Guided Tour
ETSU Campus Ghost Walk — Appalachian Ghost Walks
Appalachian Ghost Walks operates a dedicated campus ghost walk covering Lucille-Clement Hall, Gilbreath Hall, and other reported sites across the ETSU campus.
- Duration:
- 1.5 hr
Aerial survey · USDA NAIP · public domain Other Dark Tourism Site
East Tennessee State University — Lucille-Clement Hall and Gilbreath Hall
Two dormitories on ETSU's Johnson City campus carry the most persistent ghost accounts on a university frequently listed among the most haunted in the South.
807 University Parkway, Johnson City, TN 37614
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 4 sources
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Free to walk campus; Appalachian Ghost Walks campus tours are ticketed — see operator website
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved university campus; largely flat
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1911 · One of East Tennessee's Oldest State Universities · Sidney Gilbreath Founding Presidency · Long-running Campus Haunting Traditions
East Tennessee State University was established in 1911 as East Tennessee State Normal School, beginning as a teacher-training institution on the eastern edge of Johnson City. Sidney Gilbreath served as the founding president from 1911 until 1939 — nearly three decades — and is credited with shaping the institution's early academic character. Gilbreath Hall, the oldest surviving classroom building on campus, carries his name.
Lucille-Clement Hall is a women's residential dormitory. The building's local haunting legend centers on the death of a young boy during the building's early history — accounts vary on the exact circumstances, but describe an accident rather than any act of violence. Student newspaper coverage over the decades has kept the legend alive, and it remains one of the most consistently repeated ghost accounts at ETSU.
A 1985 plane crash that occurred near the campus parking lot is sometimes referenced in ETSU ghost accounts, connecting the crash victims to unexplained phenomena in adjacent areas. The crash is documented in regional records. ETSU has appeared on several lists of most-haunted college campuses, largely on the basis of the student-maintained oral traditions around Lucille-Clement and Gilbreath.
Sources
- https://easttennessean.com/2018/10/29/etsu-is-one-of-the-most-haunted-campuses-in-the-nation/
- https://www.appalachianghostwalks.com/etsu-university-campus-ghost-walk-tour.html
- https://theghostdoctor.com/etsu-tennessees-most-haunted-university/
- https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-news/5310/
Faucets activating independentlyTelevisions switching on when unpluggedWindows closing before stormsPresence felt in hallways
The ghost accounts at ETSU cluster most densely around two buildings. Lucille-Clement Hall's legend involves a child who died in the building during its early history. Student residents over successive decades have reported faucets turning on independently, televisions switching on when unplugged, and a general sense of a presence moving through the hallways. The specifics of the child's death vary in the retelling; the student newspaper has noted the inconsistency.
Gilbreath Hall's account is more specific and consistent across sources: the ghost is said to be Sidney Gilbreath, the university's founding president, who served until 1939. Staff and students report that windows in Gilbreath Hall close on their own before thunderstorms. The account characterizes Gilbreath as a paternal and protective presence rather than a threatening one — a figure who, in death as in life, is looking after the building and its occupants.
A separate cluster of accounts connects the general ETSU campus area to a 1985 aircraft crash that occurred near a campus parking lot. The crash connection to specific paranormal phenomena is weaker in the sources than the two building accounts and should be treated as a secondary element of the campus ghost tradition.
Notable Entities
Sidney Gilbreath
Plan Your Visit
2 ways to experience Self-Guided Visit
Self-Guided Campus Walk
ETSU's campus is public and walkable. Lucille-Clement Hall and Gilbreath Hall can be viewed from the exterior during campus visiting hours.
- Duration:
- 45 min
Sources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
Similar Destinations
Other Dark Tourism Site
Maury County Public Courthouse (Columbia Ghost Tour Anchor)
Columbia, TN
The Maury County Courthouse on Columbia's Public Square has anchored civic life in Middle Tennessee since the 19th century. The surrounding square changed hands during the Civil War when Union forces occupied the county seat, and the district's antebellum architecture reflects the wealth generated by the region's plantation economy.
$ All Ages
Family: High
Aerial survey · USDA NAIP Other Dark Tourism Site
Bathhouse Soapery & Caldarium
Hot Springs, AR
On December 2, 1922, Violet Alma Boles — 20 years old, born November 16, 1902 — was shot and killed at the Japanese Tea Room at 366 Central Avenue in Hot Springs by Elmer Jones, a school acquaintance who had developed an obsessive fixation on her. Cemetery records from Greenwood Cemetery in Garland County confirm her dates exactly.
$ All Ages
Family: High
Other Dark Tourism Site
Old Tucson Studios
Tucson, AZ
Old Tucson was constructed in 40 days in 1939 by Columbia Pictures for the film Arizona, then opened to the public as a tourist attraction in 1960. It has been used in over 300 film and television productions. On April 24, 1995, an arson fire destroyed nearly 40 percent of the studio, causing $10 million in damage; the park reopened after nearly two years of reconstruction.
$$ All Ages
Family: Moderate
Frequently Asked Questions
Is East Tennessee State University — Lucille-Clement Hall and Gilbreath Hall family-friendly?
A university campus. Ghost-walk format is guided and appropriate for older children. The Lucille-Clement Hall account involves a child's death — tour operators handle this with discretion. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit East Tennessee State University — Lucille-Clement Hall and Gilbreath Hall?
Free to walk campus; Appalachian Ghost Walks campus tours are ticketed — see operator website
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is East Tennessee State University — Lucille-Clement Hall and Gilbreath Hall wheelchair accessible?
Yes, East Tennessee State University — Lucille-Clement Hall and Gilbreath Hall is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Paved university campus; largely flat.