Growing up in Florida, I visited St. Augustine frequently as a child. I never missed the opportunity to go on a ghost tour or stay in one of the haunted bed and breakfasts. These are some of the places that have stuck with me the most through the years.
The St. Augustine Lighthouse
The lighthouse is one of the most memorable places for me because I actually had an experience there. Last year, my best friend and I had signed up for an overnight paranormal investigation at the lighthouse. We were separated as we ascended the spiral staircase because she wore tennis shoes and I, stupidly, wore heels. As I struggled to climb, I felt a harsh tug on my backpack. Thinking it was a fellow investigator trying to pass me, I moved to the side and looked back-- only to see the empty staircase below me. It's safe to say I panicked, and I didn't know it was possible to sprint up stairs in heels until that night. The lighthouse is supposedly haunted by three children who died on the property as well as the lighthouse keeper himself.
The City Gates
While I haven't personally had an experience here, I have overheard others who have. A little girl named Elizabeth is said to roam the space between the original city gates, waving at unsuspecting passerby. I was always skeptical about this particular ghost, as I believed it sounded cliche, until last year. Walking to lunch, I passed a couple who seemed worried as they spoke to a security guard. They had seen a little girl wandering by the gates in a long dress, no parents in sight. "That's just Elizabeth," the guard told them with a smile. She is apparently spotted so frequently that even law enforcement knows about her.
The Old Jail
This is another place that has stuck with me through the years. Being in the jail, especially after dark, gives you a sad, forlorn feeling. The air is heavy and thick; it never seems to let up. This particular spot is popular because it was explored on an episode of "Ghost Hunters", in which a creepy EVP recording was captured. "There were only eight," it says, referencing the eight prisoners who died in the jail during its operation. The well-placed prisoner mannequins definitely don't help with the oppressive feeling of the place.
Stogies Cigar Bar
This is a new one for me due to the fact that it's a bar. I'd heard of the infamous ghost that haunted the upstairs lounge, but never got the chance to visit the place until recently. As the live band played downstairs, I climbed the narrow staircase to the second floor. It was empty, the sounds slightly muffled, and the air thick with cigar smoke from downstairs. As I sat, sipping my drink, I saw a fleeting shadow in the corner of my eye. That was the only thing I noticed while alone in the lounge, but it can easily be written off. The resident ghost's name is said to be Catalina. Could that shadow have been her?
Tolomato Cemetery
This cemetery is one of the most-visited attractions in the city as it is a popular spot for the ghost tours. While I have personally never experienced anything there, I have always remembered the story of James, the little boy who died in the cemetery and supposedly haunts it. It's said that he used to play in the large tree overlooking the gravestones; and one fateful day, he fell out of it. The young boy succumbed to his injuries, but many people still say that they see a little boy climbing and swinging from the trees.
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