St. Augustine Lighthouse ranks 5th in Trip Advisor ‘World’s Most Haunted Hotspots’

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Trip Advisor ranks the St. Augustine Lighthouse as number five in its top 20 list of the “World’s Most Haunted Hotspots.”

The spooky history of the lighthouse comes from the 1800s when tragedy struck a family living there during its construction.

Hezekiah Pittee was the superintendent of the Lighthouse’s construction, living in St. Augustine with his wife and four children: Mary Adelaide, Eliza, Edward, Carrie.

On July 10, 1873, three of his children drowned in the nearby waters after getting trapped under an overturned cart.

Sammy Washburn, Specialty Programs Manager at St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum says the spirits of the children play pranks on visitors

“They’ve been known to mess with the glow sticks that we give members of the tour. They’ll untie the knots from around their necks and drop them on the ground, and when people go to pick them up again - they’re retied and they won’t fit over their heads, but they would’ve fit over a child’s head.”

The paranormal activity of the St. Augustine Lighthouse draw many visitors, says Washburn, making it a top tourist destination in St. Augustine.

The Museum offers ghost tours at night for anyone interested in its spooky history. You can find a link here to get your tickets.

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