At the Loan Oak Hotel in Limestone, an apparition of a misty lady often appears in the living room, as well as a man in a top hat and coat tails in other areas of the house. Otherworldly noises sound throughout the night and pictures are moved about on their own.Johnson City Press staff writer James Brooks interviewed then new owners Ron and Dorothy Blevins for an article called “Limestone landmark has quite a history”, published 09/06/2005:“Tell him about the ghosts,” wife Dorothy Blevins said to Ron. “I once saw an older woman sitting on the couch reading. It was kind of misty, but I could see she had her hair pulled back in a bun, her hair was graying brown, and she was wearing a long gray skirt and top with three-quarter sleeves and a white apron that covered her bosom and had straps over the shoulders.” When that description was relayed to Tyree he said, “That sounds like Mamaw Broyles. But I never heard of any ghosts there. Now in our house my mom has seen the ghost of Rote Harrison, who used to own it.” “When we first got together I told her to pay no mind if she hears doors slamming, but the first time I left her alone and came home, she was out in the yard and said she wasn’t going back in there,” Ron Blevins said. Sometimes animals and small children are more sensitive to the spirit world. Dorothy said her 2-year-old granddaughter once raised her hand and waved at something she saw. A few minutes later she did it again. At least one of the ghosts seems to have poltergeist traits and is up to mischief. “Things get misplaced, and one time when we were angry at our son his photo flew off the television onto the floor smashing the glass,” Ron said. “Odd stuff goes on here all the time, and you know it goes on,” Dorothy said. “You know that feeling that you are being watched?” “When our kids, Ronnie and Beth stayed here, each of them at different times saw a man in top hat and tails,” Ron said. “Our dog, old Sophie, will go off every now and then and run to the door showing her teeth.” His mother stayed there once and complained about the noises and he said it was just the ghost. She said she wished it would stop, and the noise stopped right then. It seems that past owners are not just memories at the hotel, but may still linger inside the walls.
