Tell your 'what the heck was that thing?' scary story

[turney31]

Sounds like a Chupachabra... Welcome to BYC!

 

[Nitrous]

I was working, updating heavy equipment screens to fit the new rock crushing machines, back in the late 80s. I look down at the ground and an ENORMOUS insect of some kind is tearing toward me as fast as a mouse! It looks like some kind of freakishly large centipede, with maybe 10 legs, that were very long and some kind of tail made of more than one fiber. I barely had enough time to raise my foot and [STOMP!] I could not tell what it was after that since it was now unrecognizable, but the splat was the size of the whole end of my size 11.

It looked very much like this, only slightly fewer legs and WAY bigger. The bug was larger than my Android smartphone is now. And I can't say enough about how fast it was!!!!

 

[skysky43]

Maybe it was, And thanks for the welcome

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

In May of 2009 we had our high school reunion at the Belleview Biltmore Hotel and Resort/Spa in Belleair, FL. It's a beautiful structure made out of native FL pine and was built back in 1897 by a railroad tycoon. Many famous people have stayed there, several former US Presidents, Babe Ruth, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Bob Dylan to name a few. It's also said to be haunted and has been for years.

Our class had booked most of the first floor for the weekend event and we were even given a tour of the place including the "speakeasy" from the prohibition days and a special tour in the very bowels of the building...the sandy floored area beneath the 5 story building where all the boilers, pipes, tunnels and other creepy things were. That scared me more than what was to happen later that night....

After our main activity of dinner, dancing and door prizes on Sat. night, a bunch of us had moved out onto a veranda near the grassy courtyard to sit around and talk of old times. We had been there only for about 5 minutes when I noticed a curtainless window on the 4th floor of a nearby building and it had a bright, white light coming from it. As I was watching it, the light suddenly went off. About 10 seconds later, back on again. Then off. On. Now it's really got my interest and I mention it to everyone else and we all start watching the light go on and off. It was always the same amount of time before going on and then off again, 10 seconds. Finally after watching it for about 15 minutes and listening to all the wisecracks about the "joint must be haunted" or "they must not have paid their electric bill to keep the power on", we all went inside and retired to our rooms for the night.

The next morning, I was still hyped-up about what we had seen so I stopped a porter in the hall and told him what we saw last night and I pointed over towards the building. I then asked him, "C'mon this place really IS haunted, isn't it?". About that time a co-worker joined him and the first one repeated to him what I had just said. His face went from smiling to serious in a New York second and said, "The 4th floor has no electricity. It's been shut off for months because we are going to be closed for the next 3 years for remodeling and repairs."

***Of note....our event was the last one held there before they did close a couple of weeks later to start their planned renovations and remodeling. The plan was to remain closed to the public for the next 3 years during renovations and re-open sometime in 2012.

Unfortunately, because of the economy and problems with the town of Belleair, the resort ended up being sold again to other investors and the hotel is now scheduled to be razed. Condos and townhouses will be built on the property.

I wonder what those resident ghosts are going to think about all that......

 

[featherfinder]

In May of 2009 we had our high school reunion at the Belleview Biltmore Hotel and Resort/Spa in Belleair, FL. It's a beautiful structure made out of native FL pine and was built back in 1897 by a railroad tycoon. Many famous people have stayed there, several former US Presidents, Babe Ruth, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Bob Dylan to name a few. It's also said to be haunted and has been for years.

Our class had booked most of the first floor for the weekend event and we were even given a tour of the place including the "speakeasy" from the prohibition days and a special tour in the very bowels of the building...the sandy floored area beneath the 5 story building where all the boilers, pipes, tunnels and other creepy things were. That scared me more than what was to happen later that night....

After our main activity of dinner, dancing and door prizes on Sat. night, a bunch of us had moved out onto a veranda near the grassy courtyard to sit around and talk of old times. We had been there only for about 5 minutes when I noticed a curtainless window on the 4th floor of a nearby building and it had a bright, white light coming from it. As I was watching it, the light suddenly went off. About 10 seconds later, back on again. Then off. On. Now it's really got my interest and I mention it to everyone else and we all start watching the light go on and off. It was always the same amount of time before going on and then off again, 10 seconds. Finally after watching it for about 15 minutes and listening to all the wisecracks about the "joint must be haunted" or "they must not have paid their electric bill to keep the power on", we all went inside and retired to our rooms for the night.

The next morning, I was still hyped-up about what we had seen so I stopped a porter in the hall and told him what we saw last night and I pointed over towards the building. I then asked him, "C'mon this place really IS haunted, isn't it?". About that time a co-worker joined him and the first one repeated to him what I had just said. His face went from smiling to serious in a New York second and said, "The 4th floor has no electricity. It's been shut off for months because we are going to be closed for the next 3 years for remodeling and repairs."

***Of note....our event was the last one held there before they did close a couple of weeks later to start their planned renovations and remodeling. The plan was to remain closed to the public for the next 3 years during renovations and re-open sometime in 2012.

Unfortunately, because of the economy and problems with the town of Belleair, the resort ended up being sold again to other investors and the hotel is now scheduled to be razed. Condos and townhouses will be built on the property.

I wonder what those resident ghosts are going to think about all that......

There are so many stories of that place! I pass by it all the time but am to chicken to go in. There is very popular story here of a couple of people that broke in. Also another of a couple that went up to the closed floors while they were staying on the lower ones and got quite a scare!

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

There are so many stories of that place! I pass by it all the time but am to chicken to go in. There is very popular story here of a couple of people that broke in. Also another of a couple that went up to the closed floors while they were staying on the lower ones and got quite a scare!

featherfinder, I used to live in Largo from '59-'81 and remember the glory years of that place. When I worked at Morton Plant Hospital, I would drive by it everyday on my way to and from work. I never got to go inside until my high school reunion 3 years ago but always wanted to. I loved the experience of having our reunion there because I had been researching the hotel on several paranormal websites and what the "hauntings" are.. disconnected phones were ringing, lights going on and off (like we saw), doors slamming, night employees seeing "faces" looking in thru the windows at them while on the upper floors.......ALL of these experiences happened on the closed 4th floor. I even heard that sometime in the 30's or 40's, a bride threw herself to her death from a balcony of an upper floor upon learning that her new husband had just been killed in a car crash.

I was so looking forward to again staying at the hotel after their renovations were completed and was planning on staying for a whole week this time so I could investigate on my own. I absolutely hate that they are planning on tearing down that wonderful old hotel and that the town has apparently lost interest in fighting for her anymore. It's all about money now, the new owner's bought it with no intention of renovating and the town sure can't afford the $100 Million cost of doing it themselves. Sad to see her go, especially to have MORE condos standing in her place.

Here's a recent picture of the hotel after having several remodels done over the years......you can almost see one of their "permanent guests" looking out from a window at you....

 

[guinea fowl galore]

OnceAroundTheBlock, Were people allowed to go on the 4th floor? You should have gone up there and checked things out. You would of had some more stories to tell if you did I'm sure. Scary

 

[featherfinder]

featherfinder, I used to live in Largo from '59-'81 and remember the glory years of that place. When I worked at Morton Plant Hospital, I would drive by it everyday on my way to and from work. I never got to go inside until my high school reunion 3 years ago but always wanted to. I loved the experience of having our reunion there because I had been researching the hotel on several paranormal websites and what the "hauntings" are.. disconnected phones were ringing, lights going on and off (like we saw), doors slamming, night employees seeing "faces" looking in thru the windows at them while on the upper floors.......ALL of these experiences happened on the closed 4th floor. I even heard that sometime in the 30's or 40's, a bride threw herself to her death from a balcony of an upper floor upon learning that her new husband had just been killed in a car crash.

I was so looking forward to again staying at the hotel after their renovations were completed and was planning on staying for a whole week this time so I could investigate on my own. I absolutely hate that they are planning on tearing down that wonderful old hotel and that the town has apparently lost interest in fighting for her anymore. It's all about money now, the new owner's bought it with no intention of renovating and the town sure can't afford the $100 Million cost of doing it themselves. Sad to see her go, especially to have MORE condos standing in her place.

Here's a recent picture of the hotel after having several remodels done over the years......you can almost see one of their "permanent guests" looking out from a window at you....

Yeah well thats Florida for ya! Condo central!!!! I live near seminole but my fiance use to work at tradewinds down on the beach so we would go to that place alot and see if we could see something from driving past. I have heard a couple of stories from when it was open like a couple who got married and then had their hooneymoon there and the first night they decided to sneak up to the closed 4th floor. They were chased around by a woman looking for something and eventually found the elevator back down to their floor and once there they ran out and as they did they heard a voice saying "Fine I will go back to looking by my self if everyone around here refuses to help me!" I have also heard stories of people breaking in now that it is completely closed off. If you wanted to go there again you could probably do that just be carful and take friends!!! Im sure i know some people around here that would love to go. I will be the look out and wait for everyone outside. Im to chicken to actually go into any haunted place. I would probably die from shock or something.

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

Guinea fowl, no, they had closed off the 4th and 5th floor quite sometime ago because of roof damage that had been done when a couple of hurricanes brushed by Clearwater. Instead of fixing the roof, they placed mega huge tarps over it to make do until their planned renovations began. That decision probably started the end of the hotel, time is no friend to a wooden structure in need of serious repair. This place is even on the US National Register of Historic Places but in this case it doesn't matter, no one wants to foot the expensive cost of restoration.

That night we were watching the light going on and off, I begged anyone to go with me and try to find a way up to the 4th floor to check it out but no one would go. In fact, they all pretty much thought I was nuts to even think it is haunted.....lol.

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

Yeah well thats Florida for ya! Condo central!!!! I live near seminole but my fiance use to work at tradewinds down on the beach so we would go to that place alot and see if we could see something from driving past. I have heard a couple of stories from when it was open like a couple who got married and then had their hooneymoon there and the first night they decided to sneak up to the closed 4th floor. They were chased around by a woman looking for something and eventually found the elevator back down to their floor and once there they ran out and as they did they heard a voice saying "Fine I will go back to looking by my self if everyone around here refuses to help me!" I have also heard stories of people breaking in now that it is completely closed off. If you wanted to go there again you could probably do that just be carful and take friends!!! Im sure i know some people around here that would love to go. I will be the look out and wait for everyone outside. Im to chicken to actually go into any haunted place. I would probably die from shock or something.

It was Maisie....

Tag: Maisie Plant

Taking a Shining to the Belleview Biltmore Hotel

by admin on Mar.28, 2009, under Belleview Biltmore Hotel

Historic Belleview Biltmore Hotel
The following is my exploration of the historic Belleview Biltmore Hotel. Paranormal investigation of the historic and reportedly haunted Belleview Biltmore Resort in Clearwater, Florida by Tim Huck of Dark House Entertainment on Saturday, Feb 21st 2009. It inspired me to create a special website dedicated to this Historic Hotel and others I plan to visit. I consider myself lucky to be able to take over 300 pictures of the inside, outside and secret areas of the Belleview Biltmore Resort prior to it’s closing at the end of May, 2009. The Belleview Biltmore will remain closed for up to 3 years for renovation. I have not seen anything on the internet that provides this much detail of the inside not even their own website. I decided to present it myself for those who are curious and seek this information of this historic hotels past . I have heard many stories of hauntings, a suicide, seen paranormal photographs and television news investigations that gave me a calling to revisit the place where a few years ago I was hired to participate in a national television commercial for the Toronto Blue Jays inside the Belleview Biltmore Hotel and snapped my first orb photo when my DJ partner stood next to Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay. I photoshopped it out because he thought it was a glitch in the camera, but I saved the original and here it is:

Orb by Tony Johnson with Lyle Overbay
Areas of the Hotel resemble the Overlook Hotel in The Shining which adds ambiance to my paranormal investigation.

The Shining like Biltmore Hotel
Due to overwhelming information I wish to provide I will be in a constant state of updating so check back often. If you have any personal experience or evidence you would like to provide contact me [email protected] Thanks to Orlando Ghost Tours who provided great information, EVP evidence, supplying EMF detectors

Leaving my mark at the Belleview's Haunted 4th Floor.
and access to parts of the Belleview Biltmore that is closed to the public. I highly recommend them. I will update this daily, check back often to hear my story. Here are some of the photos i took that night.

Maisie Plant
She Wore a Pearl Necklace.
Mae Cadwell Manwaring Plant, better known as Maisie, was born in 1878. Maisie was married to another man when she met Morton Plant, the son of Henry Plant, a self made transportation tycoon and land developer. Henry Plant built, among many other things, the first buildings of what is now the Belleview Biltmore Resort. Morton Plant was immediately “stricken” by Maisie and decided that he must marry her. He offered Maisie’s husband 8 million dollars–an offer to good to refuse. It was accepted, and Morton and Maisie were married in 1914. As a wedding gift, Morton gave Maisie a home, the Plant Mansion on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Sometime in their relationship, Maisie saw a strand of perfectly matched Oriental pearls, with a price of $1.2 million dollars, which she just had to have. She asked Morton to buy them for her, but he felt they were too expensive and he refused to purchase them. Maisie had her heart set on the pearls and felt that the $1.2 million dollar asking price was fair, but Morton would not budge. So Maisie figured a way to get them on her own.
She bartered the purchase of the pearls with the owner, a Mr. Cartier. He gave Maisie the pearls and she gave him the Plant Mansion on Fifth Avenue, which subsequently became the House of Cartier. It is open to this day on that location. We are very sorry to say that somewhere, sometime, Maisie’s pearls just seem to have vanished. Cartier Jewelers would love to have them in their collection. Big question today is, still, where are Maisie’s pearls?
Maisie is rumored to have lost her treasured jewelry at the Biltmore. Some say her ghost is still walking the halls looking for her lost pearls.