St. Augustine, Florida #7 - Ghost Hunting

Looking for ghosts has turned into big business in the nation's oldest city. St. Augustine, in fact, may have more alleged ghosts per block than any city in America.

Probably the best known haunting in the old city involves the St. Augustine Lighthouse. On July 10, 1873, a tragic accident took place during the construction of the lighthouse. Five children were riding a cable car of sorts that was used by workers to move construction materials from the beach up to the work site. Something went terribly wrong and and the children were flung into the water. Although two were rescued, three little girls died. It is said that their spirits still haunt the lighthouse, along with several other ghosts.

There are many other alleged ghosts in St. Augustine. The grounds of Fountain of Youth Park are said to be haunted by the spirits of early Native Americans. A Spanish soldier has been seen walking about the Castillo de San Marcos after dark. A lonely women is sometimes spotted at the Old City Gates. Warden Castle, now the home of Ripley's Believe it or Not, is said to be haunted by a murder victim. And there are many others scattered throughout the old city.

Numerous tour operators offer nightly ghost tours. Some are done by tram, others involve walking to some of St. Augustine's most famous haunted spots. To learn more about the ghosts of St. Augustine, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/staugustineghost.

St. Augustine Lighthouse

One of the most beautiful historic sites in Florida is the black and white tower of the St. Augustine Lighthouse.

Although the current lighthouse was completed in 1874, lighthouses have stood in this vicinity since long before English settlers arrived at either Jamestown or Plymouth Rock. The first light here, in fact, was placed shortly after St. Augustine was founded by the Spanish in 1565.

A wooden lighthouse was replaced by a coquina stone structure (coquina is a natural stone found in the St. Augustine area) in 1683. Used as both a lighthouse and fortified outpost, the structure was converted into a full-fledged lighthouse by the U.S. Government during the 1820s.

Darkened during the Civil War, the old lighthouse was in crumbling condition by 1870 when construction started on the current structure.

Still operational, the St. Augustine Lighthouse is the centerpiece of a beautiful historical park that includes the restored keeper's cottage/museum and a visitor's center. Visitors can climb the tower daily (weather conditions permitting).

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/staugustinelighthouse.