Pristine nature, exciting events and maybe ghosts: Things people can expect from The Loretta Lynn Ranch
HURRICANE MILLS, TENNESSEE: Country music icon Loretta Lynn died in her sleep on Tuesday, October 4, in her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, where she lived with her family for about 30 years. Simply dubbed Loretta Lynn's Ranch, the plantation property carries the legacy of the late Country legend.
Spread over 3,000 acres, the Lynn family’s private property has evolved into a tourist destination for her fans from across the globe. Tourists don't visit the sprawling property for just the views, they also come to see if they catch sight of ghosts.
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According to their official website, lodging is flexible. The campgrounds are surrounded by the pristine rural landscapes. Visitors can choose from a myriad of activities. Camping rates at the ranch go from $25 to $45 per night. For tourists who opt for staying in, the ranch also offers cabins, which have room for four to eight people. Designed like a typical hotel room, the cabin includes linens, a coffee maker, microwave, television and a refrigerator among others.
The ranch offers glimpses of Lynn’s former house where she grew up as a child in Butcher Holler, Kentucky. The space recreates details such as her childhood keepsakes and vintage wallpaper, and resembles the modest home that still exists in Kentucky. While touring the ranch, tourists can also visit different museums on the property, including the Doll and Fan Museum, which exhibits the many dolls and gifts Lynn received throughout her career.
The ranch also hosts an array of events including seasonal chuck wagon races, holiday concerts and horseback trail rides. Lane Wommack, a realtor with Benchmark Realty, described Lynn’s property as a dream house that she built with her husband. "As Dolly Parton has provided so much for locals and tourists with Dollywood, Loretta Lynn’s ranch provides something for everyone," Wommack told Fox News Digital.
"People visit to enjoy and appreciate nature, to watch barrel racing, wagon racing, and dirt bike racing, and of course, [to attend] music concerts. Right off the interstate, there is Loretta Lynn’s gift shop and kitchen, serving the good ol’ southern food we all grew up on," Wommack added.
Lynn bought the property in 1966. When her career took off, Lynn became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1962 at 30, and four years later, she and her husband Oliver decided to move into her dream house. For Lynn, the ranch was love at first sight. "I said, ‘I want that house.’ At the time, we didn’t know the town come with it," she said in an interview with the Travel Channel.
"The property came with more than just the town of Hurricane Mills’, according to the Lynn family. It came with ghosts, as was revealed on the program. Speaking about the history of the property, Lynn said that 19 soldiers were killed at the property during the civil war. She also reported finding cannonballs fired by Confederate soldiers on the property.
Further in the interview, Lynn claimed, James T Anderson, the former owner of the property, who died in the early 20th century, never completely left the house. She said the staff have reported witnessing an old man resembling Anderson who would mysteriously vanish. "He’s protecting me. He knows that I took care of him. I wouldn’t let nothing happen to that house over there, not as long as I’m living," said Lynn, adding, "I don’t think the kids would either, so I don’t think Mr Anderson has anything to worry about."
Lynn was truly and madly in love with her forever home. She was often seen posting pictures of the property on her social media handles. "We've had some beautiful snow here recently. I love this picture of the big house that my right-hand man, Tim, captured. Y'all gotta come to visit the ranch sometime. It's paradise to me," she wrote while sharing the snowy scene outside her home in February.