No matter your beliefs, scary stories have the power to send chills down your spine – Florida offers plenty of creepy legends and haunted spots for that thrill ride!
Oak Hammock Park is an idyllic setting, but its beauty belies its history as one of the first serial killers in state. Gerard John Schaefer used this gnarled oak known as The Devil Tree as his haunted spot for abducting, torturing and murdering young hitchhikers he encountered there.
Castillo de San Marcos
St. Augustine’s massive Spanish fort, built of coquina (soft limestone made up of broken shells), boasts a lengthy and bloody history of inquisitions, sieges and massacres spanning its long existence. One of only two such forts ever constructed from coquina’s unique defensive properties – its walls can withstand cannonballs and projectiles with ease – it was one of only two constructed using coquina technology forts constructed this way in St Augustine.
The Castillo is home to numerous ghosts, including that of a young couple whose love was cut short due to Colonel Garcia Marti’s duties at the fort. Visitors have reported smelling Dolores’ strong perfume, hearing disembodied footsteps, and even seeing full apparitions.
Fort Castillo also holds a dark history as a prison, where Native American Chief Osceola was held prisoner during the Second Seminole War and tortured to death before his headless corpse was scattered about the fort and visitors reported hearing his voice whispering in their ears. Today it serves as a national monument with regular tours as well as cannon firings and weaponry demonstrations taking place throughout the year.
Key West Cemetery
Key West is an idyllic beach community for travelers seeking relaxation. However, few realize its dark side – Key West Cemetery has long been considered one of Florida’s most haunted spots, featuring headstones with Caribbean influences as well as chickens and iguanas causing havoc there. Furthermore, there are mausoleums, zinc crosses, old water pumps, and marble statuary scattered about its grounds – not to mention one of Florida’s scariest locations!
Many visitors have reported seeing ghosts at the cemetery, including an unfaithful woman said to ring a bell at The Blue Anchor Pub every night at 10 p.m. (the time she died). Additionally, visitors have heard her rattling pots and knocking things over; and one spirit becomes very angry if people sit or walk across gravestones.
Bellamy Bridge
Jackson County’s haunted Bellamy Bridge has long been associated with ghost stories in Florida, according to legend. Legend claims it’s haunted by the spirit of a bride killed on her wedding night in 1837 – her tragic death is said to have inspired its haunting properties, and its restless spirit still appears today.
The haunted bridge can be found in a swampy area near Marianna and dates back to 1914; making it the oldest of its kind in Florida. Surrounded by cypress and chinkapin trees, visitors to this mysterious place have reported experiencing strange lights as well as the scent of gardenias lingering there.
Visitors to Bellamy Bridge and its surroundings can discover more by taking part in the Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail, a half-mile path providing visitors an exclusive opportunity to discover this mysterious site and gain more insight into its fascinating legend.
Florida State Parks
Florida may be best known for its sunny beaches and iconic attractions, but it also has a dark side–one filled with mysterious occurrences and ghostly spirits. After centuries of wars, pirate attacks, shipwrecks, and paranormal activity, it should come as no surprise that its borders are filled with paranormal activity.
People visiting Oak Hammock Park claim to have seen ghosts hanging from The Devil’s Tree, and other strange experiences have included hearing footsteps overhead or doors slamming on their own. Visitors have reported strange happenings here too, with footsteps overhead being heard and doors closing unexpectedly on their own.
The Stranahan House in Fort Lauderdale is one of the oldest structures in town, and is said to be haunted by various ghostly spirits. Frank Stranahan himself allegedly haunts this building, while Ivy and Ethel have also been seen around it lingering perfume-wise and appearing to reside upstairs rooms respectively. Additionally, guests have reported doors slamming on their own as well as lights flickering uncontrollably – all signs that something’s going wrong here!
