Stories say the historic tower was often used as a landmark on pirates’ maps, a tale that may support the fact that a ghostly pirate is said to roam the area. Another story told around these parts is that of a marine monster who lives in the waters adjacent to the tower, and was seen dragging a little girl under the water.
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Geographic Information
- Address:
- E. Bird St and N Florida Ave
Tampa, FL
United States
Get Directions » - GPS:
- 28.021455904415777, -82.45888146759171
- County:
- Hillsborough County, Florida
- Nearest Towns:
- Citrus Park, FL (2.1 mi.)
Carrollwood, FL (2.9 mi.)
Egypt Lake-Leto, FL (2.9 mi.)
University, FL (3.6 mi.)
Lake Magdalene, FL (3.7 mi.)
Temple Terrace, FL (4.4 mi.)
Carrollwood Village, FL (4.9 mi.)
Tampa, FL (5.1 mi.)
East Lake-Orient Park, FL (5.6 mi.)
Greater Northdale, FL (7.1 mi.)
Contact Information
- Web:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulphur_Springs_Water_Tower
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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.
This place has been cursed for years. It had an elevator and observation deck and when the Stock Market Crash of 1929, Black Tuesday happeed, several people took the elevator to the top and jumped off to commit suicide. At least one was under the influence of alcohol at the time. Several other strange deaths occurred in 20th century, dangerous to swim in water around tower, etc., people die doing this – could be bacteria from meningitis infection parasite or it could be a curse. Also, the community activist who got the city to light the tower at night, died right after the night lighting was approved. It is a cursed tower, but the artesian well water is pure!
My grandfather died in that part of the river by drowning. I to believe its cursed.
i went there today and we could hear noises from the closed off windows (probably just birds or rats) but, we came back at night and we could see a figure/shadow at the top it was terrifying but the thing like jumped off then it like disappeared right before it hit the ground. Its very hard to explain but me and my family were terrified im never going back there it creeps me out to much and i cant stand it.
every time i drive by at night after midnight i would see a women standing at the top. Always wearing the same clothes and always in the same spot. Always mad me wonder..
Growing up as a child in this area..the story was that a girl had hung herself from this tower, and that is the women you see standing at the top. This has been told since the 1970’s, and you are not the only person who has seen her.
I was just there tonight and heard a females voice from the inside…as if she was talking to someone. Stayed around and just kept hearing her but it was too faint to understand what she was saying. Unfortunately it’s locked up so you can’t go inside, but I’m definitely going back!
Me and my brother went here for the the first time on Halloween 10 and i met a man with an eye patch he was missing fingers and had torn clothes he asked me for a smoke and i told him i had no cigarettes on me as we walked away about 15 steps. We turned around and he was gone! !!
Hate to disappoint you but the tower (and nearby Gazebo) were actually built in the 1920’s. Although Pirates did use the spring as a source of fresh water. The spring was closed do to the confirmed presence of fecal coliform bacteria. To the best of my knowledge the springs are still closed and contaminated.
There was never an elevator in the tower, but I can not confirm if anyone jumped off the tower. It seems possible as the tower was part of one of the first mall complex’s in America at that time. In 1933 a flood destroyed the whole area leaving only the tower and gazebo in place.
Now this is a natural Sulfur spring and the smell of sulfur is still present today.
I was just coming here to say that there were no pirates in the area using it as a landmark in 1927. Thanks for posting that.
A. There was an elevator when it was originally built. Hasn’t been one since the 30s, but there was one before.
B. The well, not spring, was closed due to the city of Tampa water company taking over, not fecal contamination.
C. There supposedly was a structure there during Spanish occupation, that is where the “pirate lighthouse” story comes from. The current architecture was obviously built in the 20s.
My father was one of the original brick layers on this job. It was his first mason job beginning in 1927 and our family has always taken younger members to show the tower. There was no elevator in the original building, only stairs. The tower remained operational till the early or mid 70’s. Can’t recall exactly. We went to the drive in here when we were kids and I am glad the developers never got this land populated.
It was also a drive in theater
I just found a historical article that stated this regarding the elevator. “Intense rainfall associated with the tropical hurricane of September 4, 1933, caused severe damage in Sulphur Springs and the failure of the Tampa Electric Company dam on the Hillsborough River. Sudden release of the stored waters washed out bridges, overflowed banks in the lower river reaches, and sent water surging through town. Shortly after the flood the effects of the Great Depression reached Sulphur Springs causing the Sulphur Springs bank to collapse. Both events caused the merchants and residents of the Arcade to default on their rent payments, leaving Richardson without funds to pay the mortgage on the Arcade. Richardson pulled out before his vision was fully realized. He never built the elevator. Richardson was forced to sell his Sulphur Springs holdings to J.T. Hendrick Estates but remained in Tampa until his death in 1956.
I hate to disappoint you but theres nothing wrong with the water it wasnt used for pirates to have fresh water it was used as a hiding ground now as far as the elevator there was once an elevator after the workers died they closed it down because it was also a suicide place mainly for men only 2 females died there one from hanging the other jumped after her husband never returned from his ship and she and her baby died.
Wikipedia has a decent listing on the tower. Built in 1927 it obviously was never a pirate landmark, but the MAY have been an unofficial lighthouse on the site long before. There was a passenger elevator in the original construction, but I believe it to be long gone. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulphur_Springs_Water_Tower
Years ago I had nightmares of tunnels beneath the Tower. Men went into these tunnels and found something terrible. It was some kind of beast that was then freed and went about slaughtering the men. One was a short chubby guy who may have been Spanish or Italian. The man had a small dog that ran to hide When he found the dog he bent down to get it and the beast came up behind him. That’s when I woke up. Now Im just finding out about actual tunnels and one that leads from the tower to a basement beneath the builder’s house and it scares the hell out of me. I wish I was making this up.
My Father and I went there out of curiosity “mostly mine” a long time ago. We tried to see if there was a way to get it. It was sealed. Graffiti and beer bottles everywhere; stench of urine and torn clothing haphazardly spread throughout. This place is only haunted by the homeless squatting around the bushes and exterior. Not a safe place to list on your site! Not haunted and real danger lurks of being robbed, stabbed, shot, raped or all of the above!
I worked at tge Sulphur Springs Harbor Club in 1991. I was a cook. The place always creeped me out and I had a few experiences that made me ultimately quit the job. Aside from constantly hearing clatter and racket in areas where no one was, I also encountered what I can only call a spirit. One night, someone had clogged the men’s room toilet up and it was running and overflowed. The manager asked me to handle the problem. I got a mop bucket, rags, bleach and cleaner and started toward the problem. When I entered the bathroom, an elderly man stood at one of the urinals. I greeted him and proceeded with my cleaning duty. Mustve been about 10 seconds later and I turned around and he wasnt there anymore. An old woman named Hazel had a small Book Store/Alteration Shop in the mini mall within the building. She told me one time that she often heard silverware and chairs being shuffled around when no one was there… The place burned down in 2014.
It is a shame there is not a video of the interior and a person could see how it works. Also the condition of the tower is a blight on the city of Tampa. It should be pristine, but I realize that it is North of Kennedy Blvd so it does not matter to the city council or mayor.
another picture
Ive always asked about it when we drove past it… an old friend who lived close by said he saw a woman in a white dress standing on the top of the tower every night… his parents saw her too, so they moved away… ill check it out in the future hopefully…
That’s scary because another person commented here that they’ve also seen a woman on top of the tower wearing the same clothes apparently she committed suicide.
I was homeless there in 2018 i slept outside of that tower now being out there 8 months was creepy barely anyone goes there, you can here a woman whispering inside of it it may be closed up but theres enough room to hear in it a woman does stand on the top but only during the new moon as far as it being creepy it is you get hair that stands up you get that feeling that someone is behind you when your not now i see things and feel thing do to dying there 2x and dying 3 other times when i was younger i died 2x there last yr at the gazebo you hear and see things others dont or shouldnt you feel things like heat radiating threw your body like something is wrong you can feel the spirits trying to get you to feel pain hurt and sorrow a little girl is seen sometimes playing around the tower she gets close to the water and vanishes even being by that water there are indeed spirits in that water especially under the bridge.
I I am a local photographer who is taking some practice shots the other night of the Tower and did not have previous knowledge of this lady in the tower, so I accidentally got a clear shot of her and have the photo if anyone cares.
There was never an elevator in the tower. https://www.tampapix.com/watertower.htm tells the history of the area. There is a whole paragraph regarding the elevator that was proposed but never happened. It reads as follows, “Intense rainfall associated with the tropical hurricane of September 4, 1933 caused severe damage in Sulphur Springs and the failure of the Tampa Electric Company dam on the Hillsborough River. Sudden release of the stored waters washed out bridges, overflowed banks in the lower river reaches, and sent water surging through town. Shortly after the flood the effects of the Great Depression reached Sulphur Springs causing the Sulphur Springs bank to collapse. Both events caused the merchants and residents of the Arcade to default on their rent payments, leaving Richardson without funds to pay the mortgage on the Arcade. Richardson pulled out before his vision was fully realized. He never built the elevator. Richardson was forced to sell his Sulphur Springs holdings to J.T. Hendrick Estates but remained in Tampa until his death in 1956.
I have reoccurring dreams that I jump off this tower. I never hit the ground but I can see flowers at the bottom and light peering through them.
I used to live 2 blocks from there from the time that I was born until the time that I was 17 teen years old and I swim in the river and I never had any problems or heard anything from their no voice or saw any ghost so no I don’t feel or think that it is haunted and my father Also passed away at the old bank Building that stands in front of the light Tower 5/3/2004 and I’ve been over there many times after that and still nothing so whatever anyone has to say then they are wrong and I wish that they would stop saying stuff like this because it is not true
I kayaked by there and heard a baby crying, the creepiest feeling