Heritage Village is a location made of the historical buildings of old OLD Pinellas county. It includes residential homes, a general store, and a train station, among others. Its design is so that one feels like they are walking into the past, observing the origins of our fair county.
My first trip to Heritage Village was in November 2006. I was investigating on my own , but did bring minor equipment, was there during daylight hours, and asked questions of the tour guide. It was not the best set up to check the site, but rumors of the haunting had reached me and I wanted to at least try.
Reports of activity:
Lowe House:
The one area where the ghosts inhabited was the Lowe house. Multiple people claim to have seen a little girl's spirit in there, to feel a sense of not being alone when no one else is present, and to feel a heaviness (chest heaviness) when in the house. One person reported feeling a dark presence by the staircase in the home.
My 2006 experience:
I opted to go in to the Lowe House, and noted that the EMF was a very steady reading. I attributed this to a hidden security system or other electronics not readily visible. I attempted to ask a few questions, inspired by what the park volunteers had told me, in an impromptu session. The EMF did spike in response to the following questions:
Are you female? Spike.
Did you have children? Spike. (Asked this question twice, got an EMF spike both times).
How many children? (EMF spiked twice).
Are you Mrs. Lowe? (Spike).
Do you know the little girl ghost in the McMullen House? (Spike)
Do you visit the little girl? Or does she visit you? (Spike) Do you watch over the little girl? (Spike)
It's a beautiful house, but, wow, with this heat it seems like it's too hot for it to have a kitchen. (Spike)
Do you like it better here when it is quiet and dark? (Spike)
The park ranger did tell us that a mother/daughter who were visiting the home sensed a woman. The ranger also had an experience with the woman's ghost, hearing the spirit walking through the structure.
Seven Gables House:
A little girl's spirit is sensed there. One woman said that when she visited, her nephew, who was with her, also sensed the girl and was very scared -- too much so to continue the tour. One person claimed to have seen and captured an orb moving from the fireplace area. One person said that they felt weird in the child's room of the house, and that they possibly got a paranormal photograph of a child in that area.
The Train Station:
One paranormal investigation team believed that they got an EVP in the train station. The Morse code machine will sometimes turn on/make noise by itself, and some report a sensation of heaviness in the building.
5/29/2021
I was at Heritage Village for an event with Explore Space (I told ghost stories). Afterward, I walked through the area. The houses were shuttered due to COVID-19, but were getting ready to be opened. Part of the park is also having new walkways installed. I did speak to one employee who mentioned that the park was public and we could walk through permitted areas during the period that the park is open. (I was abhorred to discover that some idiot man went through HV and did videos....and showed himself GOING INTO OFF LIMIT AREAS. Apparently, he was very disruptive.....)
I did do a video and took some pictures to add to this page. You are welcome to view and see if there is any response. I would also love to have some stories from folks as well.
