Where are the most haunted spots in Bradenton? Here’s what the paranormal society says

The past may be a little closer than you think in Bradenton.

Some say the city’s unseen spirits could even be strolling alongside you downtown, sitting next to you at the bar, or staying as an unregistered guest.

Just ask Liz Reed, who knows a thing or two about local history, unfinished business and souls that stick around long after their time has come.

After having her own paranormal experiences as a child — “I lived in a haunted house as a kid in Minnesota,” Reed says— she has been on a lifelong journey to find more answers about the supernatural.

Reed moved to Bradenton in 1993 and later founded the Paranormal Society of Bradenton with her husband Ron, who also had uncanny childhood experiences.

The pair has been delving into Manatee County’s supernatural side for over a decade. They claim to have documented dozens of hauntings.

The society has grown to include seven permanent members and other part-time helpers who conduct paranormal investigations at local homes and businesses — usually one or two a month.

After a tip is received about a suspected spirit, the research process begins.

“I have a history researcher, we do a mile-wide research of the whole area,” Reed said.

Names and events from the past help the researchers pinpoint whose ghost might be behind a particular haunting.

“There’s a lot of activity,” Reed said of Bradenton. “I do think downtown is a little more active with the history there.”

A few haunted spots downtown, according to Reed:

• The former Council’s Burgers Beer & Billiards restaurant at 536 12th Street West: “We caught a full apparition walking across the building. That was pretty cool,” Reed said.
• Paddy Wagon Irish Pub at 320 12th Street West (“Old Bakery Building”): “That’s my favorite,” says Reed, who claims six spirits dwell in and around the building. The alleged apparitions include the former baker himself; a family that lived in the mid 19th century and died in a drowning accident in the Manatee River; and a woman remorseful over her role in a grizzly car crash.
  
  
• The Old Manatee Burying Ground at Manatee Village Historical Park, 1404 Manatee Avenue East: “We’ve picked up on a lot of activity in there,” Reed said.
  
  
• Hampton Inn & Suites Bradenton, 309 10th Street West: “Everybody that lives in Manatee County knows Hampton Inn is haunted,” Reeds said. “They don’t like to advertise it though.”
  
  

Reed is quick to differentiate what the Paranormal Society does from some of the ghost shows popular on TV.

During investigations, the paranormal society attempts to talk with ghosts through special equipment.

The chats are carried out in a calm and methodical manner, Reed said. There are no gimmicks, no jump scares and no taunting the spirits.

“It’s not what people think it is,” Reed said.

And the golden rule of communicating with the ghosts?

“Treat them with respect, and they’ll treat us with respect,” Reed said.

Reed recently put her some of her insights on local ghosts into a book, “Haunted Manatee County.” Published in 2018, it quickly sold out on Amazon.

While the supernatural tends to get more attention around Halloween, the society’s investigations and ghost tours continue all year round.

Ghost tours through downtown Bradenton, now in their seventh year, are offered five days a week. Another tour added five years ago explores the haunted history of Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island (that tour is temporarily on pause).

Even skeptics can find something to enjoy on the tours, which are full of local history, Reed said. Sometimes the experience even creates new believers in the spirit realm.

“We give you a(n electromagnetic field) meter to work with and ask for yes or no questions,” Reed said.

“I don’t make it scary. I try to make it fun. Expect to learn a lot of history, and expect to learn how to become a paranormal investigator.”

For more info about the paranormal society, or to book a ghost tour, visit paranormalsocietyofbradenton.wordpress.com.

This story was originally published October 31, 2022 at 11:45 AM.