With the dead outnumbering the living by 4-1, Key West is one of the most haunted places in America. And no one knows more about the island’s “Dead Zone” than local renaissance man David Sloan. And with good reason: he literally wrote the book(s) on it.
Renowned Ghost Hunter, author, and the originator of Haunted Tours in the Florida Keys, Sloan is also the Go-To-Guy any time a TV crew rolls into town with a “ghost” project. “Who haunts the bell tower at St Paul’s Church? Which famous building was built on top of a burial ground? Why do the children’s spirits refuse to leave the old theater?” Just ask David Sloan, or better yet, pick up one of his books, and you’ll get the whole backstory.
Sloan’s newest gig, “Ghost Fort Adventures” is an interactive, up-close, and personal experience of Key West’s haunted Fort East Martello. Now mind you, this is not some hokey ghost tour. This is a real deal “ghost hunt” which actively engages spirits and where you can cut loose for your own paranormal experience.
Now a fascinating museum and home to “Robert – the World’s Most Haunted Doll,” Fort East Martello has a storied past. Built-in 1862 by the Union Army, the Civil War fort protected the island from a possible Confederate sea assault. After the war, the fort fell into disrepair. It became a playground for local island kids who claimed to have seen Civil War soldiers roaming the grounds.
Sloan says that there are over forty-two documented spirits residing at Fort East Martello, which is considered one of America’s “Top10 Haunted Destinations.” As one of the country’s leading ghost experts, Sloan now leads ghost hunts through the spooky fort every night. His small groups of “ghost hunters” are regularly touched and grabbed by invisible forces. A harrowing chill always seems to hang in the air and strange shadows flit about. An old mirror from bygone days appears to be a portal of some kind which reflects strange figures within the looking glass.
At one point during the war, the fort’s citadel served as a hospital for patients with yellow fever. Since then, many visitors claim to have seen weary soldiers through its windows. While no one can “guarantee” a ghost sighting, Sloan’s “Ghost Fort Adventures” actively engages the spirits with state-of-the-art ghost hunting equipment. It seems to work because his band of ghost hunters report hauntings almost all of the time.
So don’t freak out if you feel cold chills, capture photos of strange objects, or see shadowy figures passing you by at Fort East Martello. Just think of it as a bit of Key West’s haunted history.
To find out more about David Sloan’s “Ghost Fort Adventures,” along with a complete list of Sloan’s ghostly collection of books, go to HauntedKeyWest.com. You can also reach him at 305-395-1435.
If it all sounds a bit too scary, you can also visit Fort East Martello Museum from 10 am – 5 pm during the light of day. It’s located at 3501 S Roosevelt Blvd, Key West, next to the airport. Info:305-296-3913; kwahs.org.