Drenched in sun and perched above the glistening water of Tampa Bay, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge doesn’t look haunted. However, appearances can be deceiving. Dozens of ghostly tales surround the Tampa landmark which has been the site of two devastating accidents and over 200 suicides. Do the victims of these tragedies haunt the bridge today?
Accessible only by boat, Tampa Bay’s Egmont Key offers pristine beaches, abundant wildlife, and a historic lighthouse and fort. However, this idyllic island doesn’t just attract tourists. Legend has it Egmont is also rife with ghosts.
I’ve visited several cemeteries in Savannah, Beaufort, and Charleston (many more than once), but today was the first time I visited a reportedly haunted cemetery in my own hometown: Tampa’s Oaklawn Cemetery.
Described as the final resting place for “white and slave, rich and poor,” Oaklawn is Tampa’s oldest cemetery at approximately 164 years old. Several prominent Tampa families rest in the historic cemetery, as do pirates, slaves, soldiers, and victims of yellow fever. Given the cemetery’s age and the stories of its residents, it’s hardly surprising that Oaklawn has a haunted reputation.
Last night I joined Florida Suncoast Paranormal Investigations for another ghost-hunting adventure. In February we visited the May-Stringer House in Brooksville, FL. Yesterday we explored an old train depot in the same community. Here’s what happened.
