This shell mound, created by local Native Americans over about 1,000 years, is now part of the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. There is a nature trail surrounding the mound called “Shell Mound Trail.”
Locals believe the area around the shell mound is haunted by the ghost of Annie Simpson and her dog. The story goes that pirates from long ago buried treasure here, and when poor Annie and her wolfhound dog stumbled across the location one day, the pirates killed both in order to keep the location a secret. Some see Annie as just a floating white light, others see a white dress floating around (with no arms or legs), and the same white light as her head. At least one witness claims to have seen her as a full-bodied apparition.
If you've had a paranormal experience here, or have any additional information about this location, please let us know!
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Geographic Information
- Address:
- Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge
NE of Cedar Key, FL
United States
Get Directions » - GPS:
- 29.20718146539936, -83.06620410691528
- County:
- Levy County, Florida
- Nearest Towns:
- Cedar Key, FL (5.1 mi.)
Otter Creek, FL (19.5 mi.)
Horseshoe Beach, FL (21.0 mi.)
Chiefland, FL (22.3 mi.)
Manatee Road, FL (23.0 mi.)
Yankeetown, FL (24.4 mi.)
Andrews, FL (25.1 mi.)
Inglis, FL (26.9 mi.)
Fanning Springs, FL (27.8 mi.)
Cross City, FL (29.7 mi.)
Contact Information
- Web:
- http://seenorthflorida.com/destinations/shellmound.php
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Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. The vast majority of information provided on this web site is anecdotal, and as such, should be viewed in the same light as local folklore and urban legends.
I have a picture of a bearded man, a little girl, and a baby of some sort there is a cat and a dog also in the picture but we didn’t have a cat or dog with us the really weird thing is before we knew what it was my little cousin started calling one of them swanne and saying one of them was a boy she even named one bill, if you would like to contact me it would be best at my phone number 813-793-5166, thanks
When my.mom was 16 years old, she was out at shell mound with her friends. They were on the trail (by suicide bench) and they seen a girl in a long flowing dress. Her head was gone, but she.had arms and legs. She was kinda glowing, hince is.how they seen her. I have also seen something. It was not that of a girl. It was a man. A wide man who was completely white. I got a picture of him staring into the water. Staring like he was lifeless.
In August 2010? my daughter and I visited the shell mound in the middle of the day. Each time we tried to walk on the path up the mound she got attacked by flying insects diving at her, while none bothered me. she has dark hair while mine is blondish. she also complained that the area had a horrible odor while it smelled okay to me. just weird since insects usually go after me. it was a rather deserted area so we left.
I can confirm another instance of this as it is one of the things that happened to me. It was odd. Initially I felt safe because I was with several other people in broad daylight. I was chased down the trail, back to the vehicle and the car was eventually swarmed. Nobody else was bothered. Just me. After a string of other strange differing occurrences I have decided to never go back.
I’ve been around this place all my life and it just feels off. I’ve heard drumming off in the distance while night fishing or being on the trail. The insects also act pretty weird.
This is a bad place. I can’t tell the story but I can’t think of any other place on earth that terrifies me like Shell Mound. The last time I went there was in 2004. I have been there probably about 10 times before that. Several times I had friends with me that witnessed strange happenings and sometimes unexplained paranormal things. It is my fault because I violated the rules of the legend by doing something that I was told not to do out there. I have more knowledge about Shell Mound than most people I’ve ever met. Nobody has ever written a story about the things I know to be true about this place. One fact is I know for sure is that there are others besides me who know, but I never found it documented anywhere. I am afraid to talk about it. You wouldn’t believe me anyways even if I took the time to tell, but maybe you would after questioning my various witnesses. I don’t know and don’t care. I can tell you this, go. Enjoy the place. It is amazing. You are safe. It’s just me. I cant go back. I cant even go in the daylight without things happening. I never saw a headless woman, or a dog. My story is not about that directly. My story is a lot worse than some friendly apparition. Because of this place and only because of this is the reason I truly believe in spirits, demons, or whatever you call them. If not for this, I would call B.S. every single time.
What happened? Did you dig something up? What? Please tell me..
I participated in an illegal dig at a very young age. There were sites that are known to exist because they showed signs of previous excavation but this one did not. I was with my friend and his dad and his dads friend who flew in from another country to help. They both did a lot of research. Finally with the help of various high tech equipment were able to use triangulation to find the site. Equipment so accurate that we were able to confirm that there is nothing to be found at the plundered sites without even digging there. Do not dig anywhere near Shell Mound is all I can tell ya.
I’m really interested in your story. Is there anything more that you are able to share?
I think there may still be natives living in the woods around Shell Mound. We met at least one ourselves that summer. We noticed him suddenly then watched him walk through a patch of thorns and palmettos barefoot to get to us. His legs were bare and his leggings were short yet he had no scratches on him or thorns in his feet. I still cannot get over that part, I would have never made it through there. Dressed that way I would have been punctured and sliced up all over. He looked like a native american just like our history books but his clothing was not as fancy, no feathers, beads, nothing fancy, just hand made everything, you could tell. We had never met him but he seemed to know what we were doing. He walked and talked with us for awhile, then after being sure he clearly made his point suddenly walked off back into the thick woods He was a real person and is the one who warned us not to dig.
For all who doubt it go and see for yourself
One time I was fishing near the bank coming back from my kayak trip around hog island I had a weird feeling when me and my dad headed back at around dusk when I saw orbs farting in and out of the brush and in the mirror I saw a girl in a dress at the end of the dirt road I have been back many times at night with my friend trying to see it again but I have never seen the same.