Lots of people think of sunshine and beaches when they think of Florida, and trust me, we had our fair share of fun in the sun. But, Florida also has lots of historic locales, teeming with paranormal activity. So, after the sun sets make your way from the beach to the streets and you might just run across some spirits.
The Stranahan House, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Built in 1901, this fanciful, historic house is the oldest surviving structure in Broward County and a few of the original residents seem to have survived as well.
Frank and Ivy Stranahan who built the home, are both rumored to still reside here. Unfortunately, Frank met his demise after the loss of his fortune during the Great Depression, when he committed suicide by drowning himself in the river outside the house, and Ivy died in an upstairs bedroom.
We all used dousing rods throughout the house, and while they did seem to indicate some activity, we didn’t experience a personal encounter with Frank or Ivy, although many paranormal accounts are reported here. We did enjoy the guided haunted tour and the historic stories of this cool, riverfront home. After the house tour, we took to the waters and enjoyed a dark, legend-filled cruise along the river!
Coral Castle, FL
Home to legends of aliens, elves, mystical powers and a pint sized little man (5’ tall, 100lbs). Edward Leedskalnin was a mason, a romantic and a man of vision back in the early 1900s.
With our paranormal guest investigators, Chad & Michelle (brother and sister in law), we toured this one man creation in all its glory.
Huge blocks of coquina (a type of limestone) weighing several tons were used to create the formations of this castle. Built over a span of 28 years for his lost love, Edward worked only at night and completely by himself.
There is quite the debate about how he actually managed this amazing feat. How did one man carve and move stone weighing several tons? Some people believe he used ancient knowledge of anti-gravity technology, others believe he had paranormal (aliens? Elves?) help, and some believe he used simple physics, basic tools and a whole lot of patience. Regardless, it truly is a feat to behold.
Personally, I’d like to believe Edward was a man of knowledge and a world traveler who very well could have used the magic of sound waves discovered in his travels to assist him in his building process. In the end, doubters are going to doubt and believers are going to believe. Let’s just leave it at that.
St. Augustine, FL
Jails, lighthouses, fortresses, and cemeteries…this town has it all. And with the claim of being the oldest city in the U.S. it has plenty of history and hauntings. As far as kick-ass haunted ghost tours in the night go, this town is one of the best that we’ve been on and we’ve been on many. We usually like to explore paranormal locations on our own, but every now and again we sign up for a guided tour. On this trip we did both.
First, we spent all day touring the city on our own. The old lighthouse was our first stop and has been on my list since TAPS investigated it and caught all sorts of sights and sounds on film.
Supposedly, the lighthouse keeper passed away here, as well as two little girls who have been seen running up and down the 219 stairs. We saw neither. (Unless the girls blended in unnoticed with the many other children visiting with their families!)
As an added bonus, the views from the top are absolutely priceless (unless you have vertigo or a fear or heights!)
Next was the old jail, built by a giant of a warden, who had his house constructed as an add-on to the jail. Always on the job!
This hot, humid and torturous building is believed to be rife with spirits who met their maker here. Prisoners hung from birdcage cells in the trees, piled into overpopulated prison cells, performed ball and chain labor, shackled to one another without water in the sweltering heat and built the very gallows they would later be hanged from.
This jail was a horrible place where inmates usually died long before the sentence was complete. Needless to say, when the sun goes down, the rumors of the inmates coming out of the shadows begins.
Next up…the old historic fort, Castillo de San Marcos. This grand and ginormous fortress was constructed over 23 years and completed in 1695. It’s actually the eighth fortress on the site as the previous 7 (made of wood) burned to the ground. I guess they got it right when they built it out of tiny coral shell blocks called coquina, since it’s lasted over 300 years this time around.
Sitting directly on Matanzas River, and within sight of the Atlantic Ocean, the fort was a hot spot for violence, bloodshed and massacres.
Unfortunately, the fort does not stay open past dusk, and for good reason, as there are steep drop offs and no railings. However, I would love to come back for an evening of exploration, with some ice cold Cigar City IPA.
We capped off our time in St. Augustine, with an evening ghost tour of the old town. It has many historic buildings, courtyards and graveyards. It was a steamy, humid evening, with a slight breeze and an air of excitement.
There was an energy that set down on the town after the tourists left…one that had us looking over our shoulders for sounds that seemed to emanate from nowhere.
We had an animated guide who shared fascinating histories and legends. All in all, St. Augustine is a uniquely thrilling town both in the heat of the day and in the dark of the night.
Next time you’re in Florida, we hope you enjoy the sunshine and the beaches, but we highly recommend checking out any of these haunted, historic sites if you get the opportunity!
Stay tuned for more paranormal adventures on our cross country road trip!
Cheers!
Matt
Stubs says
Coral castle awesome and intriging!