Ybor: Ghost Walk
10/09/04
<---Orb? (Brandy recorded high EMF activity in this area).
Susan's image: Artistic rendering of tree fallen over graves.
<-----Susan orb?
Cindy's Images:
<----Orb? (same area as Brandy's orb
<-----Orb?
<----Orb?
<----Orb?
<----Orb?
<----Orb?
To the friends and family of the SPIRITS members, what we do on paranormal investigations remains a bit of a mystery. Since the SPIRITS respects the privacy of the homeowners who call us in, many investigations are closed to members only. So, when the group finds something like a ghost walk, it's a wonderful time for an open invite to loved ones to see what we do.
The Ybor City Ghost Walk the SPIRITS attended was a specially arrainged back-to-back tour of Oaklawn Cemetery and downtown Ybor. It was a remarkable stroll through local history. SPIRITS initiates brought with them parents, friends, and children to share in this adventure. While it was not a strict investigation, several brought equipment with them just in case.
The cemetery itself hosted a series of unusual finds: an old mausoleum that housed both a living vagrant alongside its dead occupant, a grave shared by master and slave from the days of the old Confederate South, and a wall that once segregated the cemetery between Catholics and non-Catholics.
However, despite housing some of Tampa's most prominent deceased citizens, the graveyard was quiet in many ways. Nestled in the heart of downtown Tampa, the stillness of the cemetery was interrupted only by the music of an ice cream truck parked down the block. EMF meters and cameras picked up little, and sensitives found no activity in the vicinity.
The tour of downtown Ybor included a brief look into some of the former Mafia hangouts, watching a cigar maker rolling his wares, and walking through the landmarks that hosted the turbulence of Ybor's past.
Several spots of interest were noted. Underneath the sign of the "Blue Moon Saloon" the needle of a trifield EMF meter jumped perceptibly. Images taken by two separate cameras revealed a small bright white orb in the area.
As we walked down one street, a SPIRITS sensitive suddenly asked "Who was shot here?" The answer was surprising. As explained by Maureen Patrick, our tour guide:
"The Union Strike that produced a shooting and, later, a lynching, took place in West Tampa, the close-by cigar manufacturing rival to Ybor City, in 1910. However, Ybor City was the "viper's nest" of labor 
agitation; violent anti-management strategies were hatched in Ybor City.... The victim of the shooting was a bookkeeper for one of the factories who crossed the picket line and was shot by an unknown assailant in the crowd of strikers. Two Sicilians from Ybor City - not, apparently, involved with the strike - were arrested a few days later, charged, and jailed. While being transported from one jail to another, a white vigilante mob seized them and lynched them."
agitation; violent anti-management strategies were hatched in Ybor City.... The victim of the shooting was a bookkeeper for one of the factories who crossed the picket line and was shot by an unknown assailant in the crowd of strikers. Two Sicilians from Ybor City - not, apparently, involved with the strike - were arrested a few days later, charged, and jailed. While being transported from one jail to another, a white vigilante mob seized them and lynched them." A third area of the walk peaked the interest of the tour leader herself. Near the old Florida Brewing Company it is a colonnade. It is part of El Pasaje, a late 1880s row of shops under a notorious gaming club and gentleman's hotel. Marueen often senses the presence of a young woman, accompanied by the light floral aroma. Could it be one of the former ladies of El Pasaje who tragically died in the area? No record exists of such a death but, as an academic she continues to search for information that could validate what she feels in the area.
The daughter of one of the SPIRITS sensitives suddenly spoke up. She said that this woman was somehow connected to a stairwell in one of the buildings; Maureen confirmed that there was a stairwell that matched the child's description in the area. It was not visible to the street, and the girl had not known anything about the layout of the Ybor walk prior to attending. So, how did she come to describe the room?
In addition, pictures snapped as the group walked beneath the archways revealed orbs hovering above the group. Could it be the mysterious spirit?
Overall, the ghost walk is a wonderful glimpse into the way Tampa was 150 years ago. It connects the present to an old history filled with ghosts of the past. It is well recommended to anyone wanting to look into the humid, insect-filled world of Tampa's founders, some of whom, apparently, still reside alongside the living today.
Second Tour, Sept. 9, 2005. Amy and Brandy present.
Brandy's pictures.
Brandy's notes: I went on a ghost walk last night and tested my camera again. I got absolutely no orb images with the exception of two locations which were known for ghosts and in which I had EMF activity. At one site, we had a person who smelled the signiture fragrance of gardenias, associated with one entity. The tour guide had her hair stand up on end and we started getting EMF spikes in conjunction with questions. I took about 10 pictures, but only one had an orb; oddly it was to her right and slightly beyond the group (which is what she did last time we had a tour there
