Young Professionals Network

Spooky Local Haunts

By: Ariana Gillooly, Regional Account Manager, GIT Florida Title Services

Warning! Do not read on if you spook easily. The stories you are about to read are about some of Sarasota and Bradenton’s most famous ghosts and their local haunts. So, grab a blanket and cuddle up with your pumpkin spice latte because these chilling stories will leave you wondering: was it really the breeze that rushed by me, or was that the chill of something… 1850 MANATEE BURYING GROUNDS

THE KEATING THEATRE

Legend has it that in the 1980s, the former artistic director, Richard Hopkins, performed a series of exorcisms in the FST’s (Florida Studio Theatre) Keating Theatre to remove any unwanted spirits. The theatre was originally built in 1915 as the Sarasota Women’s Club. It is said that the spirits of those women still haunt the theatre today by disrupting the actors on stage as they practice their lines. It has been said that they shine random shafts of light and tap on the walls nearby in hopes that the actors will leave their club.

Still today, many employees claim to hear footsteps of those who roam at night. So, if you go to enjoy a performance, I would use the buddy system because you never know who is following you.1

UNFINISHED RINGLING HOTEL/CHART HOUSE

In 1926, when Sarasota had become a major center of resort development, John Ringling and business owner and developer Owen Burns planned to build the Ringling Ritz-Carlton hotel on Longboat Key (where the Chart House is located today). It was stated that Ringling put $650,000 of his own money into the project (that is equal to nearly $8.75 million with inflation today).

Unfortunately, the feverish boom in land that had fueled South Florida for years began to wane, and the Great Depression signaled its final doom. Construction on the half-finished hotel stopped, and the building shell soon became dilapidated. The eerie site then became a scene of a tragedy where as many as eight people fell to their death in 1964.

Many Chart House employees believe the ghosts of those who lost their lives still linger in the dining rooms at night. So, if you feel a sudden chill at dinner, don’t worry; it’s probably just one of the spirits watching you.1

Located east of Manatee Village Historical Park (across from 15th Street East), the 1850 Manatee Burying Grounds is the oldest established cemetery in Manatee County. It’s the final resting place of many early pioneers of “Manatee Village.” The overall age and weathered condition of many of the tombstones give visitors a particularly ominous feeling when roaming the grounds. Many headstones are cracked, titled, or entombed by entwining trees. The worn wrought iron gate at the entrance also adds to the overall spooky feel.

There are 94 marked graves with somewhat legible inscriptions dating back a century or more, but many more remained unmarked. Even with the overall haunting feel of this graveyard, it is well maintained and viewed as sacred to many. So if you dare visit, you will need a key to access the self-guided tour and are required to be respectful of the delicate and dreadful scenery.2

THE GATOR CLUB

The Gator Club, located on Main Street and Lemon Avenue, was originally built in 1912 by William David Worth. It was built to be a grocery store downstairs with his family’s living quarters upstairs. Before it was known as a Sarasota nightclub, the bar has been a variety of establishments, including a cigar shop, an ice cream parlor, a speakeasy, and a brothel.

There have been several peculiar reports of ghosts haunting this local historical building. Some say the brothel’s madam still lingers around the windows, looking down on those in the streets.

The most reported ghost sighting is Mrs. Worth, the original owner of the building; she is known to sit at the top of the stairs as though she is waiting for someone. Over a century later, many think that Mrs. Worth is still watching over her home. So, the next time you go to the Gator Club to drink a spirit, remember those spirits who might be watching you!3 •