If you visit the St. Augustine Lighthouse, be prepared to catch the faintest scent of cigar smoke, or to hear two little girls laughing late into the night. Expect to see a ghost or two, because this lighthouse is haunted.
Construction of the St. Augustine Lighthouse was completed in October of 1874, with the beacon being lit by head keeper William Russell. The lighthouse is St. Augustine’s oldest surviving brick structure, and has been restored to colors and materials used in the year 1888. The St. Augustine Lighthouse rises 165 feet above sea level, and contains a total of 219 steps that are regularly climbed by visitors.
One of the first keepers of the lighthouse was a man by the name of Peter Rasmussen. He was a meticulous keeper, with a keen eye and a love for cigars. He watches over the lighthouse to this day, and if you’re lucky, you will smell the scent of his cigar.
Standing and gazing at the lighthouse from afar, many have reported seeing a man at the top of the tower. Lighthouse keeper, Joseph Andreu died more than a century ago. He was painting the outside of the tower when he fell to his death. The likeness between him and the man at the top of the tower means it could only be him, still looking out from the top.
The most well known spirit haunting the St. Augustine Lighthouse is actually two. Mrs. Hezekiah Pity was hired to renovate the tower in the late 1800’s. Her daughters, Eliza and Mary were outside, playing in a cart that was used to transfer materials back and forth to the lighthouse. Unfortunately, the cart broke loose and the cart went plummeting into the bay. The girls were unable to escape and died in the water below.
The girls can be heard laughing at the top fo the tower late at night. Eliza has also been spotted, floating about the grounds wearing the same blue dress she died in.
Care to learn, or see more? The St. Augustine Lighthouse is open for tours. Go see if you can find one or more of the spirits of St. Augustine.
If you think a haunted lighthouse is cool, I wonder what you think of a haunted park – one that is filled to the brim with people every day. Cheeseman Park in Denver, Co