Headless Maiden

The legend of The Headless Maiden of Santa Rosa Island is one that for several generations has spooked the imaginations of those who have enjoyed a good ghost story.

It began in the mid-to-late eighteenth century on the once almost-barren strip of island. Florida was a territory of Spain, and English trade ships often moored there. Just south lies the Gulf of Mexico, which leads to the open waters of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. This large body of water was well-known to be a haven for bloodthirsty pirates, who would attack merchant vessels in an effort to re-stock their ships with food, gold, arms, medicine and rum.

One dark and stormy night, an English ship was overtaken by pirates. The captain and crew were killed, and the only two lives which were spared were those of two English girls. One was the captain's daughter. The pirates then sailed toward what is now known as Navarre Beach, and took the females ashore. When one of the pirates attempted to forcefully have his way with one of the girls, she refused and attempted to escape -and was subsequently tortured and beheaded with his large saber. The legend tells that they buried her without her head. The exact location is unknown.

Throughout the generations, many late-night fishermen have claimed to have seen her ghost wandering between the dunes, along the coastline, and in search of her head -which to this day has never been found.

Some of these fishermen were so frightened by what they saw, they never returned to Santa Rosa Island at nighttime -and never fished there, again.