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2021 has been a year of haunted real estate for sale stories, hasn’t it? In addition to Lizzie Borden’s house getting new owners and the Conjuring house being put on the market, earlier this summer the haunted Old Gilchrist County Jail switched ownership too.
We knew the new owners were Lee and Cheryl Irwin and that they were people who appreciated both the paranormal and the jail’s history.
They were exactly the kind of buyers the former owners, Arlene and Gary Hale, hoped for. As Arlene’s agent had told Gainseville Sun reporter Emily Mavrakis, “it was most important to Arlene Hale that the property go to someone who intended to keep its history at the forefront of future plans.”
But were they going to make any changes to the paranormal investigations and such? Well, now we have an update on what’s happened to the Old Gilchrist County since the Irwins bought it. Let’s check it out.
Spooktober Rock Event at the Old Gilchrist County Jail
WUFT reported the couple held a Spooktober Rock event there, the first concert ever held at the jail.
Well, the first non-otherwordly one. As Lee Irwin told WUFT reporter Avery Lotz, “hearing music echo throughout the property is not uncommon.”
He also said he plays the jail’s restless spirits “a lot of their music,” like Johnny Cash. But Lee is a bit of a musician himself and practices the didgeridoo for them there too.
Paranormal Investigations at the Old Gilchrist County Jail
The Irwins have also kept up the tradition of offering two to three paranormal investigations per week. And when they were first interviewed about their purchase, they said they’d like to renovate part of the jail to rent out as an Airbnb. That’s still in the jail’s future. They’re currently renovating the sheriff’s quarters for that purpose.
Cheryl also told the reporter that few people who come to investigate or experience their haunted jail leave disappointed. Almost everyone reports having an experience. She even had a group of skeptics book a tour and level as believers after a hair-raising incident. Okay, that’s me exaggerating. She said one of the members of the group had their hair touched, but that was enough to convince them of paranormal activity.
Another thing they’ve done is install thermal cameras in the jail because they try to catch activity too. They may even release an app that shows “curated footage” caught on the cameras. So for those who can’t make it to Trenton, Florida, but are still curious to peek inside, this may be an option.
If I hear more, I’ll be sure to post another update.
For More Info
The Old Gilchrist County Jail doesn’t have a website, but you can visit them on Facebook to learn about future events and paranormal investigations: https://www.facebook.com/Icheryl0004.
Check-In
Do you wish there were more apps for haunted places that would let you explore them?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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I’m glad owning the jail is working out for Cheryl and Lee. I think it would be a great idea for anyone who owns a haunted location to have an app for it. Scaredy cats like me can research from a long way away.:-)
HA! That’s hilarious! But I like your way of thinking. Some places scare me not because of the ghosts but the dilapidation, possible exposure to molds or other toxins etc. An app would help with that!