Site of the Rosewood Massacre

Cedar Key, FL · Miscellaneous

In 1923, white woman Fannie Taylor lied and said she had been assaulted by an African-American man. She lied because she didn’t want her husband to know she was actually beaten by her white lover. But Fannie’s maid Sarah Carrier witnessed the incident and knew the truth. As a result of Fannie's lie, white men came from nearby towns began hunting down and killing the African-American residents of Rosewood, including Sarah. When Rosewood citizens defended themselves, the whites hunted them down and burned almost every one of their buildings. One structure still stands: the home of white merchant John Wright, a hero who hid many of the Rosewood residents and helped them to get safely out of town. The woods around the house are said to be extremely haunted. The apparition of an African-American man has been seen, dropping into his knees and pleading for mercy before he vanished. Gunshots and screams are also heard throughout the woods.

Geographic Information

Address
Rosewood, FL
Get Directions »
GPS
29.23873064, -82.93258667
County
Levy County, Florida
Nearest Towns

Quick Answers

Is Site of the Rosewood Massacre really haunted?
Visitors rate Site of the Rosewood Massacre at 87.9 out of 100 on our EHP (Estimated Haunted Probability) scale. So far 9 people have shared firsthand experiences from this location in the comments.
Where is Site of the Rosewood Massacre located?
The address is Rosewood, FL. GPS coordinates: 29.23873064, -82.93258667.
What kind of haunted place is Site of the Rosewood Massacre?
Site of the Rosewood Massacre is listed under Miscellaneous in our Florida section.
What is the nearest town to Site of the Rosewood Massacre?
Cedar Key, FL is the closest town, about 9.3 miles away, with Otter Creek (11.4 mi.) and Chiefland (16.9 mi.) also nearby.

Please note: It is your responsibility to acquire appropriate permissions before investigating any location listed on this site. Private property should be respected at all times, as should all posted signs concerning trespassing, hours of operation and other regulations.

Share Your Experiences

Comments (9)

  • scott tilley |

    I was passing thru one late night and off to my right i see a light like an old lantern glowing looks as if its being carried by one person and chasing another as it got closer to the ditch line i know it sounds crazzy but i know what i saw and ive even have a pic of the ghost or spirit at my window seriosly you can see the ghost as we are driving earlier this day

  • Cara |

    Does anyone know who owns this property? I'd really like to take my team there for an investigation....please and Thankyou!

    • Harley |

      I am a descendent of one of the family's from the logging /lumber mill town of ROSEWOOD, FL. My family property is still there. I have video footage and pictures of the family's land from the present and a lot of old photos dating back to 1891 with my great grandfather and grandmother along with my grandfather as a child.

      • Richelle |

        I'd be interested in your history, Harley!
        AbandonedReclamation@gmail.com

      • Teena Kelly |

        I'd also be very interested in your history as well
        teenakelly67@gmail.com

  • Mattie Taylor |

    I grew up in & around these places in florida. From a young child I vividly remember the stories & accounts of these terrible tragedies. I truely believe most of the path from Archer, Bronson, Rosewood, on through to cedar key are very haunted. It was a place of many murders & clan activities that no doubt in some way still go on today, but you won't hear alot of stories told to outsiders. I remember taking night trips through these places going to cedar key as a teen & young adult & there are many odd occurrences that have happened. It's was a senseless tragedy. Many of the old ones who knew the secrets & stories well have passed on themselves & many feared their souls would be damned & forced to linger as a punishment & sadly many were right. Especially those of plantation owners & their families. The rosewood hauntings are more than mere ghosts. Some are pure poltergeists who can harm humans so it's not always wise to go looking up things out of mere curiousity, some things are best left alone. This is one I would strongly suggest you leave alone.There have been novice hunters who have disappeared without a trace. Florida especially North Central Florida is very haunted in many ways but it's always best to respect the Dead. Don't tread on what you don't know.

    • Ronald A Costen |

      I would love to chat with you about racism and florida my name is Ron my email ronaldcosten7@gmail.com

  • J. Thomas. |

    I had a dream about this place while I was in college. I had never heard of it but my gut told me to investigate and I researched online about and found my answer. I remember hearing the screams and gunshots in my dream. It was daytime, I was watching two malnourished children who appeared impoverished and as if they were from Africa. They appeared rough, almost burnt and then John Wright's house then appeared. I had a distinct feeling that I was a victim of Rosewood from a previous life. I was probably one of the children that I saw. Later I looked up the house from my dream and my blood ran cold as it was exactly what I saw from my dream. Whenever I think or hear of Rosewood I feel an overwhelming sadness mingled with wanting to vomit. I think maybe I was there, in a past life.

  • Kim |

    I ride through there every other day a weird feeling anger and sadness it's a present there. I Call it Bloodland!! Sad that every thing was swept under a rug.

Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the truest sense, ghost stories. Haunted Places makes no claims that any of these stories are factually accurate or scientifically provable.