Known as a shining fixture of Hernando history and a popular tourist attraction, the May-Stringer House in Brooksville is also a popular destination for fans of the paranormal. And at 10 a.m. Oct. 22, The Haunted May-Stringer House in Brooksville and Haunted Buildings in Ybor City will explore this aspect of the May-Stringer tradition; and just in time for Halloween! Academia Hernando will present this vivid informational session at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 2301 Deltona Blvd., Spring Hill. Face masks are required for attendance.
“May-Stringer House: Through this presentation, we will learn the history and strange paranormal happenings of this house located in Brooksville, Florida. Ybor City: An overall look at how Mr. Ybor turned a backwater swamp into one of the biggest industrial towns in all of America. Along with an amazing connection to Cuba, Ybor City will also be forever remembered for its connections to The American Dream, The Cuban-Italian crime families, and some of the most haunted buildings in America which have been visited by famous ghost hunters (we do a ghost tour as well),” read an event description.
The presentation will be delivered by Bonnie Letourneau and Max Herman, expert historians and tour guides who will share compelling stories about the subject sites. “Bonnie has been doing the night tour sessions since 2004 at the May-Stringer House,” read the event description. “She will give us the inside scoop about all the paranormal occurrences that have happened at the house over the years.”
Letourneau says that the May-Stringer House is well-renowned for its vast catalog of paranormal legends. “At this historic site, we offer ghost tours for those interested in the paranormal,” she explained. Max Herman, in a bio submitted to Academia Hernando, offers some paranormal perspective on the history of Ybor City. “My father and I both knew the amazing history of Ybor City, a National Historic District that didn’t have a year-round tour available. So we put our minds together and launched the tour company in 2010. Since then, it has grown to be the biggest tour company in Tampa, FL and one of the Top 5 tours in Florida!” he explained.
Sharon Printz, board member of Academia Hernando, sees this presentation as an ideal way to observe the Halloween holiday. “We look forward to enjoying the ghost stories on Oct. 22,” she said.
Drawing its origins more than a decade ago from the popular Mondays in Brooksville program, Academia Hernando, the not-for-profit lifelong learning organization providing quality instruction and learning experiences for adult students throughout Hernando County and beyond, is returning in grand fashion for the Fall 2021 season, as sponsored by The Hernando Sun, Kenjo’s Tree Service and The Residence at Timber Pines. “Our goal is to inform, educate and inspire adult learners through a series of weekly lectures on a wide variety of topics,” reads a mission statement. Tickets to individual lectures are $10. For more information, visit www.academiahernando.org or call (352) 515-0300 or (352) 686-4035.
