Haunted History of Key West
October is upon us, and in honor of the spookiest, scariest month of them all, we decided to take a midnight stroll through the eery, cobwebbed history of Key West. Dubbed one of “the most haunted” cities in the world, its terrifying past has inspired books, tours, and more than one tourist to drop their ice cream in fright. The seemingly ordinary streets of the Conch Republic were once bathed in the blood of murder victims, pirates, Civil War soldiers, and so much more. Do you get a thrill out of the paranormal? Does the macabre tickle your fancy? If so, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in!
Haunted Hemingway House
Ernest Hemingway lived in his Key West mansion during the 1930s with his wife Pauline and their two children. Fans of the writer will know that it was not a happy marriage and that Hemingway himself died by suicide in 1961. Here is where it becomes spooky. After his death, a couple (unaware of his tragic end) walked past his mansion and waved enthusiastically at the writer who was sitting by a window, perched as if about to begin writing at his typewriter. Only learning afterward that he was no longer alive, they couldn’t believe what they had experienced. Friends of Hemingway say that he swore he would spend his afterlife in his Key West home. Were they right?
Key West Lighthouse
Key West’s lighthouse fell into the hands of the supernatural as long ago as the 1860s. On the 11th of October 1846, the Great Havana Hurricane struck Key West. It destroyed all but 8 properties and claimed many lives, including the children of the then lighthouse keeper (who happened to be a woman, highly unusual for the time) and those fleeing to the lighthouse for shelter. But that’s not all. The hurricane clawed its way through the early settlement’s graveyard, unearthing the burial caskets and coating the streets, trees, and buildings with fresh and long rotting corpses alike. Pardon the visual, but it wouldn’t be spooky without a little gore, now would it?
Not only can you still stumble across bones and funeral debris in the sand around Key West to this day, but there have also been many reported sightings of Barbara Marbrity, the devoted lighthouse keeper, wandering the grounds of her former home.
Old Monroe County Jail
Undoubtedly teeming with spine-chilling tales of violent crime, murder, and suicide, the Old Monroe’s aura precedes it. More than one visitor has said to have felt the heavy presence of its violent history before they physically cast eyes on the abandoned building. The most disturbing legend to emerge from one of its inmates is that of Manuel Isleño Cabeza. Cabeza began a relationship with a lady-of-the-night named Angela, who was of Afro-Cuban origin.
This was considered unfathomable by furious members of the Ku Klux Klan at that time, who beat Cabeza almost to his death. He went after his persecutors in retaliation, killing one in plain sight in front of many witnesses. Mobs for and against either party sprung up, and violence threatened to take over Key West. The police found Cabeza and offered him a deal - give yourself up, and we’ll protect you. He agreed to the terms. Unfortunately for him, one of the head police officials was a reported Klansman. On Christmas Eve, a group of white supremacists dragged Cabeza from the prison, pumping his body full of bullets and hanging him from a tree.
The story didn’t end there. Angel reportedly cursed her lover’s killers in a Voodoo ritual, the consequence of which was that each participant met a tragic end. One was blown up; another drowned at sea during a storm. One disappeared, never to return, while another was killed by his boat. The police officer who let the Klansmen enter the prison was himself killed in a fishing accident. Even the tree Cabeza hung from was the origin of the first reported case of “lethal tree yellowing*” disease. Unfortunate coincidence or the bloodthirsty revenge of a Caribbean witch? We’ll let you decide.
*a fatal tree disease where the infected plant turns yellow before it dies
Were you blown away by these spooky tales of tragedy and misfortune? Eager to find out more about the history of this fantastic little island city? Check out our blog for loads more fun facts about the Conch Republic. You never know; it might inspire you to come down and see it for yourself!