Witches, hanging trees, and haunted lighthouses ...
From graves and ghosts to hanging trees and haunted lighthouses, everywhere from the tip-top of Tallahassee to the end of the land in Key West, the Sunshine State has some dark and dreadful tales to tell. Whether they’re true or simply an exaggerated myth or urban legend, we really don’t know for sure.
Passed down through the ages, urban legends are the things that give us all a case of the goosebumps whether we’re home alone, driving down a dark desert highway, or sitting around the campfire. At the very least, they definitely make us curious for more. Here are a few Florida urban legends to get those goosebumps going.
The Grave of the Tallahassee Witch (Tallahassee)
Elizabeth “Bessie” Budd-Graham was laid to rest in 1889 at the age of 23. Buried in Tallahassee’s Old City Cemetery, she was honored with an elaborate headstone. Rumors started up (as rumors will) that she had bewitched her husband into marriage. It was claimed, though, that she was a “good witch” who cast spells of love and protection.
Now, there are a couple of things that could have been attributed to that witch status. Her gravestone faces west, unlike the rest in the cemetery and contrary to traditional Christian customs at the time. The most likely attribute is that her epitaph is an excerpt from Edgar Allan Poe’s Lenore. And the line, in particular, is probably this one … “A dirge for her the doubly dead in that she died so young.” As any good witch expert knows, a witch must be killed twice (hence the “doubly dead”).
Maybe her family just liked Poe. Regardless, the part about spreading love and protection doesn’t seem all that bad to us. Her gravesite receives many visitors who come to pay respects and leave gifts.
Ghosts of the St. Augustine Lighthouse (St. Augustine)
Courtesy of Sandy Allen
Built in 1874, the St. Augustine Lighthouse stands 165 feet over Matanzas Bay and Anastasia Island on Florida’s east coast. Anything more than 100 years old is bound to have a few tales up its spectral sleeves.
During the construction of the lighthouse, three children—Eliza and Carrie Pittee (children of the construction superintendent who was living on the property at the time) and another unknown girl (probably the daughter of a construction worker)—drowned. Some say that laughter can be heard late at night and others have seen apparitions of young children in Victorian-era clothing.
Another story claims that Peter Rasmussen, an early keeper, is a ghost of the lighthouse. There are stories of being able to smell the cigars that he was so fond of.
The lighthouse, which has been featured on Syfy’s Ghost Hunters, offers Dark of the Moon ghost tours where you can tour the lighthouse accompanied by spooky tales and historical facts.
Hanging Tree at Captain Tony’s Saloon (Key West)
Courtesy of Sandy Allen
First constructed in 1852, Captain Tony’s Saloon is the original location of Sloppy Joe’s Bar, the famous haunt of Hemingway, as well as other visitors such as Truman Capote, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffett, and John F. Kennedy. Located on Greene Street, it's said to be the oldest bar in Key West. The building has reportedly seen life as a morgue, a speakeasy, an icehouse, a wireless telegraph station, and a cigar factory.
Between 1933 and 1938, it was operated by Joe Russell, who named it Sloppy Joe’s. After a rent dispute, he moved to another location a few blocks away (the current Sloppy Joe’s on Duval Street). On an interesting side note: apparently, Hemingway was quite upset about the move. He got the urinal, and it can be seen at the Hemingway House. Captain Tony Tarracino then renamed the bar Captain Tony’s Saloon.
The building was built around the tree, which was used to hang criminals. Reportedly, 18 people were hanged there—all but one for piracy. That one person supposedly killed her husband and two sons. About six inches of the tree can be seen above the roof, as Hurricane Irma took out a portion of the top. You’ll have to go inside to see the rest of it.
Some of the mysterious happenings reported over the years include ghostly voices and bathroom stall doors opening, closing, and locking by themselves. When the floors were removed in the 1980s, skeletons of more than a dozen bodies were found. Some of them have headstones placed around the base of the tree. It’s also rumored that the bar is above a well full of holy water. That’s nice.
Apparently, Captain Tony liked to preserve history and, of course, keep his business going. To keep patrons interested in the place, he was fond of embellishing stories, so it’s hard to tell what’s true and what’s just a really good story.
Have you been to any of these locations? What’s your favorite Florida urban legend? Let us know in the comments.
