Category Archives: Florida Mysteries

Florida’s Fort De Soto Park’s Haunted History

24 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by in Florida, Florida Mysteries, The Haunted Librarian Radio Show

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Vintage postcard.

Situated off the coast of Pinellas County, Florida sits the 1,136-acre Fort De Soto Park. The park has a complicated history—a history that is ripe for haunted stories. Tripping on Legends’ Christopher Balzano joined me on The Haunted Librarian Show to discuss some of the tragic stories. Curious about them, I decided to do a bit more researching. Two time periods stand out: The Mullet Key Quarantine Station and the 1980 Sunshine Skyway Bridge Collapse.

Five islands comprise the Fort De Soto Park. Visitors can access the park via boat or car. Inhabitants date back to 1,000 A.D. when the Tocobaga Native American Indians controlled the keys, as well as the Tampa Bay area, residing in villages. One hundred years after the Spanish explorer Pánfilo de Narváez and his men arrived in 1528, the tribe were extinct. By 1861, the islands came under government control and private use was prohibited. During the Civil War, the Union Army controlled two of the islands, Mullet and Egmont Keys. Various buildings were built over the years but ultimately were abandoned one-by-one by 1937. On May 11, 1963, the park was dedicated.

Tierra Verde, the official address for the fort, was originally part of Hillsborough County. Hillsborough County (Tampa and surrounding towns) was founded in 1834 and encompassed the western towns along the Gulf of America. Tierra Verde sits within Pinellas County, which was annexed from Hillsborough in 1912. Researchers should note the dates and keep in mind when searching for data on Fort De Soto Park.

Two images of the now-gone buildings with an aerial shot of the park with a map of when the area was used by the government.

The Tampa Bay area experienced several Yellow Fever outbreaks. From December 16, 1889-1937, the Mullet Key Quarantine Station served as a short-term isolation center for travelers coming to Florida. The quarantine area housed 15 buildings. One was built above the water. The hospital sat 700 feet from the shoreline. Erected on pilings (wooden beams stuck upright into the water), the 37 by 200-foot station consisted of 9 hospital rooms. People who did not exhibit symptoms were housed inland, while patients remained in the hospital. However, people did die at the station.

By 1892, a fumigation apparatus was in use to eradicate the mosquitos, which transmitted Yellow Fever and the cases began to subside. In late 1937, Hillsborough County relocated the station to Gadsden Pointe, closer to Tampa, thus ending one quarantine chapter for the Tampa Bay area. Balzano’s new book Haunted Florida Love Stories (2020) retells some of the ghost stories, possibly identifying who the spirits may be.

  • Robert Raiola and Michael Betz were the 2 FDOT divers who recovered the bodies from the submerged Greyhound bus.
May 9, 1980 when a 1,200-foot span on the southbound lane collapsed. Bottom picture is of Robert Raiola (L) and Michael Betz (R).

On May 9, 1980, the MV Summit Venture crashed into the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, causing a 1200-foot span on the southbound lane to fall into the channel, killing 35 people. A makeshift morgue was set up on Mullet Key.

Michael Betz and Robert Raiola, two FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) divers, were already planning on being at the bridge that day. This was Betz’ fifth day on the job; Raiola was training him. Both were eating breakfast at The Bunny Hut when the call came in. Upon arrival, the FDOT divers worked with Eckerd College’s Search and Rescue divers to retrieve bodies from the water. Betz and Raiola made two dives down to the upside-down Greyhound bus, where all aboard died (22 passengers and the driver), when another storm started moving in. Betz and Raiola were unable to retrieve all of the bodies trapped in the bus. Only 18 bodies were recovered on that day. Seven were recovered the next day by other divers.

Bodies were ferried to Andrew Potter Pier (also known as Potter’s Pier), on the southwest corner of Mullet Key. Here they were processed until being transferred to the Coroner’s office in Largo. Visitors to the park speculate that some of the ghosts seen may be those drowned in this horrific accident.

In addition to the possible victims of the bridge collapse, visitors claim to see phantom suicide jumpers.

Tune in with Christopher Balzano, check out his social links (https://trippingonlegends.com/), and consider ordering his latest book.

St. Petersburg’s Comfort Station No. 1

18 Wednesday Dec 2019

Posted by in Famous Locations, Florida, Florida Mysteries, Hauntings, Historic Places, Not Haunted

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Comfort Station No. 1; Vintage image from 1979 of station; Vintage postcard of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

A story is making the Internet rounds claiming that Comfort Station No. 1 in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida is haunted. It’s not. However, its lack of ghosts should not detract from the stunning architecture that makes it one of the most beautiful and historic public restrooms in the United States.

St. Petersburg experienced large tourism in the 1920s. Hotel construction rose as people came to enjoy the warm winter weather. Architects drew inspiration from Europe building such historic hotels as The Hotel Cordova (1921), the Don CeSar Hotel (1928), and the Vinoy Park Hotel (1925). Shortly after designing the Vinoy, architect Henry L. Taylor (1884-1958) designed Comfort Station No. 1.

At the corner of 2nd Avenue and Bayshore Drive North sits an 8-sided brick building. Topped with Spanish tiles, the octagonal structure is modeled after the Lombardy Romanesque style. Although this is not Taylor’s most important architectural feat, it is one of his most debated.

Bids were taken in March 1927, with permits and construction commencing by the summer. It reportedly cost $16,000 and was completed and operational by May 10, 1928 when a Lost and Found ad ran in the St. Petersburg Times. Ironically, the person who ran the ad found a Masonic ring at the station. The February 1929 issue of The American City praised the facility—both functionally and aesthetically.

Urban legends continue to swirl. The first claimed that Taylor built the facility to resemble St. Mary Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, situated at 515 4th Street South. Both structures are octagonal and share similar features. The story further claims that Taylor took umbrage to being shorted on the church project and designed the restrooms as an insult. This is factually incorrect. The bathroom was designed and built before the church, where construction began in 1929. Several newspaper articles, namely the September 9, 1992 St. Petersburg Times article, dispels this rumor.

Comfort Station No. 1 is sometimes called “Little St. Mary’s” or “St. Mary’s Comfort Station.” These are tributes to the similarities between the restroom and the church. While Taylor left no indication as to his reasoning on the design, some postulate that the restroom was a prototype for the large Byzantine style church.

One online tale also claims that Taylor himself haunts the station. Hardly. He built larger, more glamourous buildings to spend eternity.

Another Internet story refers to an elderly woman named “Agnes” who chats ladies up at the sink. After hours searching several online databases, I was unable to find an elderly woman who was alive in the 1930s (she reportedly was wearing clothes of that period) who died around the pier. Using a preconceived old-fashioned name doesn’t make the story true.

The comfort station sits along the retaining wall at the entrance to Pier Approach Park. Over the decades, the park consisted of several large piers: The Railroad Pier (1889); The Pier Pavilion (1895); The Electric Pier (1906); The Million Dollar Pier (1926); and The Inverted Pyramid Pier (1973). Engineers grew concerned by the saltwater erosion on the pilings; therefore, the pier is undergoing another rebuild/renovation.

There are numerous reasons why people hear sounds in the comfort station. First of all: it’s an oversized bathroom. The water lapping against the seawall also creates sounds. Hide tide, low tide; they all make waves. Boats entering/leaving the yacht basin. Acoustics against the tiles. Wildlife hovering about or scurrying underneath. In addition, fog and mist are frequent weather occurrences. Not one tale references actual investigations conducted to debunk.

Historic and old buildings are not necessarily haunted. I’ve visited this location numerous times (I used to live 16 blocks from here and would walk to the park). Never did I have an experience. Further, never did I hear about experiences. Visit Comfort Station No. 1 and reflect on a time when motorists did not have public conveniences and the one progressive city that took up matters by erecting a classic pit stop.

Spring Break Road Trip: Cassadaga, Florida

30 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in Camps, Cemeteries, Famous Locations, Florida Mysteries, Hauntings, Historic Places, Road Trip, Roadside Attractions, Uncategorized

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Postcard

Spring Break Road Trip: Cassadaga, Florida

Spring Break is in full swing, and there are some off-the-beaten-path places worth exploring. One of them is Cassadaga, Florida. Cassadaga is 40 minutes north of Orlando, off I-4 or an hour and ½ southeast of Ocala. Here are 10 things to know before you go:

Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp

  1. Cassadaga is named after Cassadaga Lake outside Lily Dale, New York, sister town to Cassadaga, New York and Florida. Lily Dale is the oldest Spiritualist community in America. It was incorporated in 1879 as Cassadaga Lake Free Association but was ultimately renamed Lily Dale Assembly in 1906.
  2. George P. Colby (January 6, 1848-July 27, 1933), a trance medium, believed his Native American spirit guide “Seneca” led him to Volusia County, Florida in search of land to establish a Spiritualist community. George was homesteaded 145 acres in the area and donated 55 of those acres to create Cassadaga. He died at the age of 86 and is buried in the Lake Helen Cemetery.

Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Early Photo

  1. Cassadaga is a Native American word that means “water beneath the rocks.”
  2. Wintering psychics and mediums from the north sought a warm location to winter. The unincorporated town was established on December 18, 1894 as the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association.
  3. Cassadaga is known as the “Psychic Center of the South.” Less than 70 people reside in Cassadaga. All are psychics and mediums.
  4. The Cassadaga Hotel, the only hotel in town, was originally owned by the camp but was lost in foreclosure. It is privately owned. The original building burned down on Christmas Day 1926 but was rebuilt within 2 years.
  5. More than 15,000 people visit Cassadaga per year. There are 7 parks and meditation areas in the camp. Visitors can walk the town, book appointments with psychics, tour 2 historical buildings, shop the bookstore, or sip coffee at the hotel.
  6. Singer/songwriter Tom Petty (1950-2017) wrote the song “Casa Dega” about the town.
  7. Fiction writer and essayist Carl Hiaasen based the fictional town Grange in Lucky You on Cassadaga. In the novel, Grange is a strange town where people experience a lot of religious miracles. The main character JoLayne, and African-American woman who wins ½ of a Florida Lottery jackpot, resides in Grange.

CarlHiaasen

  1. If you visit, stop in the Lake Helen Cemetery, situated between Cassadaga and Lake Helen. In the cemetery in a family plot, there is a brick bench, a mourning bench. An urban legend has started that this is a “Devil’s Chair” whereby the Devil arrives when someone sits on the bench. Another tale states that if a can of beer is left, it will be empty in the morning. Let me know what happens.

DevilsChair2

Happy Travels!

Salvation for Fairyland

16 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by in Abandoned America, Curiosities, Famous Locations, Florida Mysteries, Road Trip, Roadside Attractions, Uncategorized

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They-Will-come-for-tampapix

Salvation for Fairyland

“You can’t put a price on history.”

Richard Gonzmart

Seemingly simplistic storybook-themed amusement parks popped up in the mid to late 50s. They were travel destinations for families with children. Over the years, decreased attendance and changing interests drove parks to update exhibits. Modernization was costly; therefore, many parks closed facilities and removed the exhibits. Few remain today. Some of these historically significant relics have been destroyed, thrown out, or lost. Fairyland, located in Tampa, Florida, seemed destined to the same fate; however, an auction saved the exhibits for future preservation. Preservation of these old amusement parks is vital to our American history.

Lowry-Park-Brochure-small4

Built in 1957 with private funds, Tampa’s Fairyland Park and Zoo was situated on 15 acres and free. Advertising referred to the attraction as a “storybook park for children”; however, people of all ages enjoyed the various fable-themed life-size figures and props. The City of Tampa shuttered Fairyland in 1996. All of the items were placed in an outdoor storage lot and ultimately forgotten. Twenty years later, the deteriorated figures were discovered and scheduled to thrown out. Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn referred to them a “junk pile,” yet refused to donate them to a preservation group. After public outcry, the city decided to auction them off. The heated auction grossed the city $28,300.

IMG_3552 (1)

Save Fairyland! was created to solicit donations to purchase the lots and to raise awareness. They kept Facebook group members abreast of the auction. Although two mystery bidders attempted to thwart the bids and pushed winning bids to higher than expected prices, local businessman Gonzmart won 11 out of the 12 lots. The final price shocked members who were thrilled with a figurative Knight in Shining Armor defeating the outside bidders. The group continues to post restoration pictures along with Fairyland-related endeavors. To follow the restoration process, join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/savefairyland/.

The auction serves as an important lesson and strategy for other groups hoping to preserve the past. Perseverance pays off.

 

For more information view https://www.tampapix.com/zoo_old.htm. It is an excellent resource providing historical information, as well as loads of pictures.

 

A Missing Corpse = Foul Play

12 Sunday Oct 2014

Posted by in Breaking the News, Cemeteries, Famous Locations, Florida Mysteries, In the News, Live Paranormal

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Florida Industrial School for Boys Postcard

Postcard of the Florida Industrial School for Boys

A Missing Corpse = Foul Play

Reports of abuse and killings plagued the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys for decades. Former detainees filed a class-action lawsuit. The State of Florida investigated determining that there was insufficient evidence to substantiate. The University of South Florida (USF) Anthropology Department received a grant to exhume the 31 known and over 55 unmarked graves. Dr. Erin Kimmerle, a professor at USF, also obtained an order allowing the excavation of another coffin in Philadelphia. Her team dug up the coffin only to find wooden planks instead of a body.

The Florida State Reform School opened in January, 1900 in rural Marianna, Florida. The state-run facility housed boys, aged 8-21. At its maximum, the school housed 500 boys. The school closed for “budgetary reasons” in 2011. These young men committed minor crimes from truancy to theft and were sent to the school in an effort to restore them to community life. Along the way, something went horribly wrong.

Undergoing four name changes in its 111-year history, the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys sits on 1,400 acres. Numerous buildings and cottages dot the landscape. Former residents described the grounds as beautiful—much like a college campus. Facilities included a pool, cafeteria, farm, dairy, and hospital. Two cemeteries, one for Caucasians and another for African Americans, exist. However, only 33 graves are marked with crosses. Through radar, another 55 additional unmarked graves were located. An additional 22 boys who died at the school are unaccounted for. Numbers vary; however, some 84-100 boys died while detained at Dozier. Unfortunately for some, the school became a place of torture.

Radar

Radar

In 1925, 17-year-old Thomas Curry was sent to the reform school. He remained for 29 days. A ledger entry at the school denoted Thomas was “killed on the RR Bridge Chattahoochee, Florida.” The Old Cathedral Cemetery, in Philadelphia, listed his death as “killed by train.” Curry’s death certificate, discovered in 2008, stated death was caused by a crushed skull from an “unknown cause.” No one from the school reported Thomas’ death to the State of Florida. A wooden coffin was sealed and transported to Philadelphia for burial. The coffin was interred above Thomas’ grandparents. There is no tombstone.

When the coffin was opened, wooden planks were discovered. No body. No skeleton. No personal effects. Where is Thomas Curry?

empty coffin

Coffin filled with wooden planks.

Although a state investigation (2008-2009) failed to find sufficient evidence supporting reputed abuse, this discovery—or lack thereof—should reopen the investigation. Bodies were illegally buried. Bodies were improperly handled. Boys disappeared. Former detainee Roger Kiser called Dozier a “concentration camp for little boys.” The idyllic images of the school posted online in the Florida archives clash with the testimony of 300 men. A missing body highly suggests foul play.

Tune in Friday, October 17th at 9 pm to “Breaking the News” on Paranormal I-Con on www.liveparanormal.com. The Haunted Librarian joins host Wes Forsythe as they discuss the latest paranormal news.