Ross Landing

To understand the haunting at Ross Landing, one must first understand the magnitude of the tragedy that unfolded here.

For thousands of years, the Cherokee Nation thrived in the southeastern United States, including the land that would become Chattanooga. The Tennessee River valley was more than just territory - it was sacred ground, home to their ancestors, and the foundation of Cherokee culture and identity.

The Cherokee called this region home, building communities, farming the fertile river valleys, and maintaining deep spiritual connections to the land. Chattanooga itself sits in what was once the heart of Cherokee country, surrounded by mountains the Cherokee considered sacred.

Chief John Ross, for whom Ross Landing was named, was a Cherokee leader who fought tirelessly - through legal means and political negotiation - to prevent the removal of his people. His own home was in the area, making this location even more significant to the Cherokee community.

In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act into law, setting in motion the legal framework for what would become one of the greatest injustices in American history. The Cherokee, along with other southeastern tribes, were to be forcibly relocated to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River (present-day Oklahoma).

The Cherokee Nation fought back through the legal system, taking their case all the way to the Supreme Court. In Worcester v. Georgia (1832), the Court ruled in favor of the Cherokee, recognizing their sovereignty. Chief Justice John Marshall wrote that the Cherokee Nation was a "distinct community" with rights to their ancestral lands.

But President Jackson reportedly responded, "John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it." The federal government proceeded with plans for removal, ignoring the Supreme Court's ruling and the Cherokee's legal rights.

In May 1838, federal troops under General Winfield Scott began forcibly removing Cherokee families from their homes. Soldiers burst into houses without warning, giving families mere minutes to gather their possessions. Those who resisted were dragged out at gunpoint. Those who moved too slowly were prodded with bayonets.

Eyewitness accounts describe heartbreaking scenes:

• Families torn apart, never to see each other again
• Elderly Cherokee forced from their homes at gunpoint
• Children crying for parents who were taken to different camps
• Cherokee farmers watching as white settlers immediately moved into their homes and onto their land before they were even out of sight

The captured Cherokee were marched to detention camps, where they were held in terrible conditions while waiting for the journey west to begin. Ross Landing became one of the largest gathering points, where thousands were assembled along the riverfront.

The conditions at Ross Landing were deplorable. Thousands of Cherokee - estimates range from 2,000 to 5,000 at various times - were crammed into makeshift camps with inadequate shelter, food, and sanitation.

Historical records describe:

• Families sleeping in the open air with minimal protection from the elements
• Insufficient food and contaminated water supplies
• Disease spreading rapidly through the camps - dysentery, whooping cough, and other illnesses
• The elderly and infants dying before the forced march even began
• The oppressive summer heat of 1838 making conditions even more unbearable

Many Cherokee died during the waiting period at Ross Landing. Their bodies were buried in unmarked graves or, in some cases, simply left where they fell. The exact death toll during the encampment period may never be known, but historical accounts suggest it was significant.

Chief John Ross, despite his tireless efforts to prevent removal, was ultimately unable to save his people from this fate. His own wife, Quatie Ross, would later die on the Trail of Tears itself.

From Ross Landing, the Cherokee began their forced march westward. The journey would take them over 1,000 miles through terrible conditions. Of the approximately 16,000 Cherokee forcibly removed, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 died along the way - roughly one in four.

Those who departed from Ross Landing faced:

• A grueling march through winter storms
• Starvation and exposure
• Disease and exhaustion
• Callous treatment from military escorts
• The constant grief of burying loved ones along the trail

The spiritual and emotional trauma was immeasurable. The Cherokee were not just losing their land - they were being severed from their ancestors, their sacred sites, and their entire way of life.

This was the scene at Ross Landing: a place of gathering, yes, but gathering born of force, injustice, and unbearable suffering. The anguish, despair, and righteous anger that saturated this ground in 1838 has, according to many who visit today, never truly dissipated.

Paranormal researchers often note that sites of great suffering and injustice retain spiritual energy for generations, perhaps indefinitely. Ross Landing appears to be a prime example of this phenomenon.

The most commonly reported experience at Ross Landing is not a visual apparition or specific ghost, but rather an overwhelming emotional sensation. Visitors - particularly those unaware of the site's history - describe being suddenly overcome with profound sadness.

These feelings include:

• Waves of grief that seem to come from nowhere
• An inexplicable urge to cry
• A crushing sense of loss and despair
• Feeling as though they're experiencing someone else's emotions
• Physical symptoms including chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and nausea

Many report that these sensations lift as soon as they leave the immediate area of Ross Landing, suggesting that the emotions are tied to the location itself rather than the individual experiencing them.

Some sensitive visitors report feeling not just sadness, but anger - a righteous fury at the injustice that occurred here. These feelings can be so intense that people have had to leave the area to regain their composure.

Numerous witnesses have reported hearing sounds that have no visible source at Ross Landing:

• Children crying or calling for their mothers
• Low moans and weeping
• What sounds like large groups of people talking in hushed, distressed tones
• Occasionally, words or phrases in Cherokee
• The sound of people trudging through mud or walking in large groups

These phantom sounds are most often reported in the early morning hours or at dusk - transitional times that paranormal researchers believe may make it easier for past events to echo into the present.

Security personnel and maintenance workers who frequent the riverfront area after dark have provided some of the most compelling accounts. Many report hearing what sounds like a crowd of people near Ross Landing when the area is completely empty.

While less common than the emotional phenomena and phantom sounds, full-bodied apparitions have been reported at Ross Landing:

The Woman in Traditional Dress: Multiple witnesses have described seeing a Cherokee woman in traditional clothing standing near the water's edge, looking westward. She appears solid and real until approached, at which point she vanishes. Some believe she may be eternally watching for loved ones who never returned from the Trail of Tears.

The Gathering: Some visitors have reported seeing what appears to be groups of people - dozens or even hundreds - gathered along the riverfront. These figures appear translucent or hazy, and when witnesses blink or look away, the crowd disappears. The figures appear to be in period clothing and seem unaware of modern observers.

The Child: Perhaps the most heartbreaking apparition reported at Ross Landing is that of a young Cherokee child, estimated to be between 5-7 years old. The child appears confused and lost, looking around as if searching for family members. Those who have encountered this spirit describe an overwhelming urge to help, followed by profound sadness when the child vanishes.

Beyond specific paranormal phenomena, Ross Landing is known among paranormal investigators and sensitive individuals as a place of persistently negative energy. This spiritual imprint goes beyond typical hauntings:

Spiritual Oppression: Many visitors report feeling spiritually drained or oppressed while at Ross Landing, as if the weight of historical trauma is pressing down on them. This feeling can linger for hours or even days after leaving the site.

Technology Malfunctions: Cameras, phones, and other electronic devices frequently malfunction at Ross Landing without explanation. Batteries drain rapidly, devices shut off unexpectedly, and photographs often show unusual anomalies - orbs, light streaks, or shadowy figures that weren't visible when the picture was taken.

Animal Behavior: Dogs and other animals often refuse to approach certain areas of Ross Landing or show signs of extreme distress - whining, pulling away, or staring at empty space as if seeing something their owners cannot.

Physical Manifestations: Some visitors report physical symptoms when visiting Ross Landing:

• Sudden chills despite warm temperatures
• The sensation of being touched or grabbed
• Unexplained scratches or marks appearing on their skin
• Feeling as though they're being pushed or pulled in certain directions
• Difficulty breathing or a feeling of pressure on their chest

Native American spiritual leaders and those familiar with Cherokee beliefs offer a different perspective on the hauntings at Ross Landing. According to Cherokee tradition, the spirits of those who died in trauma or injustice cannot rest peacefully. They remain earthbound, tied to the location of their suffering.

The Cherokee concept of unega (spirit) suggests that the dead maintain a connection to the living world, particularly when their death was premature or unjust. The forced removal and deaths at Ross Landing would, in Cherokee belief, create exactly the conditions for restless spirits.

Some Cherokee spiritual practitioners believe that the spirits at Ross Landing are not simply "hauntings" in the Western sense, but rather the continuing presence of their ancestors - not malevolent, but sorrowful, and unable to find peace until their story is properly acknowledged and honored.

There have been occasional efforts to perform cleansing or healing ceremonies at Ross Landing, though participants note that the spiritual weight of what occurred here may be too profound for any single ritual to completely address.