Historic sites

• Bell Witch Cave. The Bell Witch is said to haunt a cave in nearby Adams at 430 Keysburg Road. The story goes that a spirit known simply as Kate was determined to haunt the family of farmer John Bell, beginning in the summer of 1817. When John Bell died little more than three years later, the legend went that he had been poisoned by Kate. Even Gen. Andrew Jackson, who was prompted to investigate firsthand, said that his coach wheels had stopped mysteriously. The property is on the National Historical Registry and is one of the top haunted spots in the United States.

Call 615-696-3055 to schedule a tour. For more, go to www.bellwitchcave.com.

• Emerald Hill Mansion, at 751 N. Second Street, started out as a beautiful 1820s farmhouse, and today is the home of Austin Peay State University's National Alumni Association.

Listed in the National Register of Historic Sites, the mansion has undergone several renovations. Representatives of the alumni group may be reached at 221-7979. The general public may visit Emerald Hill at any time to walk around the building and grounds, but there are no private tours. Hours of business are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Fort Defiance. A window into Civil War history lies at 120 Duncan St., on a bluff above the Red and Cumberland Rivers, where Fort Defiance began as an American Indian hub and trading center. By the time of the Civil War, it was chosen by Confederates as a vantage point for defending the river approach to Clarksville. It was captured by the Union in 1862.

Visitors today can view the outer earthworks of the fort, along with powder magazine and gun platforms. The new 1,500-square-foot Interpretive Center features exhibits about the Civil War era of Fort Defiance. There is also a mile of walking trails.

For more information, call 472-3351 or visit www.fortdefianceclarksville.com.

• Fort Donelson National Battlefield. Another Civil War site in the area is Fort Donelson National Battlefield at 120 Fort Donelson Road in Dover. In this region, the 1862 Battle of Fort Donelson was fought when a Union gunboat fleet arrived from Fort Henry via the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers.

As part of the site, there are remains of the Confederate fort and earthworks, historic gun batteries, a national cemetery and the historic Dover Hotel. The battlefield is open daily, except Nov. 25, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. The summer hours of operation for the Visitor Center are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; the National Cemetery is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

The phone number for the Visitor's Center is 931-232-5706, ext. 101. The website is www.nps.gov/fodo.

• Historic Collinsville, at 4711 Weakley Road in Southside, is a 40-acre site with 18 authentically restored log houses and outbuildings that date from 1830 to 1870. By calling ahead, guests can reserve a tour guide dressed in period costume. The site is open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. from Thursday to Sunday during the months of May 15 to Oct. 15. Guests can bring a picnic lunch. For details, call 648-9141 or go to www.historiccollinsville.com.

• Old Post House. Located at 3190 Fort Campbell Blvd., the Old Post House once served as a stop for the triweekly stagecoaches that operated between Nashville and the Ohio River towns. This building was erected in the 1830s and has also been used as a post office, church storeroom and residence. It now sits in the median of Fort Campbell Boulevard and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Montgomery County Courthouse. In the center of downtown Clarksville is the Montgomery County Courthouse at 1 Millennium Plaza (at 2nd and Commerce). Its historic shell and facade were restored after the building was nearly destroyed by a tornado in 1999, with a new courthouse effectively being built inside the red bricks. Photographs inside catalog a history of Montgomery County. The courthouse is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. For information, call 648-5787.

• L&N Train Station. The spiffy L&N Train Station sits at the corner of 10th and Commerce streets. A railroad has run through Clarksville since 1860, when the first train came in from Bowling Green. The last passenger ticket was sold in 1968. Today, it is the home of the Montgomery County Historical Society. The station has been proclaimed as that referred to in the Monkees 1966 hit, "The Last Train to Clarksville," but the songwriters have said they had no particular city in mind and chose the name because it sounded good.

The station hosts a Farmers Market, receptions and art shows, and is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Call 553-2486 for details, or visit www.mchsociety.org.

• Sevier Station is the name for a 1-acre park at 326 Walker St. where a stone cabin sites. It has been claimed the cabin was a small fort in which settlers could escape American Indian attacks, but this has been disputed. The park is open from dawn to dusk. Call 645-7476.

• Smith Trahern Mansion. At 110 McClure St. sits the majestic Smith-Trahern Mansion, which was built in 1858 by wealthy tobacconist Christopher Smith and overlooks the Cumberland River. The home reflects an architectural blend of Greek Revival and Italianate styles and boasts airy hallways, a dramatically curved staircase, and a "widow's walk" on the roof. It is on National Register of Historic Places. Clarksville's Trees of Christmas is the mansion's dramatic fundraising event in which more than 20 decorated Christmas trees are placed throughout the home. The Smith-Trahern Mansion is open Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Call ahead for a reservation for a tour at 648-9998.

• Trail of Tears, Port Royal State Park. More than 15,000 Cherokee people were marched across the Deep South on the way to Oklahoma as part of the Trail of Tears between 1838 and 1839. Port Royal State Park, 3300 Old Clarksville Highway, Adams, is designated as an official site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail designed to commemorate the event. Portions of the original road can still be seen. To learn more, visit www.nps.gov/trte.