Underrated Ghost Stories And Mythical Creatures All Over The World: One Hundred And Forty-Third Stop – Hernando County, Florida

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Underrated Ghost Stories And Mythical Creatures All Over The World: One Hundred And Forty-Third Stop – Hernando County, Florida

Brooksville is a city in Hernando County, Florida. It is known for its 19th century railroad industry. It also has beautiful architecture that has become part of history. Accordingly, it is a nature lover’s paradise because it offers a lot of outdoor recreational activities.

A photo of downtown Brooksville. (Link: https://www.tampabay.com/hernando/brooksville-main-street-program-loses-director-but-hopes-to-gain-new-focus-20190523/)

One more reason why tourists flock to Hernando County, Florida is because it is where the May-Stringer House is nestled. This house is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a little girl.

The May-Stringer House in an undated photo. (Link: https://www.tampabay.com/news/hernando/2019/12/12/hernando-museum-is-haunted-staff-says-now-theyre-looking-for-a-cemetery-there/)

The History of May-Stringer House

The May-Stringer House was built in the year 1855. A contractor named John L. May was the one who purchased the property in Brooksville. He built many home in the area so he decided to build his family home there, too. When the May-Stringer House was fully constructed, May and his wife, Marena, lived in the four-room house with their two daughters named Matilda and Annie. Sadly, May died three years later after the construction of the home. He passed away at the age of 25 because of tuberculosis.

Marena then re-married. The second husband was identified as Confederate hero Frank Saxon. They had two children but both died at very young ages. Marena also died after giving birth to her second child Jesse May. Accordingly, she had fever from giving birth and it caused her death. Jessie died three years after being born due to unknown causes. Both the bodies of Marena and Jessie were reportedly buried in the property. Reports also claim that John was likewise buried there. Marena and Frank’s infant son was also reportedly laid to rest in the property. It is believed that because of the bodies getting buried in the property, it has something to do with the current hauntings experienced in the May-Stringer House today.

The doll is reportedly owned by Jessie May. (Link: https://ghostsnghouls.com/may-stringer-house-haunted/)

After Marena passed, Frank remarried His new wife was identified as Tululu Hope. After Frank died, the home was eventually sold to Dr. Sheldon Stringer. He added more rooms to the house and it was where he, his wife, and their three children lived. It also served as his clinic for his medical practice. Allegedly, many were admitted there when they had smallpox and yellow fever.

Over the years, many owned the property until it was purchased by the Hernando Historical Museum Association. They renovated the May-Stringer House and it is now a museum. Many people visit it not only because of history, but also because of the rumours that it is haunted.

The Ghosts at the May-Stringer House

When the May-Stringer House was being renovated, the volunteers who helped in restoring the home claimed that they heard footsteps and voices. When they checked the rooms, they were empty so it remains unexplained why there were footsteps and voices coming from the room. Workers likewise felt cold spots all over the May-Stringer House as well as mists and eerie shadows lurking in the home.

The most prominent presence is believed to be that of Jessie. The little girl’s laugh is often heard in and around the house. Sometimes, she even cries for her mother Marena.

Another ghost spotted at the May-Stringer House belongs to a soldier. The soldier reportedly stares out of a window from a room upstairs the May-Stringer House.

Paranormal investigators also claimed that there is always something new that they experience whenever they visit the May-Stringer House. They said it’s actually fun to visit because they never know what will come up during their stay at the home.

Two workers also shared their experience one evening. Accordingly, they were just cleaning up after a Halloween event. They could not find their cleaning products anywhere but they later found it in the office of Dr. Stringer. They swore that neither one of them went into the room so it was not possible either of them left the cleaning products there.

The Ghost At The Attic

Another spirit that reportedly haunts the Attic of the May-Stringer House is identified a Gary. He is reportedly attached to something that was donated to the Hernando Historical Museum Association and whenever people touch his things, he does not like it. It is believed that his name is Gary as it has registered in many equipment that detected the presence of spirits in the area.

Some of the items at the attic of the May-Stringer House. (Link: https://www.hernandosun.com/article/critical-time-home-hernandos-relics)

Gary is both territorial and playful. He reportedly loves to tease ghost hunters by turning their flashlights on and off.

Some Experiences Of Ghost Hunters

One of the ghost hunters who frequent the May-Stringer House said that when they were in the attic, he “felt the floorboard next to me move. It felt like someone was standing next to me and had jumped. It really startled me because no one else was up there. I also caught a woman’s voice in the hallway upstairs.”  

Jesse Lisk of the Brooksville Paranormal Investigation Team also shared, “One time I was here opening up by myself and I was coming downstairs to turn the lights on. I got to the last step and heard a woman’s voice to my left say, ‘Hello.’ I turned toward the voice and said, ‘Hello’. The voice was so loud. We had a ghost tour where we were on the second floor and we heard two women talking on the first floor. Everyone was upstairs, all the doors were locked and there was nobody outside.”

Another room at the May-Stringer House. (Link: https://www.tampabay.com/news/hernando/2019/12/12/hernando-museum-is-haunted-staff-says-now-theyre-looking-for-a-cemetery-there/)

Experts also used an SLS camera that captures a skeleton-like image of a spirit. One image captured revealed the shape of a cat. It is believed that this ghost cat also haunts the attic and walks between the legs of visitors.

A photo of the May-Stringer House at night. (Link: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/207236020340550785/)

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