Eerie Tour Inside Florida’s Most Haunted House

Ever walked into a historic house and immediately felt the “it’s haunted” vibe? But is it really? Well, if this happens to you and you just so happen to be in Brooksville, then you’re probably near one of the haunted places in Florida. Considered to be Florida’s most haunted house, this one is both beautiful and eerily haunted.

The May-Stringer House, considered to be one of the most haunted places, was built in the 1800s and is now part of the Hernando Historical Museum.

Additionally, it’s also registered in the National Register of Historic Places.

This beautiful gingerbread trim, 4-story, and 14-room Victorian-era house is a very popular place among paranormal investigators.

Throughout the years, there have been at least 11 different ghosts identified inside the May-Stringer House —Florida’s most haunted house.

You read that right. Not one, but ELEVEN! And just like any other haunted place, there is a lot of history here.

The History and Hauntings of The May-Stringer House – Florida’s Most Haunted House

When you book a tour of the May-Stringer House, you get to learn its history and about the ghosts that haunt it. This house was built on a plantation by John L. May back in 1855.

Back then, the house only had 4 rooms. He lived here with his wife Marena and their daughters, Annie and Matilda.

Three years after building the house, John died of tuberculosis. Years later, Marena remarried and then died in 1869 while giving birth to a baby girl who was named Jessie Mae.

But this baby girl also died just three years after being born.

Later on, the house was owned by Dr. Sheldon Stringer who eventually converted it into 14 rooms. The Stringer family lived here for three generations until 1945.

From that time until 1980 when the Historical Association bought the property, the house had many different owners and was even divided into apartments at a given time.

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The Ghost of ‘Gary’

A known fact about the May-Stringer House is that the ghost of baby Jessie Mae is a very active ghost on the property.

But it is Gary, the ghost in the attic, the most active one of all. This attic is one of the creepiest places we’ve ever been to. Mostly because of how heavy and eerie it feels up there.

The ghost of Gary is believed to have arrived at the May-Stringer House inside an old theatre trunk chest. Paranormal investigators often come here specifically after him, often called “Mr. Nasty”.

Supposedly, Gary is very moody and many visitors tend to be afraid of him. Others, simply consider him to be playful. But whatever he is, you can definitely feel its energy in the attic.

A few years ago, the team from the TV show Kindred Spirits visited this house. According to them and their investigation, they are certain that something dangerous lives here.

In fact, they even recommended that visitors leave Gary letters or gifts to have him calm down. We were able to see some of the gifts left for him in the trunk chest.

But has this really helped ease Gary’s behavior? That is the big question!

The Hauntings at the May-Stringer House

Shadows, whispers, the sound of a baby giggling, cold spots and the opening and closing of doors are some of the regular happenings around the house.

The staircase inside the home is also believed to be a paranormal hot spot. But two main things caught our attention the most.

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The room of baby Jessie May and the fact that she’s buried in the property along with other family members. It’s a cemetery in the backyard and it is eerie!

There are at least a dozen graves where four of the family members are buried but it’s believed to have many others around the property.

But we’re not gonna lie, this little cemetery was nothing compared to the attic. The attic was pretty darn mysterious and had an entirely different energy.

Is it Gary? Or is it because of the lady in the picture frame?

This picture was donated because it had been supposedly haunting its previous owners and they no longer wanted it at their house.

So with just those two ghosts alone, believe me when I say I regret going up to the attic!

Another cool and interesting fact about this house…

There are two time capsules buried in the front yard. One of them is from the Merrit Funeral Home and it’s to be opened on February 19, 2100.

The other is from Brewer Memorial Funeral Homes and it is to be opened on February 26, 2044. Hmm…

Plan your Visit to Florida’s Most Haunted House

If you’re into haunted places, ghost tours, and the mysterious, (like us!), then you should add the May-Stringer House to your list of hidden gems to visit!

Ghost tours: Offered by appointment only, every Friday and Saturday night from 8 pm to 10 pm, and guests must be 16 or older. Admission is $20 per person.

House Tours: The 45-minute daily tours of the house are offered from Tuesday to Saturday, 11 am – to 3 pm, or by reservation. Admission: Adults are $8, children ages 6-12 are $5, and children under 6 can enter free of charge.

Do you dare to enter the May-Stringer House? Even more, will you go to the attic? Let us know in the comments!

Yanitza Ninett

Yanitza is an avid adventurer with 15+ years of hiking experience and outdoor travel. As a PADI-certified scuba diver, she’s also passionate about ocean conservation. When she’s not exploring the great outdoors, Yanitza obsesses over The Vampire Diaries and dreams of traveling to Mallorca, Spain.