HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
Continuously occupied from 1784 through the Civil War era, this Johnson City property's co-director calls it 'extremely active' — with documented shadow figures on the back porch and screams from the relocated slave cabin.
2620 S Roan St, Johnson City, TN 37601
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Admission charged for house tours; check website for current rates
Access
Limited Access
Historic property with uneven grounds and period-construction interiors; some areas may not be accessible
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1784 · Built 1784 by John Tipton, key figure in the State of Franklin political crisis · Later owned by Landon Carter Haynes, Confederate senator · Preserved slave cabin documents the presence of enslaved people on the property · One of the most intact 18th-19th century frontier properties in northeast Tennessee
The Tipton-Haynes property sits on land that was already a significant crossroads when John Tipton arrived in 1784. Two major Cherokee trails intersected nearby, and Tipton's cabin became an early anchor of what would grow into the territory that briefly declared itself the State of Franklin before being absorbed into North Carolina and eventually Tennessee. Tipton himself was a central figure in the State of Franklin conflict, serving as a militia colonel and land speculator who clashed repeatedly with John Sevier over the region's political future.
The property passed through several owners before Landon Carter Haynes acquired it in the 1840s. Haynes, a lawyer and politician who became a Confederate senator during the Civil War, expanded the main house and managed a farm operation that relied on enslaved labor. A separate slave cabin on the property was later relocated and preserved as part of the historic site's interpretive footprint. The screams documented by SRS paranormal investigators and described by WJHL news coverage emanate from the area of this cabin — the only building on the property specifically associated with the documented presence of enslaved people.
After the Civil War, Haynes went into exile in Canada, charged with treason, and eventually returned to Tennessee. The property declined and changed hands multiple times before the state acquired it for preservation. Today Tipton-Haynes operates as a state historic site administered by the Historical Society of Washington County, covering more than 1,600 acres with the original log cabin, the expanded main house, outbuildings, a cave, and nature trails.
Sources
Tipton-Haynes is unusual among historic sites in that its own administrative leadership has publicly confirmed a paranormal reputation. The site's co-director told WJHL in a news segment — part of the station's dedicated 'Haunted Tri-Cities' series — that the property is 'extremely active,' a characterization that aligns with the range of phenomena reported by investigators and visitors.
SRS Paranormal Research, which conducted investigations at the site, recorded what they described as spirit-box communications in the main house. Shadow figures in period clothing have been observed on the back porch of the main house by multiple visitors and reported in both the WJHL and WATE news coverage of the site.
The most disturbing reported phenomenon is associated with the relocated slave cabin on the property: screams audible from outside the cabin with no visible source. Hauntbound frames this with care — the cabin documents a history of coercion and suffering, and the reported phenomena, whatever their origin, are not entertainment. Visitors should approach this part of the property with the same respect they would bring to any site associated with enslaved people's lives.
Appalachian Ghost Walks' tour description confirms the paranormal activity as a documented feature of the property and offers structured evening programs that incorporate both the historical and reported paranormal elements.
Notable Entities
Guided tours of the Tipton-Haynes property take in the main house, outbuildings, and grounds. The site spans more than 1,600 acres of Tennessee frontier history from 1784 through the Civil War era. Staff regularly recount documented paranormal activity as part of the tour.
Appalachian Ghost Walks operates dedicated ghost walk programs at Tipton-Haynes, incorporating the documented paranormal history of the property into a structured evening tour.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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