If you have ever driven through Tampa, you have undoubtedly come across the Sulphur Springs water tower; you seriously can not miss it. It stands 214 feet (65 m) tall, with a foundation 45 feet (14 m) deep, making it visible from nearby Interstate 275 and much of the rest of Sulphur Springs. It's located in the historic district of Sulphur Springs and was built in 1927.
I've always heard stories of the water tower, and one day, I was given this book by my dear husband as a birthday gift because he knows how much I love the paranormal and Tampa bay, and I was thrilled when I saw the story about the Sulphur Springs water tower!
While quite striking and beautiful, the tower has a very dark history, from a devastating intentional flood caused by the destruction of a dam in 19333 (no loss of life), reports of balls of light circling the tower and its surrounding area to countless suicides, the energy around the building is dark. However, it is reported that the marsh-like waters just steps from the tower have healing powers.
I went to the tower for the first time a week ago or so, and even I was not prepared for how ominous this tower looked and felt, especially during a beautifully sunny and breezy day. The sun's rays were shining through the leaves of the gorgeous willow trees and other trees around the tower as the branches swayed back and forth so gently; you would never know that this location had such a bloody history.
In 1929 the great depression turned the once vibrant tourist area of Sulphur Springs into a ghost town, property development, and tourist activity came to an almost complete halt. Many Americans across the nation suffered through unimaginable loss and hardship, and over 40,000 Americans across the country took their lives, including right here in the Sunshine State. Many turned to the water tower to take their lives.
There have been reports of people plunging from the top of the water tower only to vanish before hitting the ground. There are also reports of a man in depression period clothing who paces back and forth at the very top of the tower, contemplating his decision to jump to his death.
Despite the serene landscape, the area's energy is heavy; you can feel the depression, the hopelessness, the fear. I thought I heard sobbing at times, but it may have been atmospheric sounds or my mind. I did not spend too much time there. Eventually, I wanted to leave and ground myself; I needed to feel better because the sadness was palpable.
Curiously, pirate ghosts are said to haunt the location; it is said that at one time, there was a lighthouse where the tower stands, and it served as a guiding light for pirates who buried their treasure near this lighthouse. When the lighthouse was removed, they lost their way, and they now wander the Sulphur Springs water tower area searching endlessly for their booty.
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