Bellamy Bridge Ornament goes on sale Monday

2013 Ornament

A special Christmas ornament commemorating historic Bellamy Bridge will go on sale Monday in Marianna.

Sponsored by Century 21 Sunny South Properties and benefiting Easter Seals in its effort to help children and adults with disabilities, the ornament costs $12.50 and will be available at the Century 21 offices on Highway 90 east and at the historic Russ House.

The ornament features an engraving of the beautiful old structure as it appeared in the early 1960s and includes an insert that tells the history of the historic bridge, which is now the centerpiece of the Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail (4057 Hwy 162, Marianna, FL).

To learn more about the bridge and trail, visit www.bellamybridge.org or www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge.

To purchase your ornament, stop in at either the Russ House or Century 21 starting Monday!  Only 1,000 ornaments were made and they will go quickly, so please help Easter Seals and pick one up soon!

Century 21 Sunny South Properties is located at 4630 Highway 90, Marianna (just east of the Chipola River Bridge).

The historic Russ House is located at 4318 Lafayette Street, Marianna.

Both locations are open during normal business hours.

Ghost caught on camera at Russ House in Marianna, Florida

Ghost of the Russ House?

People have long claimed that Marianna's historic Russ House is haunted and now a strange series of three photographs may just prove it!

The photos were taken two weeks ago during one of the most severe thunderstorms to hit the city in recent memory. Lightning was crackling so severely that static electricity could be felt inside the Russ House and the rain was falling so hard that Lafayette Street, less than 50 feet away, could not be seen.

The series of photos were taken in order and show an unusual feature zipping upward through one of the rooms in the historic structure. Do they show the famed ghost of the Russ House?  Did the electricity from the storm bring it out?  You can see all three in order below.

Whatever the photos show, they are now part of the legend of the house which has attracted various groups of paranormal researchers, ghost story lovers and just those who enjoy beautiful architecture.

To learn more about the legend of the Ghost of the Russ House, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/russhouseghosts.

Also be sure to explore the new Visit Jackson County site at www.visitjacksoncountyfla.com.

Ghosts of the Russ House

The Russ House in Marianna is one of the most beautiful architectural landmarks in Florida. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is a local treasure and is the ideal location for the purpose it currently serves - that of Chamber of Commerce and official welcome center for visitors to Jackson County.

Built in 1895 and remodeled to its present appearance in 1910, the home has been a centerpiece of the Marianna community for more than 100 years. The house has also seen its share of tragedy over the years and perhaps it is this history that contributes to its status as one of the "most haunted" places in Florida.

According to Betty Gilbert Davis of the Big Bend Ghost Trackers, the organization that conducted an extended investigation of the ghost reports in the Russ House, her group found evidence of at least two ghosts in the old house, one male and one female.

Most who believe that the house is haunted believe the male ghost is that of its builder, Joseph W. Russ, Jr., who took his own life in 1930 after seeing the family's fortune evaporate during the early days of the Great Depression. The figure of a man with a mustache has been seen in the house and eyewitnesses have reported hearing strange sounds and picking up odd scents there.  A ghostly figure has also been seen peering through the windows of the tower atop the house, something that would be a remarkable feat for a living person as it opens directly into the second floor of the house and has no floor of its own!

To learn more about the stories and some of the known history of the Russ House, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/russhouseghosts.

Russ House - Marianna

The historic Russ House in Marianna is one of Jackson County's best known landmarks. For generations of the county's school kids, it was the "old haunted house" on West Lafayette Street. Today, however, it is the beautifully restored home of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce.

Often mistaken for an antebellum plantation manor, the home was actually constructed in 1895 by Joseph W. Russ, a prominent Marianna businessman and landowner. It was altered some from its original appearance in 1910 and was home to five generations of Russ descendents. In 1995 the home was deeded to the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and was beautifully restored over a four year period beginning in 1996.

At the same time, the grounds of the home were developed into a beautiful public park. The landscaping project eliminated an old gas station that once obstructed the vista of Lafayette Street from the front of the house and added a very nice touch of greenery to an already beautiful section of the city.

The home functions today as offices for the Chamber of Commerce, but is open to the public during normal business hours. Chamber representatives can also answer questions about Jackson County.