Is school still in session?
BY LIZ REED
CO-FOUNDER OF PSOBFL
AUTHOR OF HAUNTED MANATEE COUNTY
OWNER OF DOWNTOWN BRADENTON GHOST WALK
The Florida Maritime Museum sits on the grounds of the Cortez Nature Preserve, at the corner of Cortez Ave. and 119th St. W in the historic fishing village of Cortez. The white museum building was built in 1912 and was formerly known as the Cortez Rural Graded Schoolhouse. It replaced an older one-room schoolhouse that still stands in the village. With its durable brick construction, the building survived the 1921 Tampa Bay hurricane and served as a refuge for locals in the aftermath. Images from the time show small boats pulled up in front of the building, having been used by residents to navigate the flood waters.
The school originally had three classrooms for local children to get their education. In 1933, during the Great Depression, the Works Projects Administration added on to the school. The center classroom was extended into an auditorium with a stage, creating the T-shaped building we see today. It served as the local public school until 1961, and then was leased and used as an art school and gallery. Later the building was sold to Robert Sailors, a master weaver who used the building as his studio as well as his home. In 1999, the county purchased the building and began a careful restoration. It began its new life as a maritime museum in 2006 and continues its original mission of providing an education. Now, it teaches visitors about the life of a commercial fisherman and life in the fishing village of Cortez.
Reports of supernatural activity in the former schoolhouse are not new. Cold spots have been felt in the otherwise warm rooms. People in conversation have been heard when no one else was around. Some of Robert Sailor’s weavings on display have started swinging around for no apparent reason, while the sound of children playing is heard.
Several years ago, my team and I conducted an investigation in the museum and other buildings on the grounds. In the old schoolhouse, we found the children or, more precisely, they found us. For this investigation, we brought along a device that can be used by a spirit to make its presence known. When touched, it produces a ding sound. Once it was discovered by the children, we were treated to nonstop dings for the duration of our investigation.
There are two other buildings on the grounds that we investigated. The 1890 Bratton Store was originally built on the water, where the Coast Guard station stands now. It served as a general store and the village’s post office. In 1900, bedrooms were added on to the store structure, creating the Albion Inn. Over the years and through multiple owners, the inn was expanded. It ultimately had dozens of guest rooms and a dining room open to the public and known for its fresh local seafood. As with the schoolhouse, the inn welcomed locals seeking refuge in the wake of the 1921 Tampa Bay hurricane. The property was purchased by the Coast Guard in 1974, and the inn served as the station until 1991 when the current station was built. The original 1890 Bratton Store building was preserved and moved to its current site in 2006.
While preparing to investigate inside the 1890 Bratton Store, we came across an unexpected entity. Unfortunately, this was a human being, quite alive, who was not supposed to be on the property. We waited while he was escorted off the property by staff, and then began our investigation. On the second floor, our instruments registered a significant amount of activity. We heard footsteps in the building when no one was moving. When we were downstairs, the footsteps were coming from the second floor. When we went up to the second floor, we heard footsteps downstairs. At one point, we heard a voice very cleait told us to get out. We decided to take that advice and move on to the Pillsbury Boat shop.
The Pillsbury Boat Shop was built in 1907 at the Snead Island Boat Works in Palmetto. Edward Pillsbury and his son, Asa, were known for the high-quality skiffs and runabouts used by Cortez fishermen. When the Pillsbury family sold the property in the late 1930s, they loaded the boat shop building onto a truck and moved it a few miles away to their home, to be used as a machine shop for another Pillsbury family business. The Pillsbury property was subdivided in 2003, leaving the boat shop sitting on the line between two properties. Given its historical significance, it was donated to the county rather than being torn down, and was moved. In 2007, it was moved once again to its current location at the Cortez Nature Preserve.
As we were approaching the boat shop, we started feeling uneasy. There was an unwelcoming energy around the building. Something did not want us to be there, but we continued our investigation. Walking around the building, several team members witnessed a shadowy figure inside the building moving past the windows. Upon entering the building, we were alone. There was no one else there.
With so much history connected to the buildings and the various artifacts on display, I don’t find it surprising that a great deal of spirit energy can be found at the site. Since our investigation, the museum collection has grown, and the 1890 Bratton Store and the Pillsbury Boat Shop have been set up more for visitors. We would love to return for another investigation and see what the spirits are doing now, and perhaps some night we will. You might want to visit in the daylight.