St. Augustine Lighthouse

I think from now on I'm going to post stories on Wednesday that coincide with investigations done on TAPS (if I can). This week they got overwhelming evidence. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find much information beyond what was said on tonight's episode.

St. Augustine Lighthouse was originally built in 1824 and owned by Dr. Alan Ballard. He was forced to sell it to the government in 1865 because it was thought the ocean would eventually swallow it. After the Civil War, Florida's funds were depleted and offered to buy it for substantially less than it was worth. Ballard refused to sale it. The government threatened to take it via eminent domain and give him nothing. Ballard became outraged and vowed to never leave the lighthouse. Some say he kept his vow and can be seen in and around the property.

The keeper, Peter Rasmussen, was always seen enjoying a cigar, and had a reputation for being a very strict manager and quite meticulous when it came to maintaining the lighthouse. Today, the scent of Rasmussen's cigar can still be detected several times a week, say the people who staff the lighthouse today.

Rasmussen may not be the only cigar smoking spirit at the lighthouse. Some say that the cigar smoke, footsteps on the tower stairs, and the figure spotted at the top of the lighthouse could be that of Joseph Andreu, a keeper that died in the 1850's when he fell from painting the previous 1824 tower.

The most well-known of the St. Augustine Lighthouse ghosts would be that of the 13 and 15 yr. old daughters of Hezekiah Pity. Pity was hired to renovate the lighthouse in the late 1800s. One day, in 1873, Eliza, 13, and Mary, 15, were playing around the grounds and despite the warning of their father, climbed in the cart used for carrying building materials from the bay to the lighthouse. Both girls drowned when it broke loose and slid down a hill and into the bay. Today, the two girls can be heard laughing in the tower late at night. The eldest Pity girl is also spotted from time to time, wearing the same blue velvet dress and blue hair bow she died in.

I also found a story about thirteen pirates who died and was buried behind the lighthouse. The city of St. Augustine housed many pirates at one point in time. So, this story could be true as well.

Despite those mentioned above, it is possible that St. Augustine Lighthouse is the home of many more spirits. You never know what spirit you may run into upon visiting the lighthouse.

EDIT: I would like to add that is my 100th post here at Ghost Stories. I'm looking forward to a hundred more.

Comments

Anonymous said…
this is spooky i don't blieve in pirates but ghosts i do and i would like to visit the l.h.
Ive been there twice and have incontered the girls..there are many more stories such as the one about the little girl that plays on the stair case the keeper who vowed to never leave the house there all true
Anonymous said…
my mother(who is now deseased) and my aunt broke into the light house late one night looking for something fun to do . They said they could smell the distinct scent of a cigar and also heard the sound of tow small girls laughing in the distance. I truly believe the legends are true and i cant wait to visit th lighthouse on my 12th birthday!!!!!!!!!(by the way my mom died when i was two so i have gotten the stories from my aunt who is a very truthful person) :)

-Danielle Brianna
Anonymous said…
I have seen the girl in the blue dress and she pulled my hair i fell down 13steps and the lighthouse may look cool but isnot at all
Anonymous said…
The girl in the blue dress puled me back15steps and
no one was behide me outsidelooks cool insideSTARY
Anonymous said…
When I visited the lighthouse I asked the lady taking the tickets to enter the lighthouse if she had seen or heard any ghosts or weird activity.She kinda just paused and said yes but after another pause literally talked for almost 10 minutes about everything she's experienced.She said she's heard the girls playing outside the lighthouse countless times,she also mentioned that without a doubt the lighthouse keepers house next to the lighthouse had even more activity than the lighthouse itself.
jazzy j said…
that is super cool ! i want to go on a ghost tour their !
Anonymous said…
Im srry about ur lose. And ive been there a lot and the stories are true! Scary but I can handle it lol my brother and rest of my family went up but I didnt they didnt believe me when I told them I could smell a cigar and heard the laughing and shadows (im cheroke indian so I can see spirits) lucky me lol DO NOT GO ALONE!!!!
Anonymous said…
About four years ago my family took a Dark of the Moon tour. I rented one of the ghost meters like they use on tv shows. I held it up to the gift shop store and the meter went nuts but after that I got absolutely NOTHING ANYWHERE - until I sat down on the spiral stairways steps with my husband. I laid my meter down it started flickering - not wildly - but flickering. I picked it up, moved it around and up by my husband but there was nothing. Only when I held it down beside me on my right side did it flicker. After that when we left the lighthouse, not even a little flicker. ????
Anonymous said…
My wife and I went to visit the lighthouse one afternoon several years ago during our summer vacation and knew nothing about these ghost stories. We just thought it looked fun. We arrived during a violent summer storm with lots of lightning. As we ran through the rain up to the white house across the lawn from the lighthouse I could see two young girls in summer dresses standing out on the balcony at the top of the lighthouse. I inquired about tickets to climb the lighthouse but my girlfriend said "no way. not in this lightning". The park ranger told us that the lighthouse is closed in severe weather and when I looked back to see if the girls were still there, they were gone. I got a cold chill at that moment. I could have sworn I just saw two young girls in summer dresses up there.... My girlfriend and I just bought some postcards and left. Years later I saw a "ghost hunters" episode in the lighthouse and it all fell together for me. Those young girls were the ones that drowned!
Anonymous said…
While on a tour at the lighthouse my girlfriend & I took pictures. There were ores & it looked as if someone was sitting in the swings at park,plus two little girl spirits are now in my home.One in a blue dress & hairbow,older male & smell of cigar and thin middle aged woman that has been heard crying in another room of my home.
Anonymous said…
Thirteen pirates? Where can I read about this?
Anonymous said…
THANK YOU! At least someone believes me! I smelled cigar smoke and saw a figure of a young girl with brownish hair! I was so scared that I vowed I'd NEVER GO BACK THERE! (MY PARENTS DON'T BELIEVE IN GHOST BUT I DO.
Lisa said…
I'm going to Saint Augustine in late June. I would like to know the name of a credible ghost tour. does anyone have any ideas?
Anonymous said…
There is a Ripley's ghost tour I went on
There is a new ghost boat tour in St Augustine Fl that will bring you to the lighthouse's area while telling ghost stories. Must see.
Anonymous said…
Is everyone on here illiterate?
Anonymous said…
I went on a Ghosts and Gravestones tour recently which was spectacular! Although the old jail was supposed to be the more eventful point of the tour, I noticed a lot more supernatural happenings in the lighthouse grounds. Every time I tried to take a picture, there would be this eerie fog covering it (I checked my flash in a "non-haunted area and it was fine) also i was standing at the spot where the cart tracks used to be and I heard a little girls laugh in my ear. I believe I connected more with the girls because I am around the same age as them. Also, I took a video and a bit in my voice goes all echoey, we were in an open area, so my voice couldn't have echoed, if you listen closely you can hear a girl whisper" other way"
Anonymous said…
My family & I stopped in St. Augustine on our way back to Tennessee in early August. We went into the house first & I didn't like the feel of the house at all. We went downstairs & just as soon as we stepped onto the floor off of the spiral stairs, my chest & neck as tight. The further back we went into the basement the heavier the air seemed to be. Even my 10yr old daughter said "it felt funny" that was the only way she could describe it. Then we ventured over to the lighthouse & it took me a good little bit to bet enough courage to climb, just because of the feeling of oppression in there. I got to the 2nd floor & felt some very negative energy. I told my husband & daughter that I was going back down & they could go on up if they wanted to. I couldn't get off of that property fast enough. Some very heavy, almost errie negative energy...

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