| The St. Augustine Lighthouse sits on the | | | | 1873, the cart somehow ended up in the |
| north end of Anastasia Island in St. | | | | water. Five children fell into the water |
| Augustine, Florida. The current tower, | | | | and some of the Workers managed to save |
| which was built in 1874, rises to 165 | | | | a boy and a girl. Two of the constuction |
| feet above sea level. The original | | | | superintendent's daughters, Mary and |
| lighthouse, built in 1824, was | | | | Eliza, and a young black girl, either a |
| approximately 500 yards northeast of the | | | | servant or the daughter of a worker, |
| current lighthouse. Due to the receding | | | | drowned. |
| shoreline, it fell into the ocean back | | | | It's said that today, the girls can be |
| in 1880. | | | | heard laughing in the tower late at |
| Throughout its early history, the | | | | night. The eldest of the construction |
| lighthouse employed up to three | | | | superintendent's daughters, Mary, has |
| lightkeepers at a time. There was a head | | | | also been spotted wearing the same blue |
| keeper and two assistants. In 1955, when | | | | velvet dress and blue hair bow she was |
| the lighthouse was automated, there was | | | | wearing when she died. Reports also say |
| no longer a need for lightkeepers and | | | | that the the figures of two little girls |
| the last one left at that time. The | | | | can sometimes be seen standing on the |
| lightkeepers, who would actually live on | | | | lighthouse catwalk. |
| site, were replaced by lamplighters, who | | | | For years there have been reports of a |
| would tend the light but didn't actually | | | | large dark, male spirit that hangs |
| live there. | | | | around the water collecting cisterns in |
| According to the lighthouse's official | | | | the basement. Supposedly he was a sailor |
| website, there have been seven people | | | | or a former lightkeeper who hung himself |
| who have died on the lighthouse grounds: | | | | in the lighthouse in the 1930's. |
| three lightkeepers, a keeper's wife and | | | | According to the lighthouse's website, |
| three young girls. Several of these are | | | | there isn't any proof or evidence that |
| said to have died of natural causes. One | | | | anyone ever hung him/herself there. |
| man fell to his death from the original | | | | History says that the original owner of |
| lighthouse in 1859, and the three girls | | | | the lighthouse was forced to sell it to |
| died in a tragic drowning accident. | | | | the government in 1865 because it was |
| The lighthouse and its surrounding | | | | believed that the land under the |
| buildings have a long history of | | | | lighthouse was receding and the ocean |
| paranormal activity and stories of the | | | | would eventually swallow it. The state |
| hautings have been passed on and have | | | | offered to buy the lighthouse for alot |
| been featured in popular television | | | | less than it was worth and he refused to |
| shows, books, and local lore for | | | | sell. The government then threatened to |
| decades. Visitors and workers say they | | | | take the lighthouse via eminent domain |
| have seen moving shadows and heard | | | | and give him nothing. At this point, the |
| voices along with unexplained sounds. | | | | former owner was outraged and vowed |
| Some tour guides claim they hear someone | | | | never to leave the lighthouse. |
| climbing the tower steps, but the | | | | Lighthouse staff say he seems to have |
| footfalls fade away, and no one is ever | | | | kept his vow as his spirit is sometimes |
| there at the top of the tower. There is | | | | seen late at night walking in and around |
| also said to be a little girl who likes | | | | the property. |
| to play pranks residing in the keeper's | | | | One of my favorite episodes of Ghost |
| house, a tall man in the basement, and a | | | | Hunters was filmed at the St. Augustine |
| spirit who likes to play with the | | | | Lighthouse. The Atlantic Paranormal |
| merchandise in the gift shop. One former | | | | Society (TAPS) stopped by to see if they |
| keeper was infamous for enjoying his | | | | could prove or disprove any of the |
| cigars. Today, the scent of his cigar | | | | hauntings. During the episode, they |
| can still be detected several times a | | | | caught a few interesting things on both |
| week. | | | | video and audio. There was a female |
| Several employees have reportedly seen a | | | | voice that seemed to say "help me" a few |
| hazy male figure walking through the | | | | times on the audio recording. The video |
| lighthouse. Footsteps from an unseen | | | | camera captured a dark figure moving |
| presence can be heard shuffling on the | | | | really quickly up the circular staircase |
| gravel and the steps outside the | | | | and then stopping to look over the |
| lighthouse. Other reports are of a woman | | | | railing down at the camera crew from the |
| seen on the lighthouse stairway or | | | | top floor. The figure then disappeared. |
| walking in the yard outside the | | | | When Jason and Grant went to |
| buildings. | | | | investigate, they realized the door at |
| Perhaps the most famous tragic story is | | | | the top which would be the only exit was |
| that of three young girls who died | | | | padlocked from the inside. There was |
| during the construction of the second | | | | also a motion detection light that never |
| lighthouse. The story says that there | | | | came on until the TAPS guys got up |
| was a rail car or some type of vehicle | | | | there. Overall, with the evidence they |
| that went from the light station to the | | | | captured, the guys determined that they |
| ocean. The children liked to play on it | | | | really couldn't prove the place wasn't |
| and ride on it for fun. On July 10, | | | | haunted. |