The Haunted History of Florida (OLLI)

Experience the darker side of the Sunshine State with this immersive, story-driven journey into Florida’s most historic and unsettling hauntings. This multimedia presentation explores ghostly legends rooted in real events, blending folklore, eyewitness accounts, and verifiable history to reveal a Florida that tourists rarely see.

Begin in St. Augustine at the venerable Castillo de San Marcos, where the tragic tale of Dolores and Manuel still whispers through the ancient coquina corridors. Travel southwest to the solemn pine flats of Bushnell, where the spirits of the fallen are said to roam the Dade Battlefield, the opening strike of the Second Seminole War. The lecture then ventures into the heart of Marion County to the Ma Barker House in Ocklawaha, frozen in time since the infamous 1935 FBI shootout, and long rumored to host lingering shadows from its violent past.

Next, descend into the glamorous yet ghost-laden halls of the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, where 1920s opulence meets decades of chilling stories, from phantom soldiers to the restless spirit of Fatty Walsh. Finally, visit the Cuban Club in Ybor City, a 1917 mutual aid society where the echoes of a fatal 1934 boardroom shooting still linger, alongside reports of a tragic actor in the theater and the spirit of a young boy who drowned in the basement pool.

From colonial intrigue to gangster-era violence and wartime tragedy, Haunted History of Florida uncovers the eerie echoes of the state’s past, offering audiences a compelling blend of true history and supernatural lore.