BARTOW — There are a lot of fun Halloween-themed events happening in Central Florida, including one in Bartow every October, and this year, it would be criminal to miss it.
Did you know that Polk County town has a haunted jail? If you enjoy a good scare, that jail is the place to be next month.
In October, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office will again host its annual Haunted Jail Tour. For two weeks, the county’s historic former jail at 455 N. Broadway in Bartow (the Lawrence W. Crow, Jr. building) will be the site of eerie happenings and stories to get you into the Halloween spirit.
What is the Polk County Haunted Jail Tour?
Each year, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office opens the former jail for its ghost tours. The theme this year is “Reign of Fear,” recounting spooky tales from the jail’s decades-long history.
The public is invited to take the tour for a requested $15 donation (per adult), which will be donated to The United Way of Central Florida.
This year’s Haunted Jail Tour runs 4 weekend nights, on Friday & Saturday, Oct. 18-19, and Friday & Saturday, Oct. 25-26. Children under 10 years old can tour the jail for $5.
“This is a family friendly kid-oriented event,” noted Meghan Petty, public information officer for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. “We’re shutting down Church Street for a street carnival, with arts & crafts booths, games & contests, bounce houses, and our favorite – Dunk the Deputy! Our school resource deputies have volunteered to sit in a dunk tank!”
Petty added, “If being scared makes you hungry or thirsty – no problem! Newman BBQ Catering & Events will be there, and we expect to have more food vendors lined up soon.”
Is The Polk County Jail Haunted?
But is the jail truly haunted? That definitely seems to be the consensus, considering that over the decades there were inmates who stayed there on their way to execution and others who committed suicide in their cell. Over the years, both inmates and sheriff’s deputies have reported eerie sightings and happenings there.
In an article titled “Haunted Polk: A Brief History of Local Haunts,” author James Colter writes that the old jail is definitely on the list of haunted Polk County sites.
“Inmates have seen people walking the hallways before deputies were supposed to pass by, and officers have seen people in cells that were not supposed to be occupied. One ghost that has been seen many times is Calvin, an inmate that killed himself in the six-block area …. While one deputy was searching files, the back of a shelf flew off from across the room and nearly hit her in the head. Another deputy in a first floor holding cell felt her hair being tugged when no one else was there. While making their rounds, deputies have seen shadowy figures in the hallways that disappear once the lights turn on. One deputy claimed to have heard someone clicking a counter as if performing head count when officers no longer use such methods.”
What Else Is There To See in Downtown Bartow?
If you do decide to check out the Haunted Jail Tour, make a full night of it. It wouldn’t hurt to go a little early and check out Bartow’s historic downtown, which includes one other haunted hotspot.
Bartow itself is a very historic city, founded in 1851 as Fort Blount, then renamed in honor of Francis S. Bartow, the first brigade commander to die in combat during the American Civil War.
The old Polk County Courthouse Museum is at 100 E. Main St. in Bartow, directly across from the new courthouse. It was built in 1883 and has been a museum since 1997.
The courtrooms, now used for ceremonial events, have their own ghostly legends, including a Lady in White who haunts the building.
The basement, which can only be accessed by elevator, is also a special place, one where visitors and employees have heard agonizing screams – possibly from the victims of an explosion in the boiler room.
Happy hauntings!
Michael Freeman is an Orlando journalist, playwright, and author of the book “Bloody Rabbit”. Contact him at Freelineorlando@gmail.com.
Freeline Media accepts opinion columns — ones that are polite, civil, and done with insight and good taste — from all points of view, all ideologies, all political parties and concerns. Contact us today at FreelineOrlando@gmail.com if you’d like to share your views and opinions with Freeline Media and our readers.
