Yesterday I took some pics of the haunted bartow courthouse. I drive by it everyday so I though eeehhh....why not. So I grabbed my cell and started to take pics. With some help from Barek Halfhand he enlarged my captures! But first here is the history of this haunted place: of polkcountycourthouse site

When you look upon this grand museum in the daylight, you would never guess it is haunted, nor would you ever dream that any horrifying incidents have occurred here. Looks can be deceiving.

The land where the old courthouse museum stands, once housed an older courthouse in the year of 1883. In 1886, Marshall Silas Campbell was killed right outside of the old courthouse building. The two men accused, the Mann brothers, never made it to a legal trial; a vicious lynch mob hung the brothers and brought their dead bodies to the old courthouse to display their idea of justice to the town folks. Also, in the old courthouse, there was an explosion that occurred in the basement boiler room. This accident took the life of an employee who was working in that area at the time.

Eventually another courthouse was built here; this building is now known as the Polk County Historical Museum. The new courthouse structure was not enough to chase away the old spirits because today, the museum has quite a bit of paranormal activity going on within its walls.

In the basement area, which can only be accessed by using the elevator, many employees and museum visitors have heard blood curdling screams that sounds as if someone is in agonizing pain. When the screams are investigated, no one is there. It is assumed that this is the spirit of the worker who died in the boiler room explosion, reliving his tragedy over and over.

In the criminal courtroom on the first floor, many have felt unexplainable cold spots. It is impossible to identify any spirits who might haunt this room, as there were many criminals who passed through the doors here.

In the Native American display room, many visitors have walked through cold spots or they have experienced the lights turning on or off on their own.

On the third floor, visitors and employees have reported seeing a full-bodied, female apparition. This woman is dressed in a white, antique dress. No one really knows who this woman is or why she haunts the old building. All that is known is that she tends to stay on this floor.

In the Rotunda area, many patrons and staff members have reported a melancholy feeling and strange cold spots. The apparitions of two men, believed to be the Mann brothers who were lynched, have been seen roaming about.

If you are able to zoom in you can see a shadow fiqure on the top left window.

look at this!!!

If you look at the first one compared to the main doors, it seems too big to be a person, though it is an interesting coincidence in terms of shape. =)

Whoa, the second one is scary!

I see two men!! Could these be the Mann Brothers...he has his hand on his hip I think he don't want me taking pics!! Thanks to Barek I would of never seen this!

lol I know it freaked me out!!

me first!

funky court jester hat on that cat

Hey V, good job but quick question. Is the building vacant or occupied at this time? Thanks..JN

It was 7pm it closes at 5pm. No one was there it was totally empty

Cool!!

I was going to ask if it was an open building or not. Could cleaners or any maintenance workers be ruled out?

Plus it would not make sense of me trying to take pics with people there...lol

nope everyone was out I promise....lol. The cleaning van was gone. The parking lot was empty

I think its an interestig photo. As you can see its been analyzed... There's definitely something there. Nice job V

Check this out ...Anvil? any thoughts?....b

look at the nose...child

Ohhh ok, I thought it was vacant..daahhh..Great photos kiddo...JN

Thankyou pluto-x

In that case it looks like you've caught something going on

thankyou JN,,,next time i'll take pics inside but someone has to come with me...lol. it is very active

SCAREY...well definatly someone needs to come with me if I am going inside. That is the only problem no one else will...lol

I know I just can't over the pic of the two men...OMG!! I was standing right where the Marshall was shot! As soon as I stepped out of the car I was like uhhhhhh....lol

What state and city is it in?

edit: oh it is in Florida

Yep good ol Bartow, Florida

Last one for me tonight ...santa needs some elves....b



halfhandshuffle:The Nightmare Before Christmas - Jack's Lament
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-orhx8fS6I

I can even see this guy from my PC at work without any monitor brightness adjustments...anybody else see this?....b

it looks like two demons on the doors

and why are only two of lamp lights on?

will the maintance guy fix the lights?

Good job you decided to stop and take some photos eh? Nice one!!

nice pic...you may be on to something here...good job!

randomhit10

I am going to check my schedule, but I am going to NC, SC, and GA for a bit of investigating around May, I guess I could swing on by Florida and give this a gander, especially with the photos I have seen on this thread.

When you come down let me know!!! We will meet up!!

Thankyou Regency. I thought ya'll would enjoy some photos of some good ol' haunted courthouse. I never thought I would actually have anything show up! But it is highly active and as an amuture ghosthunter. I need experianced ghosthunters to come with me...or someone with more experiance in the paramormal.

Yes I can see it. Oh my...

Ok, I will let you know...Still have a long time before this happens

Thats cool! Ohhhh wouldn't you love to get evp's from in there??? I think there is a site of evps from the polk county museum, somewhere...lol.

Any valuable evidence would be perfect regardless. Can you either pm me with links or post them on here for information on the history of the place?

Sure I will look now! I will find a link for evps to..I will post it here so everyone can check it out.

To me, it just looks like a window with external reflections.
It's the only window with no blind covering pulled down, so it's the only window showing a reflection.
The reflection is clearly in the whole window, so it's probably just something from outside. Looks a bit 'lamp post' to me.

The other close-ups you've shown, can we see the original picture or can you highlight where they are so we can see it in context.

Thanks

Not convinced, why would the 'spirit' of a child fill a window that big? It's completely out of scale.

Sorry, meant to link this one to the close up of the pic with the comment about the child's nose...

I thought this was one interesting place so decided to read up on it, and wow what history. But I did notice the same "shadow" is in every photo of this building, so that must be a reflection of a tall tree on other side or something behind window..Not sure yet..JN

http://www.spiriteam.org/evp.htm
http://theshadowlands.net/places/florida.htm
http://hauntsofamerica.blogspot.com/2007/0...historical.html
Here is some...

I don't see it on that photo JN

The muesum is not known to be haunted by a child anyway, thanks for the comment.

The close ups are of the white apparation....b can show you....he helped me

If you guys and gals are actually interested this....I will go inside and talk to the manager and see if he will take some pics and record evps after they close up. I will be scared but I'll do it...lol

Sorry Hun, It mentioned a shadow on top left window, but as I said, it is also on the web site regarding the old courthouse..Let me try this again...JN

LOL OMG Dont go in yourself silly girl. Dont you have a part of your team to go in with you? Now I skeered for you...JN

Thankyou JN!! I saw it... Makes me uhhh...less scared...lol. But it did look really cool!! I am going to take more pics and post them later. I think I will get the nerve to go in

I only have 1 other person that is in my team right now. I am sure the manager will give me a tour. I will have the manager walk with me. LOL

OMG But is anyone there that will let you in? IF I was closer I would LOVE to go..I probably wouldnt mention the EVPS, just sort of hold recorder in your hand LOL..Tell them you are doing a paper on it, and you really want some photos..OR tell them the truth, but they might get skeeered to let you in. I learned the hard way Hun that glass is very reflective,so try something like the stairs, certain parts of the grounds (if you are outside) and things like that. I took shots of an abandoned bldg not too not too long ago, and OMG..I took shots during day, and it was really hard to decipher what was an actual image and what was a reflection...GOOD LUCK..JN

Oh, maybe I didn't get what was meant... What did the poster mean by this comment.... Check this out ...Anvil? any thoughts?....b

look at the nose...child

I thought he meant it was a face of a child in the window, hence my comment about it being too big as it filled up the whole window.

If you go back (rather you than me...) I'd love to see what else turns up!

What makes you want to go? I mean, if someone told me somewhere was haunted, I'd stay well away and I don't even believe in ghosts but the anticipation would freak me out!