Down at the bottom of the sea ... There are several documented shipwrecks at the bottom of the deep, dark waters surrounding Boca Grande, and their secrets are known only to the frothing, swift-moving waters of the Gulf. While their pasts may not be as checkered as the Pirate Gaspar’s sunken vessel, they each have their own story. The Kathy II is a 65-foot shrimping vessel that sits in 40 feet of water approximately five miles off the island’s coast. It is now used as a dive spot and a fishing hole. The Dock Wreck is another shrimping vessel identified by no specific name. It rests in the shallow waters of the Intracoastal Waterway just off-island. Another wreck, known only as the “Boca Grande Wreck,” is located 32 miles offshore in almost 100 feet of water. It is believed to be an old freighter, and is now home to huge 900+ pound Goliath groupers. Journey’s End ... A beachfront home at the end of 18th Street West has been the location for more than one ghost story since it was built in 1910. Originally built for an eccentric construction foreman from the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad, it’s imposing presence on the beach doesn’t help to lighten the home’s somewhat dark personality. For years the site consisted of a two-story main house, four cottages and a garage. The first owner of the home, a man from Louisiana named Henry Stackhouse, was known for doing some questionable business here on the island. While details are fuzzy, one deal that ended up sour resulted in the deaths of several horses and one man. Stackhouse departed the island in the darkest hour of one night in 1916, and the property and house were foreclosed on. The home remained vacant for almost 10 years and fell into disrepair, and eventually banana plants took over the beachfront side of the house. In 1921 a huge storm rolled over the island and almost every window smashed out. The storm left a foot of sand on the floor of the home. With the foul karma that Stackhouse left combined with a forlorn, abandoned appearance, the home soon became known as “The Haunted House.” Princess Joseffa’s ghost was also spotted by locals in the vicinity of the house, gliding by on the beach. When the Knight family acquired the property in 1924 the home became a bustling cog in the life on the island for many years. Then the only Knight child to be born in the home was Hannah Margaret, died at the age of 7 from burns. The property was eventually purchased by the Ingram family who kept it for generations. Then, in 2001 a shooting death occurred on the property in one of the cottages. G M
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