From the New River Inn to Myrtles Plantation, Broward County, FL is home to some of the most haunted places in the United States. With a history full of death, tragedy, and despair, it's no wonder that ghost stories and legends have been created to explain the mysterious events that have occurred in this area. From the Whisky Rebellion to the Florida real estate boom, there are plenty of tales to explore. The New River Inn is said to be one of the most active sites for paranormal activity. According to legend, a woman named Bertha Starkey was hacked to death inside the bar by her jealous husband more than 100 years ago.
Her ghost is said to now roam freely around the bar. On the morning of March 11, 2002, two men entered the restaurant and ordered employees to enter a cold room at gunpoint. They then used a bolt cutter to break into the safes. The structure was originally built in the early 20th century by brothers Thomas and Reed Bryan, who occupied the house until the 1970s. Over time, it became a catering establishment until it closed.
Depressed and destitute after the fall of the Florida real estate boom in 1926, which left him and his investors penniless, Stranahan committed suicide by jumping into the river that flows in front of the house and drowned. When the western city of Broward was created in 1953, it was touted as an idyllic haven from the hustle and bustle of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. King built this historic home in 1907 with pine wood from Dade County, using beams made from reclaimed ship wood. It was built to stimulate interest in Plantation and to encourage the Broward County Commission to extend Broward Boulevard farther west. Bradford was involved in the infamous Whisky Rebellion and legend has it that George Washington put a price on this man for his participation in the affair. She was never given a name and, in fact, the green hat ghost in the story was described as an older woman, never as a young slave who might have been involved in an affair with the owner of the house.
According to old legends, Native Americans of the 19th century did not want to set foot on this island, and African Americans who worked here saw an appearance in the 1920s. There are those who say he wasted what was left of his fortune and lost the plantation in a game of chance, but most likely it was too indebted to be able to keep it. But Plantation resident Dharyl Auguste says recent events inspired him to start engaging in conversations about his own city and Broward County as a whole. Plantation Mayor Lynn Stoner didn't respond to requests for comment this week, but Auguste said he feels he has an ally in Councilmember Denise Horland. Long hailed as one of the most haunted houses in America, Las Arrayanas attract an almost endless flow of visitors every year, many of whom come in search of ghosts. The history of this plantation is full of death, tragedy and despair, leading us to wonder why such a fantastic story was created instead. To make matters worse, Mary Cobb had invested heavily in sugar plantations that had been devastated by war.
The completed project nearby doubled the size of David Bradford's house and according to renovations, its name was officially changed to “The Myrtles”. Handprints on mirrors, steps on stairs, mysterious smells, vanishing objects, death by poisoning, hangings, murders and gunshots: Myrtles Plantation is full of eerie tales. And much of the initial advertising for housing in Plantation focused on moving away from cities like Fort Lauderdale and Miami - which were populated by people of color - when it was established as a segregated community. He moved to New River area (which would later become Fort Lauderdale) in 1826 and began an arrowroot plantation. Broward County is home to some truly spooky stories that have been passed down through generations. From Bertha Starkey's ghost at New River Inn to George Washington's price on Bradford's head for his involvement in Whisky Rebellion or Mary Cobb's investments gone wrong - these tales are sure to give you chills! Las Arrayanas is one of America's most haunted houses with its history full of death and tragedy while Myrtles Plantation is known for its eerie tales such as handprints on mirrors or mysterious smells.
Finally, Plantation was established as a segregated community when people were trying to move away from cities like Fort Lauderdale or Miami.