The Treasure Coast was originally inhabited by the Ais tribe of Native Americans, and is actually named after a major wreck of a fleet of ships on our reefs in 1715… so it’s no surprise we have a lot of haunted spots along our coast. Here are just a few well known haunted locations…
Our first haunted location is the driftwood resort right here in Vero Beach. Waldo Sexton, who died in 1967, actually built the resort to be his ocean drive home. Guests that stay in suites part of the original home report hearing strange noises and voices from the hallways in the middle of the night. And many report seeing an older man wearing a hat and suspenders standing near the stairs to the beach… It seems Waldo continues to roam the home he built even in the afterlife.
Next we are making our way to fort pierce… more specifically the famous Sunrise Theater. Rupert Koblegard reportedly watches over the historic theater he opened back in 1923. The theater closed in 1983, and people have reported opaque shapes in windows and knocking inside the building. Construction workers renovating the building reported strange noises and their equipment being moved around overnight. The building has been investigated by professional paranormal investigators that have reported knocking sounds, doors closing and opening, and even batteries from their equipment being drained suddenly.
Now let’s make our way down to Stuart and head into Gilbert’s Bar House of Refuge…
This building is said to be haunted by multiple spirits, from pirates and housekeepers, to men that died in a nearby shipwreck. It is Martin County’s oldest building, and was used to house shipwreck passengers from 1876-1945 until it was turned into a museum in the 1950’s. People have reported wailing voices, flashes of lights, a black vessel in the lagoon, a woman roaming the building, and hazy figures wandering the beach shore. Present day housekeepers report smelling beef stew despite the kitchen being unusable since the 40s, and shards of glass that disappear as they try to pick it up. And the creepiest room is the attic, no surprise there, which is now off-limits to the public. Visitors claimed to feel a sinister presence when entering the room, hearing knocking, and even being touched by invisible hands. Visiting this museum is not for the faint of heart.
Last but not least is the Devil Tree Legend in Port. St Lucie. In Oak Hammock Park, large gnarled branches hang heavily from this ancient tree. Residents warn tourists not to wander around the tree past dark and for a good reason. The tree is bound to a floridian horror story from 1971. Gerald Schaefer, florida’s first serial killer, tortured and hung 2 hitchhikers before burying their bodies in a shallow grave under the devil tree. To this day, the Devil tree serves as a grim memento to his crimes. Attempts have been made to remove the tree, but chainsaws break as soon as they begin cutting the tree, and the teeth of the handsaw suddenly fall off. In 1992, a priest attempted to perform an exorcism on the tree, only to have a force knock over his cross. Travelers who investigate the tree at night report feeling a chill and hearing screams. Some have even reported seeing the hitchhiker’s hanging from the tree. And the most terrifying part? Every man that has attempted to cut down the tree with a chainsaw has been involved in a fatal accident. It is now legend that anyone who removes a piece of the tree or attempts to cut it down will be doomed to a similar fate…
If you’re looking to stay up to date on local hauntings, make sure to check out “Indian River Hauntings” on YouTube. We will be posting more about their discoveries as one of our agents, Eric Attio, just joined their team to be a ghost hunter! See you soon with some more haunted locations on the treasure coast…
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