A Gulf Coast drawbridge at the pass between Treasure Island and Madeira Beach, linked by regional ghost lore to two Union-sympathizing farmers said to have been murdered by Confederate militiamen during the Civil War.
Gulf Blvd (FL-699) at John's Pass, Treasure Island, FL 33706
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free; public road bridge
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved bridge walkway; adjacent John's Pass Village boardwalk is flat and accessible
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1926 · Pass created by the 1848 hurricane, reshaping the Pinellas barrier island coastline · Named for sea turtle hunter Jean 'John' Levique, first explorer of the new inlet · John's Pass Village is a working fishing community and historic tourism destination
John's Pass owes its existence to a hurricane. On September 25, 1848, a powerful storm struck the Gulf Coast of Florida with enough force to cleave a new channel through the barrier island separating present-day Treasure Island and Madeira Beach. The pass was named after Jean 'John' Levique, a local sea turtle hunter and fisherman who explored the new waterway in the storm's aftermath.
The opening of the pass transformed the local geography, creating a navigable route between the Gulf of Mexico and the protected waters of Boca Ciega Bay. Fishing communities gradually developed on both sides of the pass through the late 19th century. By the 1920s, the area attracted both commercial fishermen and tourists, and the legend of gold coins found on the adjacent beaches — widely believed to be a real-estate speculation rumor — added to its mystique.
The barrier island communities remained small through the first half of the 20th century. John's Pass Village, the commercial district that developed around the pass, is today a working fishing community and tourist destination. The bridge at John's Pass is a bascule drawbridge on Gulf Boulevard, Florida's primary barrier island highway.
During the Civil War, the Florida Gulf Coast was the scene of sporadic guerrilla conflict between Union sympathizers and Confederate-aligned militias. Many coastal families were economically tied to Northern trade networks and harbor deep ambivalence about secession. While no specific historical records have been independently located for the Whitus family of the regional ghost tradition, the general context of Union sympathizer persecution in Confederate-leaning Florida coastal communities is historically documented.
Sources
The ghost tradition at John's Pass Bridge centers on two brothers named John and Scott Whitus, said to have farmed land north of the pass during the Civil War era. According to the legend, the Whitus brothers were Union sympathizers in the Confederate-leaning Florida panhandle — a dangerous identity that made them targets. Townspeople allegedly attacked their livestock, burned their fields, and harassed their families.
Desperate for protection, the brothers reportedly traveled by water to the Federal encampment at Egmont Key, at the mouth of Tampa Bay, to beg the Union commander for help. According to the tradition, they were ambushed by Confederate militiamen on their return journey, shot to death, and buried together on the south end of Treasure Island at the mouth of the pass. Their relatives later located and reinterred them.
The paranormal element holds that on nights of the new moon, the two brothers reappear near the bridge — sometimes seen walking along the shore, sometimes glimpsed in a silent boat attempting to sail home. Witnesses have also reported the stench of decaying flesh accompanying the apparitions, a detail common in Victorian ghost tradition.
This legend originates primarily with Captain Bill Miller's *The Tampa Bay Triangle*, as recounted in a Gabber News investigative piece. The SPIRITS of St. Petersburg paranormal team conducted a pre-dawn investigation at the site. No independent historical verification of the Whitus family, their deaths, or their connection to this location has been located in Florida Civil War records.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
Walk the bridge connecting Treasure Island and Madeira Beach at John's Pass. Regional ghost tradition holds that on nights of the new moon, two apparitions from the Civil War era may be seen near the bridge or sailing past in a silent boat. The John's Pass Village boardwalk area offers dining and shops.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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