The Old Gilchrist County Jail

Posted: 10.15.2025 | Updated: 10.13.2025

There’s a simple two-floor dilapidated building in the town of Trenton, Florida. Vines grow on every side, hugging its cracked walls as if they were tendrils of the past, keeping hidden the dark stories that lie within from when it was Gilchrist County’s operating jail. 

From prisoners left unsupervised through the night to a 21st-century murder, it’s for this reason that what is now referred to as the Old Gilchrist County Jail has drawn the attention of ghost seekers across the country, who believe it’s haunted.

Head a little further south and you’ll find yourself in Tampa, one of Florida’s most haunted cities. Where sandals and bathing suits meet high-rises and museums, a chillier side makes itself known come sundown. One filled with restless spirits. Care to see for yourself? Hear the unsettling tales, and traverse Tampa’s most haunted sites with Tampa Terrors.

Come take a gander at our blog for more chills. It’s filled with stories from across America’s sites — iconic and obscure — that delve into urban legends, aliens, mysteries, and more! 

Is the Old Gilchrist County Jail Haunted?

Skeptical or not, the Old Gilchrist County Jail is crawling with spirits at all hours of the day. Here are just some of the multitude of spirits that have made themselves known: 

• Robert – Known to be more angry than his ghostly cellmates, he also has an affinity for women. 

• Frank – A cellmate who passed away in his cell from a heart attack (at least that’s what we think). Anyone who goes into his cell feels like their chest may be tightening. 

• Sam – Another former prisoner, it’s believed it was none other than Robert who killed him. How fitting that his murderer is stuck in the same jail as him, even in the afterlife. 

History of The Old Gilchrist County Jail

Sometimes, it’s not so much the history as a lack of it that makes a place frightening, especially the Old Gilchrist County Jail. It was opened in 1928, not long after Gilchrist County was formed. 

Two years earlier, citizens had grown extremely frustrated with the Board of County Commissioners. Their repeated requests for a suitable road from the Suwannee River through Trenton and onto Gainesville—the county seat—were only met with silence, culminating in a formal petition. 

It was simple: the road needs would be met, or a bill would be introduced in the state legislature to form a new county. The Board of Commissioners laughed at the threat, but allowed a vote to be held anyway. 

In a stunning majority, Melon County was formed — named so for its widely known cash crop of watermelons. The name was short-lived before it was changed to Gilchrist, in honor of former Governor Albert Gilchrist, who passed away shortly after. 

A jail was needed to serve the needs of the newly formed county. Hence, the Old Gilchrist County Jail was constructed. It was two stories and consisted of eight cells with toilets and sinks, which held violent and non-violent offenders together under one roof. 

At night, that meant unsupervised. There was no overnight staff, let alone a jailer’s quarters, for decades until 1965/66. One could only imagine what kind of violence possibly happened as a result. 

The jail finally closed and was left abandoned in 1968. It then changed ownership several times — a few owners even re-deeded the property after deeding it to another person. One can only wonder why. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that several inmates are still incarcerated at the Old Gilchrist County Jail. 

Jail Hauntings 

Paranormal investigators and ghost enthusiasts have found more than enough evidence over the years, proving the old county jail is haunted. Voices and unexplained noises such as footsteps and knocks have been heard in real time, and later on recording equipment. 

There have also been instances of seeing shadow figures. One of whom is Sam, an inmate who was strangled to death in his cell by Robert, a former cellmate, and is also considered to be one of the jail’s more aggressive ghosts. 

Robert is a “dominant personality,” as described by the jail’s former owners. He has an affinity for women—especially blondes—but loathes it when men enter his cell. His spectral shadow has also been seen wandering about outside.   

There is also the first upstairs cell to the left of the staircase, home to Frank. It’s rumored that he died in his cell in some kind of manner that restricted his breathing: hanging, choking, or a heart attack, as many popularly believe, and he wasn’t found for a couple of days. People who visit his cell often report feeling a tightness in their chest. 

Several visiting psychics have also detected something strange from the pathway connecting the jailer’s house to the jail — buried bodies. Whether or not there’s truth to it remains a mystery. 

There’s one more tragedy left to talk about at the jail – the last murder it would witness… nearly 40 years after it was abandoned. 

A deal gone bad 

A local drug dealer, Willie James Ellison, was asked to meet with someone on the property of the Old Gilchrist County Jail in 2008. The purpose of the meeting remains unclear, but nonetheless Willie’s body was found several days later on Tyler Grade — a graded county road that runs parallel to State Road 26 to the north. 

The investigation was concluded when authorities were able to get more details on what exactly happened to Willie. His assailant shot him with a smaller caliber weapon before they dumped Willie through the window of the abandoned jailer’s house. 

Willie lay there suffering for hours before his assailants returned with a 12-gauge shotgun to fire at his chest and head. The assailants then proceeded to take and dump his body five miles from the old jail, where it was found several days later. 

Willie’s murderers have since been convicted and served their time. Willie, on the other hand, is believed to linger in the Old Gilchrist County Jail. Some have said they can feel intense sadness or fear when he is in their presence. 

Haunted Tampa 

Tampa holds that classic Florida charm of alluring sunshine and sandy beach vibes perfectly blended with its urban backdrop. But underneath its modern facade lies a layer of shadowy lore, otherworldly whispers, and things beyond this world we don’t fully understand. 

Restless spirits abound, from the historic streets of Ybor City to the ornate halls of the Tampa Theatre, and have earned Tampa’s reputation as one of Florida’s most haunted cities. Their pleas to be heard reverberate into the present, rippling to even Florida’s most hidden locations — and nowhere is that more evident than at the Old Gilchrist County Jail.

Curious about what else lingers in the darkness of Tampa after sundown? Filled with tales of shipwrecks, murder, and suffering, Tampa Terrors invites you for a ghost tour you won’t soon forget. 

Hear the tales of a fiery destruction that took countless lives in Ybor City, to the Tampa Theatre, where some of its staff refuse to leave well past the last show. All while taking a stroll through the streets of Tampa to some of its most chilling landmarks. Book your spot with us today! 

Take a look at our blog for more chill-ridden stories from Tampa’s most haunted spots. 

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Sources:

• https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/local/2021/04/16/florida-historic-haunted-old-gilchrist-county-jail-sale/7195827002/

• https://www.wuft.org/entertainment/2015-10-28/haunted-gilchrist-county-jail-infamous-among-visitors-and-paranormal-investigators

• https://www.gainesville.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2021/04/16/old-gilchrist-county-jail-trenton-has-haunted-history/7257913002/

• https://familydestinationsguide.com/haunted-abandoned-jail-florida/

• https://www.wuft.org/entertainment/2021-10-22/a-couple-bought-the-old-gilchrist-county-jail-and-turned-it-into-a-place-for-paranormal-investigations

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvWtYkZo8Ro

• https://dougdillon.com/2013/04/15/ghost-hunt-old-gilchrist-county-jail/

• https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2008/06/05/murdered-man-likely-shot-to-death/31568237007/