Tall Betsy Expected To Draw Record Halloween Crowd

Cleveland trick-or-treaters this Halloween will get a rare glimpse of Tennessee’s spookiest legend. 
A spokesperson for the goblin announced this week that Tall Betsy will appear exclusively on Halloween night at 483 Centenary Ave. in Cleveland – the home of Jim Park. The address is in the historic district of downtown Cleveland where the legendary goblin made her most famous appearances. 

The appearance is scheduled for 6:46 p.m., or sunset. 

Tall Betsy – the goblin thought to have vanished forever to a mausoleum at Fort Hill Cemetery - drew a record crowd for her appearances at 150 Centenary Ave. in downtown Cleveland that took place over 18 years, said Allan Jones, the creator of the Tall Betsy legend.

In the ‘80s, there were consistent appearances by Tall Betsy on Centenary Avenue drawing crowds of thousands. 

Many neighbors began decorating their homes as a tribute to the goblin and a poem was created called “The Legend of Tall Betsy.” 

The state of Tennessee named Tall Betsy “The Official Halloween Goblin of Bradley County” on May 24, 1989 and Zac Adams, an award-winning filmmaker from Nashville, created a documentary about the goblin. 

Tall Betsy vanished in 1998 after drawing a Halloween crowd of 25,000. 

In 2013, J. Bailey Jones (Allan’s then-22-year-old son) took over the Tall Betsy identity with an updated look and reappeared at the downtown Halloween Block Party. 

The new Tall Betsy appeared again at the Block Party in 2014 and 2015, but 2016 was the first time since 1998 that the goblin emerged from the historic Centenary Avenue courtyard. 

The goblin’s initial impression was overwhelming. “From my perspective of being seven and a half feet above the crowd, there were people as far as I could see in every direction,” said J. Bailey. 

This year’s appearance is expected to draw a record crowd, so onlookers wanting a good view should arrive early. 

For more information about Tall Betsy, please visit TallBetsy.com.