Spooky sites? Legend has it these five Walton County places are haunted

There is a lot of history in Walton County, and scary tales are no exception.

With Halloween right around the corner, here's a list of five of the most haunted places in the county. From a lady in white to the dreadful sounds of a violent bear, these five spots could put shivers in the bravest of them all.

Hotel DeFuniak

Located at Eighth Street and Nelson Avenue, Hotel DeFuniak was built in the 1920s. Originally a Masonic Lodge, more specifically Masonic Lodge No. 170, the building has had many occupants during its rich history.

The Masons held the building until the Great Depression, and the lodge was bought by a local attorney who converted the upper floors into boarding rooms and the lower floors into a dining room.

Pharmacist Marshall James Lightfoot occupied the building in the 1940s and the lodge became the Lightfoot Drug Store and Hotel until he died in 1965. After a furniture store moved into the building in 1998, it was renovated by six families who purchased and restored it into a hotel and restaurant again.

When the Hutchings family purchased the hotel in 2001, they decorated each of the 12 rooms with European antiques. Legend has it the hauntings come in room No. 8, known as the Aviary Room. Guests and staff have reported seeing a pair of young children and a lamp that moves on its own.

Walton County Emergency Operations Center

Some locals believe a young girl named Sally May, who died on the property in the 1920s, haunts the building that now holds the Walton County Emergency Operations Center.

Not much is known about that story, or even whether that girl even existed. What is told is that she is said to haunt the property, keeping the midnight staff's heads on a swivel.

Euchee Valley Presbyterian Cemetery

This is the site of Florida's oldest organized Presbyterian Church, which also held the title of the largest Presbyterian Church in Florida until 1885. Three churches have been built on the grounds since 1827, with the last one built in November 1848.

There are more than 3,000 graves in the old cemetery, with many being unmarked. There, you can find people laid to rest who were veterans of the Revolutionary War, civic leaders, elected officials and ministers. This also includes two people who signed Florida's first Constitution.

Legend says a violent spirit or a man will appear at night and chase anyone who visits the property.

Sunbright Manor

Completion of the Victorian-style house was completed in 1890. The owner at the time, J.T. Sherman, used the residence as a winter home for his family to escape the brutal winters of Wisconsin.

In 1924, former Florida Gov. Sidney J. Catts bought the home and lived there until he died in 1936. His wife, Alice May Campbell Catts, lived in the house until she died in 1949.

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Visitors report doors opening and closing on their own, with other odd things happening occasionally. Some people have said that they saw the figure of a woman with black hair and a white gown visible in an upstairs window, which can match the resemblance of Alice May.

Black Creek Cemetery

Located in Freeport, Black Creek Cemetery is home to one of the more gruesome stories on this list.

It is said that in the early 1900s, a little girl and her brother were walking home. The pair decided to take a shortcut through the cemetery to avoid punishment for being late. That is when a bear appeared and chased the children into a bell tower.

The bear was strong enough to get inside, followed them up the stairs, and mauled them. The children did not survive. If you go to the church at midnight, some say you can hear children screaming and bear noises as the bell is rung.

Currently, there is a new bell tower and the old bell tower has since been relocated.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Discover the spooky legends behind these five Walton County sites