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MA BARKER'S HIDEOUT IN OCKLAWAHA

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Recently, some of our Model A investigators took a little trip to Ocklawaha, Florida. Our sleuths were interested in seeing "The Ma Barker House". It was in this house that Ma Barker and her son Freddie, had a gun battle with federal agents. The shootout lasted for several hours, until Ma and her boy were eventually found dead.

The house was very hard to find; it's hidden behind a lot of trees and growth, so you'd never see it from the road. To see it, you have to tip toe a few steps from the road to private property and sneak a peek. Our team of investigators were told that the property is owned by an elderly woman who never lets people on the property. The house seems to be in original condition; we were told that if you get up close, you can clearly see bullet holes in the side of the house. Our fearless investigators didn't go that far . The house was rented by Ma Barker and used as a hideout. The house is a few yards from Lake Weir.

MA BARKER'S WANTED POSTER

FBI Agents discovered the hideout of Ma Barker and her son, Fred, after Arthur "Doc" Barker was arrested in Chicago on January 8, 1935. A map found in his possession indicated that the other gang members were in Ocklawaha, Florida. Agents surrounded the house on the morning of January 16, 1935. Ordered to surrender, Fred opened fire; both he and his mother were killed by federal agents after an intense, hours-long gun-battle. According to the FBI, a Tommy gun was found lying in the hands of Ma Barker. Their bodies were put on public display, and then stored unclaimed, until October 1, 1935, when some relatives had them buried in Welch, Oklahoma, next to the body of Herman Barker.

For more information on Ma Barker, click here.

Take I-75 north to exit 341, go east through Belleview and on to Ocklawaha. There is a sheriff substation there who will give you direction. They will also tell you it is private property. The house is hdden behind some overgrown banboo. The best way to see it is go up an alley to the east of the property and walk back to the west along the beach. This is the area where the agents fired at the house. The house is being remodeled or was when I was there a couple of years ago. You will see the porch were the agents knocked on the door and the upstair window were the Barkers allegedly fired back at the agents.