Editor’s Note: This article includes mention of suicide.
Some people trick-or-treat on Halloween. Others carve jack-o-lanterns. This year, The Hustler took a deep dive into Nashville’s underside through a Nashville Ghosts Haunted Pub Crawl and Ghost Tour.
Skull’s Rainbow Room
We may not be ones to believe in the supernatural, but when in Rome — or in our case, when at Skull’s Rainbow Room — how could one not cave a little? Frequented by the likes of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, Skull’s had all one could hope for in a hole-in-the-wall bar in the heart of Printer’s Alley. It truly felt like we were transported back to 1930s Nashville, creating an exciting background as we waited for our tour to start.
Clad in his signature bedazzled overalls, 80-year-old David “Skull” Schulman was brutally attacked in the Rainbow Room one night in 1998. Despite a speedy hospitalization, he died of his injuries the following day, prompting the restaurant’s 17-year closure. Rumor has it, according to our tour guide and certified medium Missy, that Skull continues to haunt the place to this day.
Next time you swing by, keep an eye out for an empty glass at the penultimate bar stool. Hearing about how Schulman’s spirit is believed to wander through Printer’s Alley in the wee hours of the night was a key point of this location, making us wonder if we captured his ghost while taking photos. This was a perfect location to start the tour, even providing us with foreshadowing, as Lavieri mentioned that two empty glasses are often found in the mornings after clean-up.
The Nashville tunnels
As we ventured around the corner, our tour guide Missy Lavieri brought out her hotel-desk-style bell, an electromagnetic field meter that dings upon sensing electrical fields — or according to her, the ghosts of Nashville past. Next, Lavieri pointed toward the upstairs apartment of an art-deco building where Al Capone lived when he was between Chicago and Florida. She continued by discussing how Capone used a tunnel connecting the apartment to Printer’s Alley, allowing him to supply speakeasies with liquor without detection.
We ventured past the Black Rabbit, a speakeasy run by infamous mobster Al Capone. The speakeasy contains tunnels to various other bars and the Cumberland River. It was also used by Capone for smuggling alcohol during Prohibition. Missy also let us in on a secret: the tunnels under Vanderbilt’s campus stretch all the way to the Capitol!
The Commerce Street bombing
Having remembered seeing the news of the bombing on Christmas Day 2020, going to see the bomb site was a somber experience for us. Lavieri started by introducing the site, describing the details behind the events of that night. She described the evacuation notice coming from the RV as “chilling,” even for her as a seasoned paranormal investigator. In the incident, Anthony Warner sat inside of his RV that night, urging civilians to evacuate immediately until bombs placed within the RV detonated at 6:30 A.M CST.
The blast — even though no civilian fatalities were reported — destroyed many of the 19th century-era buildings on 2nd Ave N, with reconstruction actively occurring to the present day to reopen the businesses in the coming years. She then expressed her belief that once the street is reopened, there might be increased levels of paranormal activity due to the explosion “releasing energy” into the historic buildings.
The mysterious death of Anton Kavevsky
Next on the tour was the Snodgrass Tower — also known as the Tennessee Tower — the site where Anton Kavevsky jumped to his death in 2016. Having recently graduated college, he went on a road trip for his travel blog. On the morning of July 14, 2016, Kavevsky reached the tower’s roof without being detected by visitors, construction workers or security. Right before he jumped, he sent a cryptic text message to his friend. It is a mystery how Kavevsky reached the roof that morning, with no record of his entrance ever recorded on surveillance cameras nor on the visitor logs.
The Ryman and Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge
Turning onto 5th Ave N, we were graced by a familiar sight: the Ryman Auditorium. Originally named the Union Gospel Tabernacle, Nashville businessman Thomas Ryman built the venue in 1892 after attending a tent revival and becoming a devout Christian. The Ryman that we know and love today came alive in the 1980s after hosting the Grand Ole Opry before nearly facing demolition.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, the familiar, bright purple bar at the start of Broadway, was founded by Tootsie Bess and is believed to be haunted by Bess and country music legend Hank Williams. Tootsie’s has served as a secondary green room over the years, where singers performing at the Ryman can grab a drink before and after their shows at the venue.
Although Williams passed away before Tootsie’s opened, Missy explained that his ghost will bounce between the two buildings. Additionally, Bess, who was known to bring in struggling bands to help them get their start in the industry, can be reported to “bang” on the bar when her ghost does not like the band that is performing.
Downtown Presbyterian Church
In the heart of downtown lies a Presbyterian church that was built in 1848 and designed by Tennessee State Capitol architect William Strickland. Built in an Egyptian Revival style, it is complete with a brightly colored chapel and palm trees on the stained windows. It is rumored that there are bodies in the basement of the church but Lavieri could not confirm it. Overall, a quick stop on the tour but still incredibly interesting to discover that nugget of Nashville history.
Alley Taps
The last bar stop of the night was Alley Taps, a speakeasy-style bar on the far side of Printer’s Alley. Printer’s Alley itself traces its history back to Nashville’s printing and publishing industries. At the start of the 20th century, the alley was home to two newspapers, 10 print shops and 13 publishers (The Hustler was located just a few miles away way back in 1888!).
Alley Taps was a nice change of pace, as the bands of the time played mainly pop and indie covers. If you want a break from the hustle and bustle of Broadway, Alley Taps is a great weeknight spot.
Ike Johnson’s suicide at the Southern Turf Club
Last, but certainly not least, the tour ended with the Southern Turf Club. Just down the alley from Skull’s Rainbow Room, the story of Ike Johnson predates even Skull’s. As described by Lavieri, Johnson was “the Skull before Skull”, loved by many across Nashville in the early 20th century. Pointing towards the circular fixture sticking out from the building, Lavieri continued telling her story of Johnson’s death.
Opening his bar in the late 19th century, the Southern Turf Club was a hotspot in Nashville up until prohibition laws barred the sale of alcohol across the United States. When Johnson was informed that he would be forced to close the Southern Turf, he turned a gun on himself in his upstairs apartment on the morning of his eviction. According to Lavieri, Johnson and Schulman drink together in the Rainbow Room after closing, sometimes leaving two empty glasses on the counter.
Overall thoughts
We pleasantly enjoyed going on the ghost tour, finding it an interesting blend of local history with the paranormal. Having Lavieri specifically guide us was a gem on top of the regular tour, as she encompassed the idea of southern hospitality throughout the tour. Providing insightful commentary on each site — such as recommending for us to bring tasers to haunted sites to help stir up the paranormal energy. She made it feel like we were getting the authentic local experience. She also gave us restaurant recommendations that wouldn’t “cost you an arm ‘n’ a leg” and offered us restroom breaks throughout the tour at the many local bars she uses for her guided pub crawls.
Whether you are an amateur ghost hunter or are scared at the mere thought of ghosts, the Nashville Ghosts tour is a great way to learn about some local Nashville history. The pub crawls do not include the cost of drinks, however, so we recommend looking ahead at cocktail menus to pick out your favorites.
