All Hallows’ Eve is finally upon us, which means taking full advantage of the scariest places in Gainesville is a must, now more than ever. Here’s a check-list of haunted places for the thrill seekers, but be warned: some things (or something) from these places just might follow you home.
Wayside Antiques
South of downtown Gainesville (off I-75) lies Wayside Antiques, a store with an extremely high amount of haunted history. Many employees had periodically complained of hearing voices when opening and closing the store. The voice is said to call out their name specifically. One of the upstairs showrooms (the room on the right corner of the building that faces I-75) holds an antique dresser. Customers and psychics alike have seen a young girl in period clothing playing around the dresser. Many others will not enter the room because of the severe dip in temperature (it gets very, very cold).
Via: 5handscuriosities.tumblr.com
Hardee Cemetery
Hardee Cemetery (also known as Hardee Methodist Cemetery) has been reported as holding quite a few spirits, and many visitors talk about the weird, periodical occurrences that transpire in and around the home called “Pine Hill.” The house has been moved from its original location (only by a few blocks,) which may explain the congregation where spirits are seen more frequently being near the home instead of inside of it. “Pine Hill” belonged to Isaac P. Hardee, a slave owner. He took his last breath in that house and is known for being very unkind to his slaves. The cruelty left in Hardee’s wake is probably what permeates the area. This area is perfect for any bold soul ready to take on a spooky night.
Purple Porpoise
Y’know that Gator City Sports Grill you love? The billiard place downtown next to the Dunkin’ Donuts? Yeah, that’s one of the most haunted places in Gainesville. The grill was once home to The Purple Porpoise, but the owners sold it and left almost immediately after a murder that took place in their upstairs bathroom. The brutal killing of took place in the 1960’s, and both that restroom and the hallway connecting to it still hold an angry spirit. Many women have said they have see the female student’s ghost. A few who have stuck around the area say that they are eventually ‘attacked’ by some unseen force. Whether it is the spirit of the deceased killer or the victim herself remains a mystery.
Ma Barker’s House
A few minutes outside of Gainesville (Ocklawaha), the Ma Barker’s house has changed several hands and cannot land an owner due to its extreme haunts. Ma Barker (Arizona Donnie Clark) was the mother of several criminals who ran the infamous Barker gang. Ma Barker was once Public Enemy #1, and met her end with her son Freddy inside the home. The town holds re-enactments of the shootout every January, though traffic for the house increases around Halloween. The actual shootout between FBI and the Barker’s consumed more than 2,000 bullets. Many who care for the home, making sure it stays in the condition it was in the 1930s, report of hearing gruff yelling near the back of the house. Almost everyone who visits talks of the uncomfortable chill that carries throughout the building and the feeling of a looming presence following them during the entirety of their visit.
University of Florida
Where to begin?
Beaty Towers, a Housing and Residence building across the street from Broward Recreational Center, is rumored to hold the spirit of a female (supposedly pregnant) student who committed suicide. No records hold any report of the young girl leaping to her death, but many insist that, not only did the suicide actually happen, but Tom Petty himself (who was a resident in Gainesville at the time) wrote his famous song “American Girl” in reference to the incident. The lyrics related to the students death are “She stood alone on her balcony/Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by/ out on 441 like waves crashin’ on a beach/And for one desperate moment there, he crept back in her memory.” Many students in the Towers still claim to see her spirit roaming the halls and rooms. She is said to move items and push them off tables and speak softly in persons’ ears.
UF’s Law School was built atop an ancient Native American burial ground. This has been reported as true, as a plaque near Southwest Second Ave states the site of the aboriginal mound (it rests 100 yards west of the sign.) This knowledge, of course, comes with its tales of horror as some students and citizens have heard strange sounds both in the school and around the actual mound.
Thomas Hall gets its notoriety as being one of the first buildings at UF. It used to hold UF’s first cafeteria and, as rumor has it, still holds a very boisterous chief named Steve. The spirit is said to bang pots and pans late at night. However, some residents claim that the spirit looks more like a caretaker than a chef, and many believe it may be the old groundskeeper that passed away near the school in the early 1900’s.
Norman Hall, the building on the east side of the UF campus, was once an elementary school that eventually became the resting place of several children due to an elevator accident. The school eventually became P.K. Yonge (K-12) and then transgressed into another UF hall. To this day the ghosts of school children are reported as running around the Norman Hall’s third floor. There’s also a rumored hospital bed on the very top floor that is left unmade every morning and, by nightfall, becomes new-looking, with sheets tucked in and steel shining.
Happy haunting.
Know of any more great haunts around town? Comment below!
Photo courtesy of: 365ThingsinHouston
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