Sunday Favorites: Haunting Season is Here

From haunted maidens to lost spirits, embark on a thrilling journey as we uncover the stories of Manatee and Sarasota counties' most renowned ghosts this week.

The Haunted Hitchhiker

The sad blonde hitchhiker of the Skyway Bridge has been seen by hundreds of people and is mentioned in almost every collection of area ghost stories. She often appears on foggy nights looking off the top of the bridge like she might jump, or you might catch her hitchhiking her way to the top. Wearing a white dress, she appears so lifelike, drivers will often try to pick her up. On one occasion, a couple claimed she got in the car and engaged in minimal conversation, then after becoming more and more anxious as the car approached the highest point of the bridge, she disappeared into thin air. Their account of the encounter is featured in Capt. Bill Miller’s book ”Tampa Triangle: Dead Zone.“

Ringlings in the Rose Garden

There are multiple ghosts that haunt the Ringling Museum and Ca d’Zan, a sprawling waterfront mansion located on Sarasota Bay. In fact, there are so many supernatural sightings, the staff keeps a log documenting the dates and times. The two most popular ghosts are those of the original owners both of whom experienced an exceptional amount of unrest after their deaths.

Statue in Mabel Ringling's rose garden.

Ca d’Zan was the home of circus tycoon John Ringling and his wife Mable. Mable’s rose garden, which she created in 1913, is still a prominent feature on tours. Most of the art displayed in the museum was once part of their personal collection.

Mable died of pneumonia in 1929 at the age of fifty-four and John seemed to go downhill after that, passing away seven years later. Once one of the most successful businessmen in the country, John died with only $400 to his name. John and Mable had planned to be buried on Ringling property; they had even constructed a mausoleum near the museum so they could admire their art from the afterlife.

But due to difficulties in litigation after the State of Florida took over the estate, Mable and John were never buried on the property according to historian Jeff Lahurd in his book “The Hidden History of Sarasota”. Instead, their bodies were placed in a temporary vault somewhere in New Jersey for more than half a century! The Ringlings never did make it to their mausoleum. Instead, their remains were placed near the rose garden overlooking the Ca d’Zan, but that didn’t occur until 1990! Is it any wonder their spirits are restless?

The Spirit of Spanish Point

Like the Ringling estate, Spanish Point is the site of a historic hotel that served snowbirds way back in the late 19^th century. Located in Osprey, Fla., the location includes a packinghouse, hotel, chapel, and a pioneer cemetery that serves as a resting place for early settlers including members of the Webb, Blackburn, Roberts and Guptil families.

At certain times of the year, exceptionally high tides create a saltwater barricade blocking many of the pathways and creating an ethereal effect, perfect conditions for ghost sightings. On days like these, guests and volunteers have reported seeing a young woman in white lingering in the woods and listening intently to the conversations of guests.

The apparition is likely Mary Sherrill, a guest who arrived with her mother at the Webb’s Winter Resort in February of 1892. Mary, who was in her early 20s, was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Her mother hoped the warm Florida temperature would help cure her ailment, but after only five weeks she passed away.

While her physical body was taken back to her hometown of Louisville, K.Y., some say her spirit still lingers, enjoying views from the top of the Native American midden near Pioneer Cemetery, just as she had done in her final days.

So apparent was Mary’s love of Spanish Point, that her family had a chapel built next to the cemetery. Her classmates at the New England Conservatory of Music donated a bell for the chapel. On windy nights the bell’s chime can be heard in the distance. Could it be Mary who is ringing the church bell?

That’s it for this week, tune in next Sunday as we explore some more local ghost stories!