FRIDAY THE 13TH

Friday the 13th is here.  Why is it unlucky?  Why are we superstitious about the date in Western culture?  Did you know in Spanish speaking countries and in Greece Tuesday the 13th is the day people a fearful of?  I just learned that in Italy, Friday the 17th is a day of superstitious fear.  But, back to Friday the 13th:

Apparently, our superstitions go back to mythology, when the ruler of mischief, Loki, arrived at banquet which brought the number of gods (small-g) to 13.  Loki tricked Hodr into shooting his brother Balder, the ruler of light, joy and all things good.

Further superstition developed with the story of the Last Supper where Jesus Christ and his 12 disciples gathered.  Judas, who betrayed Jesus, arrived and brought the number of people to13.

Whether it be Friday the 13th, black cats or broken mirrors, many people are superstitious about many things.  Here's a quiz about the number 13.  Good luck!

-Craig Shemon

ESPN Southwest Florida

Not only is Halloween the season of scaring, it's become quite the drinking holiday as well. And if you're looking for a way to combine the two, look no further. With the help of Ranker and other sources, we've compiled 13 haunted bars in Florida to visit this Halloween season. And no matter where you live in Florida, you'll find there's probably one not too far away. From a morgue-turned bar in Key West. To another haunted spot in Florida's oldest city of St. Augustine. And you don't need to go to Universal to find a haunted spot in Orlando. Even Ford's Garage in Fort Myers has a story to tell. And there's a chilling story from Naples in our not too distant past.

All of these bars can be classified as "haunted" for one reason or another. But it's their stories that truly give afterlife to their tale. I can tell you with 100% certainty that a bartender that can give you a little backstory on the bar you're drinking at is going to get a better tip from me. I love that kind of stuff.

If you're a little too creeped out to be drinking with actual ghosts, maybe check out an even darker side. This is as true crime as true crime can get. "10 Serial Killers Whose Crimes Were Committed In Florida."

Halloween is my favorite time of year. I just love this stuff. So let's get started, ands we'll begin right here in Fort Myers.

In an article from the News Press, they noted that the building that houses Ford's Garage was once part of a hotel built in the 1920's. Old hotels almost always have mysterious happenings. "A bartender once reported seeing a wine glass dislodge from a rack at the service bar, lurch across the room, hit her in the hip and shatter at her feet." In the video you can see the bar is part of a much older building.

Just up the road from us here in Southwest Florida is Pelican Alley in Nokomis. The story goes that the bar is haunted by the ghost of the previous owner, Robert Arbuckle, Sr. The story goes that he really loved the bar and was not ready to give it up. 

Gravestones and an actual burial site are on the premise of this bar that was once a morgue. There's a tree growing in the bar where they used to hang people. Doors may open and close on their own and there's occasionally a 'cold spot' in the building. I'll let this tik tokker tell you about the "Lady In Blue".

This is truly a weird one. This pub was built in the 1840's in London before being taken apart and shipped to the United States. The bar made it to Florida in the 1990's. Rumor has it a ghost named Bertha Starkey also came along with the bar. 

St. Augustine is the oldest city in the country and with that, comes history. Scarlett O'Hara's was created from two late 19th century homes that were put together. The establishment is said to be haunted by George Colee, who was found murdered in his bathtub. Possibly by his first wife. In the upstairs bar the liquor bottles are kept behind ropes because they kept 'falling' off the shelf. Unfortunately George is now alone in the old building. Scarlett's closed in 2022.

Built in the former Stokes' Seafood Market. According to hauntedplaces, the building is haunted by 5 spirits.. "Jennifer and Claudia roam between the two connected buildings, Stephen hangs out by the bathroom in the hallway, and David is spotted out in the beer garden area. Not much is known about the fifth spirit. One medium said it could be the spirit of a child." If you bring your dog to the beer garden area of the brewery it's reported that your pet may become uneasy and not wish to remain there. 

A bar that used to be a hotel and a church. Strange combination. The main spirit seems to be a woman standing in front of a mirror.

It's a biker bar and it seems to be haunted by bikers who weren't ready for the party to end. Or it could be from the cemetery across the street. Hang out and maybe you'll get to witness the jukebox that turns on by itself, sometimes even if it's unplugged. Things have been thrown across the bar and faucets turn on by themselves.

The spot seems to be haunted by a little girl dressed in Victorian clothing. Mary's is on Church Street in Orlando and resides in a former hardware store built back in the 1800's. The little girl seems friendly enough, tapping on the windows and waving to people. But still, probably a little unnerving. Perhaps the little girl is just there to catch the show.

The spirits in Mount Dora don't seem to be as friendly. Workers have reportedly been pushed. Lights flicker, and a beer mug has slid the length of the bar by itself. The hotel just up the road has had reports of its own.

The story goes that a young woman hung herself here back in the early 1900's. She's been spotted walking around but has also been known to throw things around in the ladies restroom. The bar is now a Beef O' Brady's and it's unknown if the spirit is still around.

No surprise that there's a second entry here from St. Augustine. Said to be haunted by a woman who died in a fire in 1887. Some say you can smell her perfume. If you go, ask to be seated upstairs, where much of the activity has been reported.

I know it's not a bar, but let's finish this list here in Southwest Florida with the home of a triple homicide back in 1995.  3 woman were bound and had their throats slashed in the walk in freezer during a robbery. Employees have reported 'weird' occurrences. Back in 2022 one of the men arrested for the murders came up for parole but was denied. If you're not familiar with this crime, here's the full story.

https://casetext.com/case/jennings-v-state-267