it was the tallest building in Illinois outside of Chicago when completed. The building served as the city's premier hotel and entertainment venue until the 1960s, when it transitioned to residential apartments. It continues to operate as Leland Tower Apartments under Karademas management.
$ All Ages
Family: Moderate
Photo coming soon
Haunted Hotel / Inn
The Read House Hotel
Chattanooga, TN
The Read House occupies a corner of downtown Chattanooga continuously hosting a hotel since 1847, when the Crutchfield House opened on the site. The present 1926 Georgian-style building was designed by Chicago firm Holabird & Roche. Through its long history the hotel has hosted Civil War officers (after Confederate General Samuel Jones converted the Crutchfield House to a military hospital in 1862) and 20th-century notables including Al Capone, who reportedly stayed in Room 311 during a federal trial.
$$$ All Ages
Family: High
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Andrew Johnson Hotel family-friendly?
Exterior viewing is family-friendly; ghost-tour content discusses drug-related death and may not suit younger children. Overall family fit: Moderate.
How much does it cost to visit Andrew Johnson Hotel?
Currently county/state offices; redevelopment to 'Hotel Americana' announced but not yet open This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Andrew Johnson Hotel wheelchair accessible?
Yes, Andrew Johnson Hotel is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Downtown sidewalks; building interior currently office space.