A Brief History of St Augustine Lighthouse
The origins of a beacon on the Anastasia Island dates back to the sixteenth century when a series of wooden watchtowers was built by the spanish. Improvements made to the column over the centuries didn ’ metric ton last long as erosion caused the structure to crash into the ocean .
By then, in 1824, a fresh tugboat built with bricks had already been constructed nearby. The tower which primitively housed lamps with silver medal reflectors was late replaced with a one-fourth order Fresnel lens. The 12-foot-tall lens contains a total of 370 hand-cut glass prism that enabled the reflect light to be visible from a distance greater than any early lenses of its time could do .
St Augustine Lighthouse in 1824 | Image credits: St Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum however, the erosion problem persisted. In 1871, construction on a new beacon further inland began. A series of corrosion control measures were besides put in invest to extend the life of the original beacon. construction of the new St Augustine beacon was oversee by overseer Hezekiah H. Pittee. The Pittee family primitively lived in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and had moved to Anastasia Island to supervise the build of the newfangled beacon.
After over three years of construction, the new loom was finally completed in 1874. It featured 219 spiralling steps, a state-of-the-art foremost order Fresnel lens and a host of amenities including a Keepers ’ House ( 1876 ), two summer kitchens ( 1886 ) and a U.S. Coast Guard barracks ( 1941 ) .
today, some 200,000 people visit the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum per annum for a glimpse of its history and the bird’s-eye views at the crown of the loom. Its popular “ Dark of the Moon ” ghost tour was born out of its reputation as the most haunt beacon in America .
Ghost of Eliza Pittee at the Lighthouse
The haunted history of Eliza Pittee traces back to July 10, 1873 when the Pittee sisters— Mary ( aged 15 ), Eliza ( aged 13 ), and Carrie ( aged 4 ) — were playing at St Augustine Lighthouse construction locate. together with an unknown african-american female child ( aged 10 ), the children slid down a railway cart that was used to transport building materials from the Salt Run port to the build locate .
however, on the fatal day, the wooden freeze that was used to stop the handcart from sliding down the water was not present. Tragedy struck as the group crashed into the urine. The cart had besides overturn, trapping the girls underneath. A young construction worker named Dan Sessions was working at the web site and witness the incidental unfold. Sessions raced to the urine and flipped the haul in an undertake to rescue the trap girls. By then, Mary, Eliza and the young african-american female child had drown ; Carrie was the only exist in the incidental .
The Pittee Sisters | Image credits: St Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum A funeral was held in the town to mourn for the death of the three children. The town was reportedly shut down for the entire event.
Since then, the beacon was reported to be haunted by the heart of Mary and Eliza. Many who visits the beacon are said to have seen the apparitional apparition of a young girl—said to be the spirit of Eliza— roaming the step of St Augustine Lighthouse. Eerie footsteps and discorporate voices of a young child can besides be heard by visitors of the night enlistment .
The ghosts of Mary and Eliza are said to enjoy playing hide at try with staffs of the beacon. In one encounter, a staff member reported hearing giggling voices at the top and thought that there were visitors who sneaked into the tugboat. The staff made a arduous climb to the top only to find out that no one was there. As he descends bet on to the buttocks of the column, he hears the same giggles below. Upon reaching the labor floor, he once again find the place empty .
St Augustine Lighthouse Ghost Photos
Since the open up of the beacon for public tours, many paranormal happenings have been reported by visitors of the beacon. many ‘ apparitional ’ photos soon surfaced, giving proof to the beacon ’ s ill-famed reputation as the most frequent beacon in the area .
Lady leaning on the railings at St Augustine Lighthouse | Image credits: scaryforkids.com In 2008, a cell phone tugboat technician was working on atop a tower near St Augustine Lighthouse and captured this apparitional apparition of a dame in white. The lady is said to be the apparition of Eliza Pittee. It was claimed that the beacon was closed to the populace when the photograph was taken albeit it can not be confirmed.
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Shadow figure on the railings at St Augustine Lighthouse | Image credits: Strange Escapes similar to the New London Ledge Lighthouse, keepers of St Augustine Lighthouse are said to have continued to keep watch of the beacon long after their evanesce. A dark human body captured in the photograph above is allegedly the apparition of Peter Rasmussen, one of the beacon ’ s beginning keepers. Rasmussen was excellently known for his ‘ meticulous eye ’ of maintaining the beacon vitamin a good as his love for cigars. Many who visits the beacon claimed to have smelled cigar, an unaccountable phenomenon given that no smoke is prohibited within the grounds of the beacon .
Directions to St Augustine Lighthouse
The localization of St August Lighthouse is 100 Red Cox Dr, St. Augustine, FL 32080. To visit the beacon, drive northbound along Red Cox Drive cashbox you spot the St Augustine Lighthouse. entrance to the beacon ampere well as parking spaces can be found on the intersection of Red Cox Drive and Ocean Vista Avenue. Click here for accurate coordinates of St Augustine Lighthouse on Google Maps .
Be aware that the the beacon may close due to inclement weather and early events .
