Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Tennessee’s Blood-Stained Tomb is one of Cleveland, Tennessee’s most unforgettable legends, but the real story of Nina Craigmiles is far more tragic than the name suggests. In this Backroads adventure, we visit the Inman Street railroad crossing where Nina’s accident happened, explore the Craigmiles family’s history, and finally see the blood-like stains on the marble tomb for ourselves.
Nina Craigmiles was only seven years old when she was killed in a railroad accident in 1871. Her father, John Craigmiles, later helped build St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in her memory and placed beside it a marble mausoleum that became known for its strange red stains.
But this story is bigger than the tomb. We look at the Craigmiles family, their wealth and influence in Cleveland, the historic Craigmiles House, Craigmiles Hall downtown, and the tragedies that followed the family after Nina’s death.
Are the marks on the tomb really blood stains, or is there another explanation? Either way, the Blood-Stained Tomb of Cleveland, Tennessee remains one of the most powerful local legends in Southern history.
Join me as we follow the backroads into a story of family, tragedy, history, and legend.
Tennessee’s Blood-Stained Tomb is one of Cleveland, Tennessee’s most unforgettable legends, but the real story of Nina Craigmiles is far more tragic than the name suggests. In this Backroads adventure, we visit the Inman Street railroad crossing where Nina’s accident happened, explore the Craigmiles family’s history, and finally see the blood-like stains on the marble tomb for ourselves.
Nina Craigmiles was only seven years old when she was killed in a railroad accident in 1871. Her father, John Craigmiles, later helped build St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in her memory and placed beside it a marble mausoleum that became known for its strange red stains.
But this story is bigger than the tomb. We look at the Craigmiles family, their wealth and influence in Cleveland, the historic Craigmiles House, Craigmiles Hall downtown, and the tragedies that followed the family after Nina’s death.
Are the marks on the tomb really blood stains, or is there another explanation? Either way, the Blood-Stained Tomb of Cleveland, Tennessee remains one of the most powerful local legends in Southern history.
Join me as we follow the backroads into a story of family, tragedy, history, and legend.
