Experience Tallahassee's Spooky Side
...if you dare!
Whether it’s Halloween, Friday the 13th or just a full-moon… Tallahassee is full of spooky attractions to safely explore. Surrounded by mysterious {yet boo-tiful} ancient oak trees, Tallahassee is a hauntingly historical destination!
Enjoy this list of hair-raising sites and stories in and around Florida’s Capital City that’ll be sure to give a good fright. From ghostly graves, haunted homes, socially distant walking tours and more, these local landmarks are so good – you’ll scream!
Grave of Elizabeth Budd-Graham: Nestled in Tallahassee’s oldest public cemetery, the curious grave of Elizabeth “Bessie” Budd-Graham is a unique memorial for what some believe was a kind, “white witch.” What makes the story curious is Bessie’s tombstone – a towering ornate obelisk, which happens to be the most visited grave in the entire cemetery. What was even stranger about Bessie’s tomb is the epitaph chiseled on the front (which historians have translated to have many dark witch references throughout). While some have claimed Bessie was a “good witch,” others are not so sure when they feel the energy of the grave itself. Take a self-guided walking tour when you visit The Old City Cemetery and see for yourself whether or not you feel anything!
The Columns: This historic home was initially designed for Benjamin Chaires, a well-known plantation owner and banker in the 1800s – today it’s the home of the James Madison Institute, an organization that encourages free-market ideas. There have been reports of paranormal activity here which center around the first floor -where the figure of a woman is sometimes seen walking into the fireplace.
Knott House Museum: Built in 1843, this historical home is the former residence of state official, William Knott and his wife Luella. In 1865 the home served as temporary Union Headquarters – where the Emancipation Proclamation was first read in Florida on May 20, 1865, a full month before June 19, 1865 when the remainder of the nation recognized that all enslaved persons were emancipated. Restored to its 1928 grandeur, the home is now a museum, which is said to be haunted by a ghost who appeared in a photograph one of the staff members took while doing inventory. The photograph is now displayed proudly among the museum’s collection. Often when staff members arrive in the morning to unlock the house, those inside doors are all closed – while people who have passed by late at night reported seeing lights switching on and off inside the locked and empty house – as if someone was going from room to room.
Storied Paths: Embark on a spine-tingling journey through downtown Tallahassee’s haunted past with Storied Paths. Their guided walking ghost tours will lead you through eerie pathways and whisper old town lore, making the past come eerily alive. As you traverse the ghostly nooks, each step will unveil the stories that have lingered through centuries. Venture if you dare, and let Storied Paths guide you through the spectral side of this charming city.
Historic Monticello Ghost Tours: Located 25 miles east of Tallahassee lies Monticello, Florida – “The South’s Most Haunted Small Town” – home to Indian mounds, historic buildings, superstitious tourists, history lovers and supernatural hobbyists. Visitors can walk the town’s dark streets, take an exclusive look inside the old jail and explore the ghostly nooks and crannies with an expert guide.
Velda Mound Park: Velda Mound is an archaeological site that was first occupied by people of the Fort Walton culture during the late prehistoric period. The site, now owned by the State of Florida and managed as a local park, is where some have reportedly seen visions of Indians keeping warm by a fire – but after a split second… they vanish. There has also been talk of many people seeing a glowing white wolf – while neighbors agree they’ve heard howling in the middle of the night.
