HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
Naples' oldest surviving structure, built in 1895 of tabby mortar, where renovation workers reported tools moving on their own in otherwise empty rooms.
137 12th Ave S, Naples, FL 34102
Research updated August 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Docent-guided tours available Tuesday through Saturday; see Naples Historical Society for current pricing
Access
Wheelchair OK
Single-story historic cottage with adjacent gardens; relatively flat terrain
Equipment
No Photos
Est. 1895 · Oldest surviving structure in Naples, Florida · Rare example of tabby mortar construction in Southwest Florida · National Register of Historic Places (listed 1982) · Naples Historical Society headquarters since 1978
Walter N. Haldeman, owner and editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal and Louisville Times, built Palm Cottage in 1895 as a winter retreat in the newly established town of Naples, Florida. The structure is one of the very few surviving buildings in the region constructed with tabby mortar—a regional material made from sand, seashells, and water that gives the cottage its alternate name, 'The Cement Cottage.' The 3,500-square-foot building sits at 137 12th Avenue South, three blocks from the Gulf.
Haldeman was one of the founding residents of Naples, which was platted in 1887. His cottage was built to serve as an annex to the nearby Naples Hotel, which no longer stands. Other Louisville-area families established winter properties in the vicinity during this era.
The Naples Historical Society acquired Palm Cottage in 1978, purchasing it from the City of Naples to prevent its demolition for a parking lot. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 24, 1982. Today the society operates it as a house museum with docent-guided tours Tuesday through Saturday, featuring period furnishings and the adjacent Norris Gardens.
Sources
The paranormal tradition attached to Palm Cottage is modest and renovation-era in origin. Reports collected by regional haunted-places guides describe workers during restoration work finding tools relocated to positions they had not left them, accompanied by cold spots in various rooms. No specific renovation date, contractor, or witness account has been documented in independent news sources or historical society records.
The Naples Historical Society does not market the cottage around any haunted reputation, and the Wikipedia article for the property contains no paranormal references. The ghost tradition appears to derive from aggregator sites and has not been corroborated by local news coverage or academic folklore documentation.
Palm Cottage's historical significance as Naples' oldest building and a rare tabby construction site stands independently of the paranormal claims.
Volunteer docents walk visitors through the 3,500-square-foot tabby mortar cottage, explaining the 1895 construction technique and the history of Naples' founding families. Includes access to the adjacent Norris Gardens.
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