Have you ever heard of Gibsonton, Florida?

 I love horror movies and TV programs. I grew up watching “Creature Feature” every weekend when Frankenstein, the Mummy and the Werewolf were the stars of the show. Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Lon Chaney Jr., Vincent Price — all these actors brought these monsters to life, and they ruled the silver screen in this genre.

Most of the time, horror movies and stories are based on fiction or stories that have yet to be proven as fact. We know Dracula was based on Bram Stoker’s novel; Frankenstein was based on Mary Shelley’s novel.

But some people believe Dracula was based on Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Dracul), the second son of Vlad Dracul, who became the ruler of Wallachia in 1436. He is best known for torturing and killing his rivals, impaling their bodies and setting them out for public display. It’s said he killed at least 80,000.

Murderer Ed Gein is what inspired Leatherface of the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” movie series and is the basis of the serial killer Buffalo Bill in “Silence of the Lambs” and several other horror flicks.

Other movies like “The Devil in Connecticut,” “The Amityville Horror” and “The Conjuring” are all based on true stories. But proving these are a bit more difficult, so many people believe they are based on hoaxes.

Not too long ago, I started rewatching some of my favorite episodes of “American Horror Story.” I personally believe seasons 1–5 are the best.

Season 4, “Freak Show,” is about a group of carnival entertainers known for their odd appearances — the Siamese twins, the halfman, the bearded lady and so on. These carnival performers are based on real people, and it also reminds me of Gibsonton, a real place in my former home state of Florida.

The town of Gibsonton, just about an hour north of Sarasota, the home base for the Ringling Brother Circus, is where most of the circus performers lived when they weren’t traveling. Also known as “Carny- town,” Gibsonton was home to Percilla the Monkey Girl and Melvin Burkhart, the Anatomical Wonder. Tons of performers made it their winter home. In fact, it was reported that the famous Siamese twin sisters, Violet and Daisy Hilton, ran a fruit stand there during the carnival’s off-season.

In “Freak Show,” there is a character named Lobster Boy, based on probably the most well-known former Gibsonton resident, Grady Stiles.

Stiles’ family has a long history of ectrodactyly, a deformity in the hands and feet, often making them look like claws — hence the name Lobster Boy. Unable to walk properly, he used a wheelchair, but mostly he used his arms and upper body strength to move. He was described as an angry drunk at times and was married more than once and had four kids, two of whom were also born with ectrodactyly.

During one drunken rage, Stiles was convicted of murdering his eldest daughter’s fiancé on the eve of her wedding day — but he never spent a day in prison because the state prison system didn’t think it was equipped to handle his deformity. He also had major liver and health issues from his years of drinking and smoking, so he was placed under house arrest and 15 years of probation. An on-again, off-again alcoholic, Stiles died in 1992 when his wife hired a carnival worker to kill him for $1,500. He was 55.

Gibsonton is the location of the International Independent Showmen’s Association, a non-profit private organization made up of 4,500 members and counting who are in the outdoor amusement industry. The IISA Museum houses two floors detailing the history of the carnival industry and is likely very worthy of a visit.

According to the 2020 Census, “Gib-town,” as the locals call it, has a population of 19,432, although not all of them are retired sideshow performers. But it has a unique — if not weird — history.

And let’s face it: Sometimes facts are stranger than fiction.

If you happen to visit Florida, check out the Showmen’s Museum: Showmen Museum

And an hour south is Sarasota, home of the Ringling Brothers Circus Museum in what was their former Mediterranean- style mansion: Ringling Museum

Haunted spots in Liberty County Georgia

 The Frame Gallery on South Main Street (currently RTS homes)

The haunting

The former owner of the Frame Gallery store reported hearing noises and footsteps coming from the second floor. Store merchandise reportedly had been moved around or left to teeter on the edges of display tables. A candle holder soared across the room. Former employees claimed they saw apparitions, but the activity was described as being more mischievous than malicious. The mysterious occurrences increased as Christmas approached.

An area paranormal investigative group, Bump in the Night, checked out the building and picked up children’s voices and other unexplained sounds on digital recorders. The investigators detected the odor of camphor in a certain room on the second floor and captured a few orbs on camera.

The history

The building where the Frame Gallery was located was owned by Peyton Way and housed a drug store on the first floor and the first hospital in Liberty County on the second. Dr. T.W. Welborn (1887-1962), who was a physician for the Dunleivie Lumber Company in Allenhurst, worked at the hospital and served as a family doctor for hundreds of Liberty County families for more than 40 years. Welborn was instrumental in securing Hill-Burton hospital, which became Liberty Memorial Hospital (formerly on Highway 84). Welborn also was the mayor of Hinesville for three terms before and during World War II. Welborn was married to Mary Elizabeth Sullivan Welborn and they had several children, but their son, T.W. Welborn Jr., was accidentally shot and killed by a playmate in 1928.

The investigating crew learned the owner of the store had found old glass IV bottles in a closet on the second floor, which once was home to a surgery room and pharmacy. Camphor was used medicinally as a local anesthetic and it is commonly used today in products like Vicks Vapor Rub.

Were the voices and sounds recorded by the group those of former patients? Could the children’s voices belong to Dr. Welborn’s son and his playmate?

Ghost rating: three ghosts

This building is privately owned and is not open to public investigations.

 The Caswell House on North Main Street (Currently Pure Wax Aesthetics)

The Haunting

A local historian once wrote about the house saying several people have died in there, and one room in particular, located on the second floor, seems to be the home of a ghostly spirit. Pets reportedly refuse to enter that room and someone who once occupied the room fled the house terrified after experiencing a ghostly presence. Legend has it that a traveling salesman began courting a married woman who lived in the house around 1914 and the two fell in love. The woman’s husband eventually learned about the affair. One cold October night he hid behind bushes across the railroad depot on Main Street knowing the salesman was coming to meet up with his wife. Upon seeing the salesman the husband fired three shots and left the scene never returning to Hinesville. The salesman was brought to the woman’s room on the second floor, and he died within the hour. The woman left Hinesville and was never heard from again. Since then, people have reported seeing a face or figure staring out the room’s window.

The History

In 1904, then homeowner J. R. Bagley moved this structure to its current location at North Main and Memorial Drive (formerly Washington Street). Owners Enoch Caswell and Ellen Long Caswell reconstructed the home to two stories, and the two front rooms on the first floor became home to the Hinesville Gazette, which later became the Liberty County Herald (which is now the Coastal Courier).The Caswells also boarded rooms at the house and even opened a hotel just down from their home. Ernest Groover purchased the home in 1951 and he lived there with his wife, Susie Taylor Groover until the last of the two died in 1976. Since then it has been used in different capacities including a physician’s office, boarding house, psychiatry office and is currently being used by Pure Wax Aesthetics.

This house has not been investigated by a paranormal group but the wood frame two-story building gives off a vibe, especially on moonlit nights. Some say the figure in the window is the salesman peering out and looking for his the man who killed him.

Ghost rating: three ghouls

This building is privately owned and not open to public investigations.

The Old Liberty County Jail

The Haunting

Creaking sounds, cell doors slamming shut and unknown voices have been reported at the Old Liberty Jail. According to former Hinesville Downtown Development Authority Director Vicki Davis, people have been physically stopped as they try to go up the stairs that lead to her former office located inside the former prison. The building was investigated by a paranormal group in 2009, and they captured the sound of a male voice saying “So sorry.” Other finds include a traveling flashing orb and a mist moving about the upstairs corner office that was once solitary confinement. Investigators described sensing the presence as if one hundred years worth of bad elements still lingered inside their cells.

The History

Placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1992, the old Liberty Jail housed the county’s prisoners from 1892 until 1969. When it was built it contained modern amenities such as indoor running water and toilets. For almost 100 years it housed Liberty County’s criminal elements and was a co-ed facility with cells in the front portion of the building housing women. In 1970, the Liberty County Historical Society purchased the jail, and they later donated it to the City of Hinesville. The Liberty County Chamber of Commerce briefly used the building, and occasionally it was used as a haunted house for Halloween activities. Former Sheriff Paul H. Sikes served at the jail from 1936 until his death in 1959 during his term in office, and many sheriffs since have died while in office. The jail sat in disrepair for several years before being restored in 2008. Peeking through the wrought iron bars on the exterior windows, the cells’ lead-base paint was chipping away and the cob webs were strewn across the cell doors while the building sat in disrepair for several years, giving it a spooky aura. Even with a fresh coat of paint and some upgrades, many say it still feels creepy.

 Are the spirits of the former prisoners still serving their time? Is the former sheriff still keeping a watchful eye over his inmates?

Ghost rating: four ghouls

The facility frequently hosts art exhibits and social community events. Folks are encouraged to visit the facility to learn more about the jail’s history. To inquire about tours call 877-4332.

Midway Cemetery

The Haunting

The Midway Cemetery is among the more notable spots in Liberty County known for its share of ghosts. Its most common tale is about the crack in the wall on the cemetery’s north side. During the construction of the cemetery, the brick walls were placed together using the labor of slaves. Two slaves began to argue and were forced to work late since they had fallen behind on their work. Instead of working, the two became entangled in a fight. One man was struck in the head with a brick and killed. The other man buried the body within the wall of bricks, and the next day he told his co-workers that the other man had run away. Within days the brick wall started to crack and shift. Years later, they discovered the man’s treachery when they found the bones in the wall. After the bones were removed, the wall was repaired. But, to this day, the crack in the wall remains.

More haunts lie on the west end of the cemetery, where people claim to see the apparitions of two young lovers Anthony and Sylvia. Sylvia’s father did not approve of their budding romance and hung Anthony from a tree branch and stabbed him with a knife to the heart. Upon discovering her lover’s fate, Sylvia used the same knife to kill herself. Many local residents have claimed to see ghostly apparitions in civil war attire walking about the cemetery grounds. Others say they have seen ghosts sitting on top the brick wall as they drive by the cemetery.

The History

The Midway cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1973), and its oldest grave is from 1754. The tall monument in the center is dedicated to Revolutionary War heroes Daniel Stewart and James Screven. The cemetery and the adjacent historic Midway Church are part of the Midway Historic District. The settlers in this area were very political and took an early stand for independence. In May of 1775, Midway Church member Lyman Hall was sent to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia as a delegate from the parish of St. John (now known as Liberty County). A year later Hall and St. John's Parish resident Button Gwinnett signed the Declaration of Independence. Another Midway resident, Nathan Brownson, served in the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1778.

Are the ghosts of the city’s former settlers still keeping a watchful eye over their church and grounds? Are former lovers still meeting? Is the slave still looking for his murderer?

Ghost rating: five ghouls

The Midway Cemetery is privately owned and managed by the curators of the Midway Museum. Every year the cemetery offers a “Tales and Legends Tour” recounting the stories about the cemetery and information about its history. For more information on the Museum, cemetery or church, call 884-5837.

Dorchester Civic Center

The Haunting

Even before being restored, the Dorchester Civic Center (formerly the Dorchester Consolidated School) was said to be haunted with the spirits of former pupils and teachers. Folks claimed to hear children’s voices and laughter especially in the common area used as the auditorium/cafeteria. Some folks swear they heard someone playing the old piano, even though it was broad daylight and no one else was in the building. Footsteps could be heard throughout the hallway and some folks have captured what appear to be children peering out the school windows, even when there was no window glass in place. Paranormal investigators captured several bright orbs and picked up children’s voices on audio. One investigator posed the question, “Do you prefer duck, duck, goose or itsy bitsy spider?” and receive a child’s voice replying, “Duck, duck,” on audio.

The history

The school was built in 1927 and was used to consolidate the schools at Sunbury, Colonels Island, Riceboro and Jackson Chapel. The school served grades one through seven. The original building burned and a new one was constructed on the same site 1938. The school was used until 1951. In 1958, the Dorchester Civic Center purchased the building from the Liberty County Board of Education for $10 and it became a meeting place and community center. Over the years the building was less used and fell into disrepair and closed. 

It has since been fully restored and once again in use for community events, banquets, weddings and dinners.

Are the former students still having play time? Are the teachers still holding class?

Ghost rating: four ghouls

In 2008, Dorchester Civic Center, Inc. reactivated and began a concerted effort to restore the historic building, which is used today to host community events. The 7,400 square foot building includes a large auditorium, five classrooms, which can be used as meeting rooms, and a full kitchen. For more information call 884-2026.

Other notable sites:

·     Walthourville Cemetery: The Walthourville cemetery was established in 1872 and is the burial ground for many of the people who settled Walthourville. One of the legends surrounding the cemetery is that of the Walthourville witches. There are three graves where the frames over the tombs were made of galvanized wire over concrete. Many claim it is because these were three sisters who were considered witches at the time. They say the concrete was used to ensure their evil spirits remained buried. Two of the three small tombstones face west instead of east, a nontraditional placement of a tombstone considering the religious background of the folks in Walthourville. When a paranormal group investigated the cemetery, they caught a couple of orbs on camera but otherwise thought it was tranquil and historically significant location. 

Ghost rating: two ghouls

·     Mills House on Highway 84: The 124 year old structure that sits on the corner of Highway 84 and Memorial Drive (formerly Washington Street) served, for some years, as the office of the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce and the Development Authority. When those two entities moved to their new locations (see below) the house sat abandoned for a while and was vandalized. Partially obscured from the road by glorious oak trees, the house began to take on an ominous appearance. Some folks claim to see lights come on and off and report hearing noises emanate from the house. Paranormal investigators captured little evidence inside the structure but found many interesting anomalies and orbs present within the exterior grounds of the property. The building was donated to the Midway Museum in 2009, but funds to move the building are still needed. In the meantime, several community organizations have received permission to use the facility to host fundraisers and community gatherings. The building was later sold and moved to a location in Long County. The VA Clinic now sits on the site.

Ghost rating: one ghoul

·     Bryant Commons/ The Liberty County Development Authority Building (both on Highway 84): The two sites sit on an old battlefield (Skirmish at Hinesville 1864) and folks report hearing the sounds of cannons and muskets firings as well as see weird lights. The former home of Glenn E. Bryant is currently the Independent Telecommunications Pioneer Association’s National Office and Museum and is reportedly haunted. Paranormal investigators captured strange voices and anomalies in several photographs taken there.

Ghost rating: two ghouls

·     Old hospital site on Highway 84(Liberty Memorial Hospital): This is another location where folks have experienced strange lights and sounds even though the building has been demolished for years. The land, remains vacant sitting on Highway 84 and Fraser Drive

Ghost rating: two ghouls

·     LeConte Woodmanston Plantation (Riceboro):  The Plantation was established in 1760 by John Eatton LeConte as a working inland swamp rice plantation. One of LeConte’s sons, Louis, trained as a medical doctor. He put his training to use in caring for his family, slaves and other families in the area. By 1813, due to his keen interest in botany and horticulture, he began developing a botanical and floral garden at Woodmanston that soon became internationally famous. The plantation is located in the Bulltown Swamp and was the site of a battle that took place during the American Revolutionary War. John LeConte’s first home was burned during that battle by the British. Louis LeConte is reportedly buried somewhere on the Plantation. The LeContes owned around 231 slaves who worked the rice fields, gardens and plantation grounds. Many plantation workers faced disease and malaria during the harsh summers. Paranormal investigators captured the sound of a musket gun firing while recording around the former hunting lodge building. Several orbs and strange mists have been captured on camera around the area where the slave cabins reportedly once stood. 

    Ghost rating: four ghouls

 

Box: Ghoul Gage

I’m out of here!*****

Spine-tingling****

Uhh, what was that?***

Got the heebie jeebies **

Kinda creepy*

 

This photo from 2006 is from the Dorchester Civic Center before the renovations were started. If you blow up the photo, people say they can see young children peeking out the windows.

Weird Liberty County Georgia

 How Bizarre

Strange and Interesting Facts of Liberty County

October. The month where we can start to buy pumpkin spiced – everything!

October is the month that brings nearly everyone’s favorite holiday - Halloween. Liberty County has a rich history of haunted places and things that go bump in the night. However, you may not know about these quirky, eccentric bizarre factoids and one abandoned yet interesting place.

Is that T-Rex I see?

There have been sightings of a seven foot tall Tyrannosaurs Rex in Hinesville. People claim to see the top of its head jutting out from the tree tops. During the days the supposed creature is said to be tall enough to cast eerie shadows across the road. In the evening its silhouette is vaguely visible deep in the woods off the dirt road.

Turns out those sightings are accurate, well almost. Years ago there was putt-putt and later a mini go-kart racing course off of E. G. Miles Parkway.

The land is now owned by a veterinarian and houses his animal clinic. The mini-golf course was once owned by ‘Red’ Pipkin. Currently the putt-putt course is not in use and for the longest time was obscured by over-grown grass, trees and brush. However if you peered into the brush or were brave enough to walk through the old chain link fence, you could see the remnants of T-Rex and Humpty Dumpty, a kangaroo, an octopus, a castle, an alligator and various other putt-putt course designs.

Recently, a good portion of Mother Nature’s over-growth has been cleared making T-Rex and friends much more visible. There are visible signs the location has been used for possible teen-aged gatherings, however it should be noted this is private property.

Big Foot

Did you know Big Foot has been spotted more than once here in Liberty County? It has and also in neighboring Long and Tattnall County.

According to The Big Foot Field Researchers Organization about nine soldiers stationed on Fort Stewart described seeing something ‘non-human’ that stood about seven to eight feet tall in the woods during a war-games training procedure. It was seen in the summer of 2004 around dusk time.

One witness said he heard a very loud growl. He said the creature had long reddish hair about four inches long and matted in places. It moved on two legs and had arms that were longer than a human’s coming to the creature’s knees.

Yet another soldier reported a sighting in 1998 in the northeast section of Fort Stewart, in a training area deep into the woods and swamps. The soldier said he was a gunner on a Bradley fighting vehicle and that his group was in a training exercise. Around 2 a.m. they were moving along a dirt road. He was using the night vision, thermal sighting system to navigate in the darkness.

Suddenly he spotted something come out of the woods and cross the dirt road, in three strides, according to the report. The soldier said the road was 10-15 feet wide across. He added that the creature appeared to be one constant color in the thermal sight, an indication it was not wearing clothes. He said it appeared to be seven to nine feet tall.

That same year but closer to Gum Branch a hunter said he came face to face with Big Foot. The hunter said it was at least eight feet tall with red eyes, broad shoulders and dark long brown and black hair. The hunter said he started to back away from the creature, it suddenly turned and walked deep into the woods.

The most recent sightings were in Walthourville and Long County in 2014. In the Walthourville sighting in January at least two people said they saw the beast in the woods. The witness in the Long County encounter in May, said her family bought a mobile home that sits on more than three acres of land that includes a pond and swamp. They reported hearing loud howling and screeches and smelling a foul animal type odor. The family said they have seen something big run across their property and found huge foot prints afterwards.

Some Big Foot researchers believe that the creature is actually from the Gigantopithecus species.

Gigantopithecus is an extinct genus of ape of that existed from perhaps nine million years to as recently as one hundred thousand years ago. Fossil records suggests that individuals of the species Gigantopithecus blacki were the largest known apes that ever lived, standing up to nine feet tall and weighing up to 1,300 pounds.

To see where else Big Foot has been spotted go to:  http://www.bfro.net/

Flying Saucers

There always seems to be mysterious lights and flying objects in the sky in locations close to military installations. But are they Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) from outer space or specialized aircraft created and being tested by the army? Hmmmm.

It seems that more than 200 UFOs were reported between North Florida and Charleston, between Nov.1, 2012 until August of this year, according to ufo-hunters.com.

One recent sighting, on Aug. 18, of this year was of a UFO flying above Ludowici. The witness reported that it looked like a flash of light in the sky and thought at first it was a shooting star. They reported the lights in the sky kept flashing, in a manner different than that of a star. He said the event lasted about five minutes.

On July 14, 2016 a Glennville resident reported a craft with lights circling around it. The craft made several passes over town. They noticed the craft was flying too low for regulated aircraft.

Someone reported a UFO flying over Hinesville the day after Christmas in 2015. They described the UFO as three yellow and red circles in a triangular shape. They witnessed the craft for 10 minutes.

In 2012 a Midway resident reported a frightening encounter of bright green lights beaming throughout the house. The terrifying report noted the witness felt as if he was being laid on their back as something beamed through them. Like being scanned.

There was a UFO spotted in Richmond Hill in March 2016. The witness said he observed two stationary reddish white lights hovering approximately 30 degrees above the horizon. The two lights hovered for about a minute. The witness said the two lights abruptly turned into five reddish white lights all in a straight line. The witness said it was nearly identical to a sighting he had in 2011 in Effingham County.

There were two sightings reported in Jesup. A woman reported coming to a full stop at a stop sign at Northview Road in Bethlehem in February of 2015. She said she looked to her left and thought she had spotted a low flying plane. She soon realized it was a circle of bright white lights which suddenly zipped off and vanished. The second sighting was noted in October of 2014, where a witness said they saw a large triangle illuminated by three steady burning lights. They said the object was hovering in place for a bit then vanished.

There are several other reports in the Savannah area, Wilmington Island and Tybee Island.

Check out the various reports here: http://www.ufo-hunters.com/sightings/index

Screven Lights

According to the Wayne County Tourism Bureau the Screven Lights is a bouncing orb of light seen for over a century at Milligan’s railroad crossing on Bennett Road. Those who have seen the light say it moves back and forth and glows bright and then dim. It reportedly is seen after rain and after a train has gone by.

That section of the railroad track is part of the old Seaboard Coast Line. According to a blog posted on Haunted Highway, sightings of the lights are usually seen near or after midnight, sometimes after rain storms and coming from the direction of Jesup. A popular explanation of the lights is that a flagman was decapitated by an oncoming train as he walked along the tracks carrying his lantern. They say he continues to walk the track swinging his lantern from side to side in search of his head.

Bennett Road is located 4 miles out of Screven on Highway 84 East.

Altamaha-Ha (Altie)

The expansive Altamaha River in Darien is said to be the home of a massive river creature known locally as the Altamaha-Ha, or Altie for short. It has been described as having a sturgeon like body with a bony ridge on its top, front flippers and no back limbs that swims like a dolphin but has the snout of a crocodile. This creature is said to have protruding eyes, sharp teeth and be roughly 30 feet long. The first reported sighting dates back to 1830 according to legendsofamerica.com.

Sightings continue to this day. Stories of the Altamaha-Ha have been featured in the Darien News, The Island Packet, a book called “Weird Georgia” by Mark Moran and Mark Sceurman published in 2006 and more recently in a book by author Taylor Brown called “The River of Kings.”

A sculpture of the creature currently sits at the Darien-McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce office located at 1111 Magnolia Bluff Way, Suite 410 in Darien.