I believe the grassy area near the playgounds is where the old hospital used to stand. Just South West of the cache.
In the mid 20th century a tuberculosis (TB) epidemic crossed the nation. Many hospitals were constructed to deal with the ill of this deadly disease. Eventually a cure was found for the disease, and there was no further need for the hospitals.
In the 1930s a chain of hospitals called the “W.T. Edwards Tuberculosis Hospitals“ were built in many Florida cities, such as Tampa, Tallahassee, Miami, Lantana, Marianna, and Gainesville. The Florida TB hospitals were bought by “Sunland Hospitals “. They also bought the TB hospital in Orlando. They converted all these hospitals into mental institutions in the early 1960s. Along with adult patients, many mentally challenged children were housed here in the 60s and 70s. There was a time when families would send their mentally challenged loved ones to these facilities “for their own good”. Between 1983 and 1985 these hospitals were closed because of understaffing, under funding, and lawsuits of patient abuse.
The abandoned building sat for years, because the high cost of demolishing a building with so much asbestos in its early construction. While in high school, I remember a lot of people talking about creepy “Sunnyland”. Young “Urban Explorers” would break in and tell stories of pealing paint, creepy examination rooms with medical equipment strewn everywhere, dormitories with rows of toddler cribs with leather straps and bars on the top.
The “exploring” came to an end when a 23 year old man fell 3 stories down a dark elevator shaft, he thought was regular doorway. His “friends” left him, called 911, and when they realized the paramedics could not find his location after 40 minutes, they returned to lead rescuers to the injured man. He suffered head and spine injuries, and all trespassers were arrested for burglary and trespassing. Because of this accident the building was eventually torn down in 1999.
Only the red brick administration building stands today. There have been many reports of hauntings at all the locations, including apparitions, strange lights, noises and sounds (screaming, and the sound of children playing). There are many recent photos with “orbs” and “faces” peering through the windows of the admin building and new playgrounds. These haunting rumors were fueled by the fact that the deceased TB patients were cremated on site, due to the infectious nature of the disease.
Tree cover may mess with your GPS, but its in an easy spot.
Notice the poor lil boy on right with his legs bound.