Florida is a bizarre place. This chaotic peninsula has long been home to artists, poets, musicians, politicians, cognitive scientists, mobsters and an eclectic assortment of specters – artists included!
From haunted theaters rumored to be home to ghostly figures in black attire to lighthouses where guests have reported hearing children laughing and footsteps (two teenagers were drowned nearby during the 1800s), this bewitching state offers plenty of unnerving tales.
Villa Paula
This mansion once used as the Cuban Consulate in Miami is an intriguing one, featuring stories that it is haunted by Paula Millord – wife of Consul Domingo Millord. There have been accounts of smelly coffee, as well as hearing footsteps in empty rooms – leading to bizarre experiences here. Located in Little Haiti district and believed to be haunted, its story makes for captivating reading.
Rumors surrounding Villa Paula began when Cliff Ensor purchased it in 1974. He hired a self-proclaimed psychic medium who claimed that Paula Millord haunted the home, playing piano music and making clanking sounds throughout. Residents in the neighborhood became concerned, often blessing themselves before passing by or blessing themselves before entering. Ensor eventually sold his property to Lucien Albert, a Haitian pediatrician.
Frank Stranahan Mansion
No matter your opinion on ghostly happenings, Florida offers up a selection of frightening locales where paranormal activity has been witnessed or unexplained occurrences have taken place. From Cassadaga Village’s Devil’s Chair and its mysterious village to hotels where gangsters met their demise – Florida provides plenty of eerie spots where ghostly manifestations may exist.
At the Stranahan House, visitors claim all six family members who died there remain unseen residents. Frank Stranahan jumped off a bridge into the New River before killing himself, yet still oversees the property and appears frequently in guests’ selfies. Ivy guides visitors up the stairs with her signature delicate scent. Augustus Cromartie can sometimes be unfriendly towards staff as his books fall off his shelves in his former bedroom.
Staying at this historic hotel in charming Cedar Key offers guests 13 ghosts to encounter, such as that of a woman who hanged herself after she was stabbed by her husband. Also present is an unsettling mermaid that roams freely through town.
St. Augustine Lighthouse
Every year, visitors to Florida come to discover its four centuries of history, exquisite architecture and beautiful Atlantic Coast beaches. But for those interested in paranormal activities or ghost hunting they will also discover many spirits who remain behind on this eerily beautiful peninsula.
Lighthouse was originally constructed as a beacon for sailors, but has become a hotspot for ghost hunters. Many have reported seeing an apparition wearing 1930s-era shoes wandering the grounds, hearing radio in Ponce de Leon Suite turn itself on unexpectedly and experiencing other mysterious noises or events.
Staff members at the lighthouse have reported seeing ghosts such as a sea captain and mischievous girl, both seen during ghost tours or private ghost-themed events held here, which have been featured on Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures program. Visitors can also visit Castillo de San Marcos – an historic fortress said to be haunted by soldiers and prisoners who perished there – which has ghost tours and private ghost-themed events as well.
The Blue Anchor Pub
Once moonlight darkness falls, Florida’s haunted spots become portals into its past, where ghostly whispers echo across time and space. From luxurious Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables to dilapidated cannery where ghostly monks reside, these haunted locations reveal Florida’s dark and hidden past beneath its bright surface.
Built during Jack the Ripper times in London and brought over to Delray Beach for exhibition, this British pub makes an eye-catching sight on Atlantic Avenue. Unfortunately, few people realize that its original elements also included Bertha Starkey, an infidel who was murdered by her husband in 1904. She can be heard rattling pots, knocking things over and wailin at night around 10 p.m. — her hour of murder.
Staff members report objects moving on their own, lights turning on and off unexpectedly, candles that light only to then extinguish themselves, as well as feeling watched by an unseen force. When her ghostly activity escalates to its maximum level, staffers sound the ship’s bell to scare her away.
