Civil War Movie to be filmed locally - Franklin, Ky

[scone]

Hey yall guess what? I going to be in a Movie.. Well I plan on it anyway.. Heres the scoop its a low budget independant flick thats going to be made.. and who knows what may become of it..

Steven

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Movie to be filmed locally
Thursday, May 18, 2006

Franklin Favorites - Franklin, Kentucky Newspaper Online Edition
http://www.franklinfavorite.com/

Lights, camera, action!

The Octagon Hall and Museum will be the setting for a horror movie that will be filmed in Franklin this summer.

“Wake the Dead” is being produced by Franklin natives Bill Wilkerson, Paula Rittenberry and Joey Witt who own Wild Mind Productions.

The movie is set in the 18th century and involves the legends of Octagon Hall located on U.S. 31-W north.

The old eight-sided unique brick structure was home to several families, slaves and Confederate soldiers. The story-line of the movie involves a voodoo practicing slave and the deaths of some of the children who lived in the home.

The play will be cast with actors from the area. Open auditions will be held Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20 at Octagon Hall beginning at noon each day.

Those wishing to audition are not required to bring anything with them to the audition.

Ms. Rittenberry said that they will cast 17 principal roles as well as clean-up crews and prop crews.

No one will get paid to participate in the movie, but a portion of the proceeds generated from the film will be donated to Octagon Hall. At total of 75 to 100 people will be needed to film the movie.

Wild Mind Productions is also looking for financial backing from the community.
The group plans to film the movie over six weekends and hopes to have the finished product by September. They plan to take the film to viewing festivals this fall. They will begin filming on June 23 at a Confederate soldier encampment at the F-S Community Park. Anyone who would like to volunteer to work on the film or provide financial help should call Bill Wilkerson at 270-586-4287 or 270-776-3414 or Paula Rittenberry at 270-598-0488.

Scene to be filmed at F-S Community Park
Thursday, June 08, 2006

A scene from the horror movie “Wake The Dead” will be open to the public at 6 p.m. on June 23-25 at F-S Community Park.

“Wake the Dead” is a horror movie that is based on stories from the history of Octagon Hall on north U.S. 31-W.

Filmmakers are shooting a reenactment of a battle from The Civil War, and the public is invited to come and to watch the filming.

All the roles in the film have been cast, and all other filming events are closed to the public. The film was cast with actors from the area when auditions were held in May at Octagon Hall. WKU is also contributing an intern and filming equipment to the production of the film.

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Octagon Hall is a unique structure and is located in Southern Kentucky. Construction of the house began in 1843 and completed in 1859, a span of 16 years. Andrew Jackson Caldwell, the owner, wanted a house like no other in the area. The house has become a landmark in the area.

The bricks used in construction of the house were shaped and fired on the property from local red clay. The corner bricks are unusual in that they have five corners. This provides strength to the corners and leaves no seam.

The foundation blocks were quarried from natural limestone deposits in the area. These quarries are located less than one mile from the structure and are still producing today. The massive foundation blocks are , on the average, 4 feet by 18 inches by 18 inches and weigh between 1 and 1 1/2 tons.

A significant part of the structure, the cupola or "latern" is no longer in existence . It was struck by lightning and burned prior to 1914. Owner, Dr. Miles Williams, did not rebuild after the fire. The cupola was used to hide Confederate Soldiers, beehives, weapons, and other items, during the Civil War.

The house is composed of 3 floors with 4 rooms to each floor

Octagon Hall's Civil War History

Completed before the onset of hostilities, Octagon Hall was to become a strategic asset to both sides in the War between the States. Located between the L&N railroad and the Louisville and Nashville Pike, it was and ideal place as a camp area and lookout.

In early February 1862 Fort Donelson, on the Tennessee River, was attacked and captured by General U.S. Grant. Fearing an advancing army from the front and rear, the confederates forces located in Bowling Green evacuated the city and surrounding Countryside.

Approximately 12,000 soldiers camped at the house and surrounding property on February 11, 1862 on their march to Middle Tennessee. Most of the "Orphan Brigade" did not see Kentucky again until the war ended.

The owner, a Southern sympathizer, hid Confederate troops in the building late in the war.

BTW.. Octagon Hall is reported to be haunted!!!

[scone]

Most people won’t admit it but if you ever have a personal encounter with a spirit your attitude will change.

If you are looking for a little Halloween excitement try a visit to the Octagon Hall just north of Franklin. Octagon Hall was built in 1843 by Andrew Jackson Caldwell. The eight sided home is the only one built in Simpson County and one of the few left standing in the world. During the Civil War it was the sight of much activity with troops traveling from north to south.

The home now belongs to the Captain David C. Walker Camp 640 Sons of Confederate Veterans. Brothers Billy and Barry Byrd serve as directors.They have turned the house into a museum and for the first time in history Octagon Hall is open to the public. People from the area have sent many artifacts which have a connection to the home to the Byrd’s.
The project began as a restoration adventure to keep the history of the home alive. Before the brothers began painting and restoring the home they took photographs for a before and after look at the endeavor. Much to their surprise the photographs revealed that the house was not unoccupied.

A woman, who has not been seen by a human eye, has been trapped in photographs several times. She is angelic, long and slender. She appears in the photographs as a white, transparent figure.

The Byrd’s were shocked at the first photograph that captured her at the bottom of the staircase in mid air.

Since the first photographs were taken many people have tried to capture the ghosts on film. Another photo of the female ghost was made in the basement where the kitchen had been located.

Many people have been to Octagon Hall to encounter a paranormal experience. Billy Byrd said that two friends of his from Smiths Grove asked to spend the night in the house to research the home. Both men slept upstairs in one of the large bedrooms. A female mannequin sits in a rocking chair looking out of the window in that room. When the men woke up the next morning the chair and mannequin were turned completely around. They left. Later that afternoon they called Byrd to tell him what had happened. In the meantime Byrd had gone to make sure everything was in order at the house. He noticed that the mannequin was turned around and put it back in its original spot.

When the firend told Byrd about the chair being moved, Bryd asked him why he didn’t just put it back the way it was originally. The man said he did.

Another incident occurred last February in the same bedroom. The Sons of Confederate Veterans and other groups gathered at Octagon Hall to reinact the march from the house to the state line which occurred during the Civil War. The story goes that thousands of soliders spent the night in the fields surrounding the home. That night it snowed. When the soliders began to waken the next morning they looked like ghosts rising from the ground.

A group gathered at the Octagon Hall to remember the former stop at the Caldwell Home. That night several people spent the night around the grounds of Octagon Hall. Billy Byrd spent the night inside. When he got up the next morning he found the impression of a body on a feather bed in the upstairs bedroom. The bed is small and the impression was about the size of a child. A dress was draped across the foot of the bed and the impression showed where the person curled their knees up so they wouldn’t disturb the garment. Byrd said he is sure that no one entered the house. They photographed the bed and left it alone. Days later Debbie Byrd, Barry’s wife came to clean the house. When she got to the upstairs bedroom she straitened out the impression while cleaning the room. She went downstairs to fill a bucket to mop the floor and when she returned upstairs the impression was back. She screamed and retreated downstairs.
Also in this bedroom is an entrance to the attic. It is recorded in the history of the house that confederate soldiers often hid in the attic and used the entrance to gain access to the rooftop cupola. The cupola was used to watch the fields and railroad for incoming troops. An old soldiers boot was found back in the attic.

One year ago, on the Sunday after the time change, Barry and Debbie came to the house to unload wood in the barn. It was about dusk when they arrived. While Barry was unloading the wood Debbie caught a glimpse of the house and saw a light float by the window. She asked Barry if anyone was inside and he said no.When they checked the house no one was inside and the alarm was still on. The window that she saw the light in is located in the stairwelll. Someone would have to be about 12 feet tall to pass by the window on foot and she was sure it was a candle light.
Just a few months ago an alarm went off at the house. Two Simpson County sheriff deputies called Billy Byrd and told him about the alarm. He went to the house with them and they walked through the house. They found a closet door open in the north downstairs room. They decided that whent he door swung open it had set off the motion detector and alarm. They investigated, found nothing and closed the door. They continued talking and the door knob began to jiggle. The door opened but no one was there.

Several light orbs have been photographed throughout the house. Several in the attic, some in the bedrooms and 11 in the basement kitchen....all at the same time. A series of three photographs taken show the movement of the orbs which aren’t visible with the naked eye.

Orbs are explained in the paranormal as an entrance way for spirits and as the souls of spirits. They are usually found where there has been a death.
Mary Elizabeth Caldwell, the young daughter of Andrew Jackson Caldwell, caught her dress on fire in the fireplace in the kitchen. She died as a result of the accident. It is thought that her spirit is still in the house.
After moving into the house the Byrds bushhogged surrounding fields and Billy Byrd discovered by accident a slave cemetery with 13 headmarkers. The stones, which mark the graves, are still standing in a clove of trees that are not native to Kentucky. Other trees in the area were brought to Octagon Hall by the Caldwell family also.

You can believe what you want. You can shake your head and pass it all off as a game but, if you believe just a little bit, visit Octagon Hall for yourself. Look at the pictures that have been made inside the home. Go....if you dare.

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Brothers Billy and Barry Byrd have obtained possession of Octagon Hall, the eight-sided home located on north 31-W in Simpson County. They have leased the home as the Kentucky Confederate Studies Archives.

The Byrd’s plan to restore the Octagon house to the way it looked when it was built in 1843. They will turn Octagon Hall into a museum and study archive which will be open to the public in early March. Octagon Hall will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. There will be no admission price to the museum, however donations will be accepted.
Billy Byrd said they would encourage school groups and any other groups that are interested in touring the site to contact them at (270) 586-9343.
Future plans for the site include planting the fields immediately surrounding the home with small crops and a garden that would have thrived during the Civil War period. They also plan to raise some livestock on the grounds such as sheep. Byrd said they will also hold Civil War reenactments at the site.

A living history of week long activities are planned for the future also.
“Over the years I have been asked many times how someone can get inside the house. Now, after many years, this house will be open to the public.” Byrd said.

“We are searching for items that may have a connection to Octagon Hall. We will be accepting artifacts and furniture from the Civil War time period to furnish the home. We are also very interested in any information, old letters or genealogies that anyone may have in reference to the house.” Byrd said.

Funding for the project will hopefully come from federal and state grants and donations.

Byrd said they have begun applying for the grants that will restore the building back to its original state. The home has never been open to the public and several families have lived there during the past 158 years.
Billy Byrd said they are researching the history of the 15-room house.
The home was built by Andrew Jackson Caldwell in 1843. Caldwell, and his slaves, built the home with bricks made from the red clay mud found on the property. They used red clay mud and limestone slabs to construct the three-story home. The doors are made of black walnut and the trim is red chestnut. Among the notes on the home Vernon King Reeder is said to have hauled lumber for the house from Allen County with a team of oxen.
According to letters from Mr. Caldwell’s son and granddaughter, one of the slaves at the mansion was a very skilled craftsman. He carved the eight-sided posts that are part of the banisters on the main stairwell and all interior woodwork.

Historical information about the building of the home names Edwin Hendricks as the contractor of the project, R.F. Haynes was the bricklayer and Joe Thomas Ditmore was the carpenter.

It is documented that Caldwell built the eight-sided home because of its uniqueness. The octagon shape was supposed to promote good ventilation, be healthy and stand strong against high winds. According to a web site on octagon shaped homes there are 96 eight-sided homes in the United States.

There are many, many stories about the home. About 12,000 Confederate soldiers camped on the grounds surrounding the home on Feb. 13, 1862. The troops evacuated Bowling Green and were headed to Nashville. They stopped on their first night at Octagon Hall. It is said that generals Johnston, Hardee and Breckenridge spent the night in the home. The other troops slept in the fields surrounding the house, including, Capt. John Hunt Morgan’s cavalry as rear guard.

That day the temperature reached the high 40s but that night snow fell on the sleeping troops. When they awoke the next morning and pulled back their snow covered blankets they looked like the dead rising from the fields.

Caldwell was known to be a supporter of the south. It is said that he could watch the train and road from the cupola on top of his house and he would know when troops were traveling. The next day after the Confederate troops spent the night near his home the Yankees paid the Caldwells a visit.

Mr. Caldwell was an avid bee keeper and just before the northern troops arrived he and the slaves hid the bees in the cupola above the house.
They set up camp around the house and generally took whatever they wanted as far as food and shelter were concerned. The soldiers killed Mrs. Caldwell’s favorite cow, Spot. They skinned the cow and threw the remains in the well south of the home, contaminating the family’s drinking water. The Caldwell’s had to haul fresh water from Sinking Creek for about a month.

It was said that Mr. Caldwell hid confederate soldiers in the attic and also in the cellar. The cellar was dug directly out of the red clay mud and sweet potatoes were stored there.

It is rumored that there is a tunnel in the home which runs from the basement to the barn. Soldiers could ride in, put their horses into the barn and then find shelter in the house. One story says that on one night there were Confederate soldiers in one part of the house and Yankee soldiers in another. The Caldwell’s were successful in keeping them hidden from one another through the night.

Octagon Hall was known around the area for its unusual shape. The following story is taken directly from a letter written to the Franklin Favorite by H.M. Caldwell - son of Andrew Jackson Caldwell.

“... Shortly after the close of the war, a young fellow, in a ragged Confederate uniform, came tramping along the pike and stopped just at night at our house. Of course my father took him in and cared for him for the night. Next morning, under friendly questioning from my father, the boy said his name was Gus Brantly and that he had been mustered out of the army “away below Nashville,” and was looking for an uncle of his who lived in “a round brick house somewhere near Franklin, Kentucky.” My father was overjoyed thus to find a nephew. The boy was the son of my father’s sister in Texas, from whom he had not heard from for a long time. He had run away from home when sixteen years old and enlisted in the Confederate army.”

Andrew Jackson Caldwell died in Octagon Hall in 1866. He was buried on the grounds and members of his family lived there until Dr. Miles Williams bought the home in 1916. Dr. Williams was an osteopath from Nashville and he moved his family to Simpson County. He changed the name of the home to Mayfair Farms and paid $100 an acre for the land.

The home and land changed hands once more in 1975 when it was bought by Mrs. Piper. She resides in Alabama and leases the land for farming. She has generously allowed the Byrd brothers to take possession of the home to develop the museum.

On August 22, 1962 the Simpson County Historical Society made a push to have a historical marker placed at the home. This was the first historical marker placed in Simpson County. Several descendants of the Caldwell family attended the dedication ceremony, donating a powder horn of the Caldwell family to the Simpson County Historical Society..
Several families have lived in the house over the years and a house this old is certainly rich in history and ghost stories. Now, after many years of being kept from the public, Octagon Hall can soon be shared with the members of the Simpson County community.

[william42]

You can believe what you want. You can shake your head and pass it all off as a game but, if you believe just a little bit, visit Octagon Hall for yourself. Look at the pictures that have been made inside the home. Go....if you dare.

Steve, I am an ardent fan of paranormal study and research. Especially the orbs. I am not ashamed to admit that I believe there are entities dwelling in our midst. I love reading stories like you posted. Thanks.

Terry

[scone]

I do to terry ..

We wont actually be at the sight of the Octagon Hall I don't think but do hope to go by If I get a chance. Place seems pretty interesting..

Steven

[lrd89]

Congrats Steve. I'll be looking for that this fall. I like good horror movies.

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I will keep yall posted .. It may be nothing to right home about then again it might be better than I thought.. I'm not expecting anything big thats for sure.

steven