Haunted Lighthouses – The St. Augustine Lighthouse

The St. Augustine Lighthouse sits on the north end of Anastasia Island in St. Augustine, Florida. The current tower, which was built in 1874, rises to 165 feet above sea level. The original lighthouse, built in 1824, was approximately 500 yards northeast of the current lighthouse. Due to the receding shoreline, it fell into the ocean back in 1880.

Throughout its early history, the lighthouse employed up to three lightkeepers at a time. There was a head keeper and two assistants. In 1955, when the lighthouse was automated, there was no longer a need for lightkeepers and the last one left at that time. The lightkeepers, who would actually live on site, were replaced by lamplighters, who would tend the light but didn’t actually live there.

According to the lighthouse’s official website, there have been seven people who have died on the lighthouse grounds: three lightkeepers, a keeper’s wife and three young girls. Several of these are said to have died of natural causes. One man fell to his death from the original lighthouse in 1859, and the three girls died in a tragic drowning accident.

St. Augustine Lighthouse Tour in Pictures

The lighthouse and its surrounding buildings have a long history of paranormal activity and stories of the hautings have been passed on and have been featured in popular television shows, books, and local lore for decades. Visitors and workers say they have seen moving shadows and heard voices along with unexplained sounds. Some tour guides claim they hear someone climbing the tower steps, but the footfalls fade away, and no one is ever there at the top of the tower. There is also said to be a little girl who likes to play pranks residing in the keeper’s house, a tall man in the basement, and a spirit who likes to play with the merchandise in the gift shop. One former keeper was infamous for enjoying his cigars. Today, the scent of his cigar can still be detected several times a week.

Several employees have reportedly seen a hazy male figure walking through the lighthouse. Footsteps from an unseen presence can be heard shuffling on the gravel and the steps outside the lighthouse. Other reports are of a woman seen on the lighthouse stairway or walking in the yard outside the buildings.

Perhaps the most famous tragic story is that of three young girls who died during the construction of the second lighthouse. The story says that there was a rail car or some type of vehicle that went from the light station to the ocean. The children liked to play on it and ride on it for fun. On July 10, 1873, the cart somehow ended up in the water. Five children fell into the water and some of the Workers managed to save a boy and a girl. Two of the construction superintendent’s daughters, Mary and Eliza, and a young black girl, either a servant or the daughter of a worker, drowned.

It’s said that today, the girls can be heard laughing in the tower late at night. The eldest of the construction superintendent’s daughters, Mary, has also been spotted wearing the same blue velvet dress and blue hair bow she was wearing when she died. Reports also say that the the figures of two little girls can sometimes be seen standing on the lighthouse catwalk.

St. Augustine Lighthouse Ghost Hunt

For years there have been reports of a large dark, male spirit that hangs around the water collecting cisterns in the basement. Supposedly he was a sailor or a former lightkeeper who hung himself in the lighthouse in the 1930′s. According to the lighthouse’s website, there isn’t any proof or evidence that anyone ever hung him/herself there.

History says that the original owner of the lighthouse was forced to sell it to the government in 1865 because it was believed that the land under the lighthouse was receding and the ocean would eventually swallow it. The state offered to buy the lighthouse for alot less than it was worth and he refused to sell. The government then threatened to take the lighthouse via eminent domain and give him nothing. At this point, the former owner was outraged and vowed never to leave the lighthouse. Lighthouse staff say he seems to have kept his vow as his spirit is sometimes seen late at night walking in and around the property.

One of my favorite episodes of Ghost Hunters was filmed at the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) stopped by to see if they could prove or disprove any of the hauntings. During the episode, they caught a few interesting things on both video and audio. There was a female voice that seemed to say “help me” a few times on the audio recording. The video camera captured a dark figure moving really quickly up the circular staircase and then stopping to look over the railing down at the camera crew from the top floor. The figure then disappeared. When Jason and Grant went to investigate, they realized the door at the top which would be the only exit was padlocked from the inside. There was also a motion detection light that never came on until the TAPS guys got up there. Overall, with the evidence they captured, the guys determined that they really couldn’t prove the place wasn’t haunted.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse is currently owned and maintained by the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum, Inc. The lighthouse is operational and is is an official, privately-owned, active aid to navigation. The museum is open to the public and the admission price funds preservation of the lighthouse and programs in maritime archeology and education. The lighthouse offers night tours of the site, though they don’t promise any ghosts.

Author: Denise Villani is an author and the webmaster of several websites and article directories. Find more articles and information on haunted stuff by visiting HauntedStuff.net.

Ghosts of Chillingham Castle

Chillingham Castle, Northumberland, UK is said to be the most haunted castle in the UK and not surprisingly since the castle houses dark dungeons and macabre torture chambers. This ancient fortress dates back to 1246, when the Earl Grey lords built this remarkable building and where the Earl Grey ancestors have resided for centuries.

The castle is presently the home of Sir Humphry Wakefield Bt., his wife The Hon. Lady Wakefield and their family. The family claim it is the most haunted castle because of the many ghosts which frequently haunt their home.

The most notable ghostly apparition is the ‘blue boy’ (or ‘radiant boy’) who is said to haunt the castle’s Pink Room. Many guests, whilst occupying the room, have heard terrifying wailing sounds soon to be followed by a halo of blue light appearing above their bed.

Although that particular haunting ended when a gruesome discovery during renovation work revealed the bones of a young boy and a man who had been bricked inside a wall. It was intended that no one should ever hear their piteous cries for help, as the wall was built 10 feet thick.

A Short Tour of Chillingham Castle

This was not the end to the hauntings in Chillingham Castle. The owners have also witnessed a much more sinister energy which wanders the halls…the terryfying spectre of the once evil torturer – John Sage.

JOHN SAGE – A GHOST OF EVIL PAST

When nightime falls around Chillingham Castle, one of the most feared sounds to be heard on occasions is that of ‘something’ slowly dragging its foot as it wanders the corridors. It is believed to be the spirit of former Lieutenant, John Sage who earned the nickname ‘dragfoot’, when in life, his leg was injured by a spear during his final battle in the ongoing wars with his Scottish neighbours.

After his injury he was desperate for a position of work and was proud to be given the title of Chillingham Castle torturer by the castle owner Edward Longshanks (1200 AD). Sage was a monster of a man and his gruesome work would give him immense satisfaction for the next 3 years, where he would go on to torture at least 50 of his Scottish enemies per week.

Sage would revel as the Scots were captured and tossed into the castle’s dungeons. These poor souls would wish they had perished on the battlefield, as Sage was renowned for carrying out the most hideous tortures in history. One torture device came to be known as one of the most feared…’the cage’. This apparatus would trap its victim and then be placed over a blazing fire – roasting the captive for hours, whilst Sage sat studying his enemy – writhing and screaming for their death.

Sage’s insatiable thirst for torture would eventually lead to his downfall, when one day his lover Elizabeth Charlton paid him a visit. During their sexual liaison, Sage decided to place Elizabeth on one of his other torture devices – ‘the rack’. Sage then began strangling her during the height of her sexual pleasure, but he went too far and accidentally killed her.

Chillingham Castle Ghosthunt – Orbs & Ghosts

Elizabeth’s father (a Border Reiver, clan leader and outlaw), upon hearing of his daughter’s death, warned the now almost penniless Longshanks, if he did not have Sage killed he would join in an allied attack with the Scots against the Castle.

Longshanks’ dwindling resources due to the war and the fact that the Border Reiver’s were a powerful force gave him little choice but to put Sage to death. He was hanged on the grounds of the castle on ‘Devil’s Mile’ (aka, Devil’s Walk) before a crowd of jeering onlookers.

As Sage’s body still twitched with life, the crowd set about him – slicing pieces from his body, including his nose, toes, and testicles. A rather ‘cutting’ fate, some may say, for one who’s greatest rapture was the sight of an ungodly end.

Sightings – Ghosts of Chillingham Castle

Author: Jackie Reynolds – http://www.worldmysteriesandtrueghosttales.com

Tips For Choosing a Haunted Doll on eBay

Everyone has seen a doll at some time that just gave them the creeps. Maybe it was a toy you received when you were small that scared you at night or maybe it was something you saw in an antique shop as an adult. These toys just seem to have something ominous about them.

No matter how creepy they are they all seem to find a home on eBay. Haunted dolls are very popular with the online auction crowd. They can be delicate antiques or Barbies from just a few years ago, but what they all have in common is a good story.

This doll is certified by HauntedBox.com and a rating of B+ haunting. and is for sale at eBay

The story usually involves a child who passed on much too soon. The doll may have been a favorite possession or possibly the child’s new home in the after life. Imagine spending eternity inside a plastic doll. Read more

Do Ghosts Exist? Insights From a Professional Ghost Researcher

Do ghosts exist? That’s the most popular question asked about ghosts and haunted places.

The answer isn’t simple. Science and spirituality are important to any discussion about ghosts and hauntings. Whether or not you believe in ghosts may depend on your personal experiences, how well you can remain calm and logical in an eerie setting, and your religious background.

Many people want to believe after experiencing something strange. They saw, heard, or felt something that they couldn’t describe, except as an encounter with a spirit or ghost. Soon, they’re checking paranormal websites, reading ghost books, going on ghost tours, and looking for nearby haunts to explore.

They usually find more questions than answers.

So far, no one can prove that ghosts are real, or that they’re not real. All anyone can say is that something odd is going on at some haunted places. Read more

Alcatraz Haunting – Exposing the Ghosts of a Haunted Prison

Alcatraz is the home of something unexplainable; perhaps only the word “ghost” could describe the strange happening in and around Alcatraz. From times immemorial, the Native Americans used to avoid the place because they believed that it was haunted by evil spirits. The island is the home of weird happenings and sightings, and a large number of ghost stories revolve around it. The island’s mysterious reputation, however, did not stop the US government from using the place to confine prisoners.

The US military first began using the place. Dangerous civil war prisoners were confined on this eerie island. Later, the Prison Department took control of this place. The worst and the most dangerous criminals of America were taken to this island and confined there. Read more