An unsettling combination of ghost stories and spooky locales may be found in St. Augustine, Florida, a city rich in tradition and history.
The Casa Monica Hotel, a famous landmark renowned for its lavish architecture and rich history, is one of the most well-known haunted locations in the city.
Come explore the paranormal activities and haunting experiences that have turned Casa Monica into one of St. Augustine’s most notorious haunted hotels.
The Life and Times of Saint Augustine
The oldest city in the US is St. Augustine, Florida. Pedro Menendez de Aviles established it in 1565. The city was given its name by the Spanish in honor of the Christian scholar and theologian St. Augustine of Hippo.
Native Americans were the original settlers in the region; the Spanish invaded them and drove them out. The region was known to the Native Americans as Seloy, which translates to “those who have gone away.”
Because it was their first settlement in the New World, the city held special significance for the Spanish. In addition, they sought a location to forge a fortress against the British.
The “Oldest City in the United States” is how people refer to St. Augustine these days. Numerous historical sites, such as the Fountain of Youth and the Castillo of San Marcos, can be found there.
There should be no surprise that the town is full of haunted locations given its extensive history and turbulent past.
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The Casa Monica Hotel’s past
In 1888, the Casa Monica Hotel opened for business on New Year’s Day. However, a new owner took over a few months later and changed the name to Cordova.
The hotel has really gone by a number of names, including the Cordova, the Alcazar Annex, and finally just the Alcazar. The first significant occurrence took place in 1895. The hotel had to be rebuilt after a fire that year completely destroyed it. In this fire, at least one woman lost her life.To find out who, continue reading.
Over the years, the hotel has had several different owners and has served as a casino, a hospital, and Confederate barracks.
The then-named Cordova was bought by St. Johns County to serve as a courthouse after it had been a hotel for a number of years. From the 1960s to the end of the 1970s, the courthouse was in operation.
Subsequently, in the 1990s, a new proprietor converted the courtroom into an opulent hotel!
The hotel is currently a part of the Autograph Collection by Marriott. And because of all the old stories, it is extremely haunted.
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Ghost Stories at Hotel Casa Monica
Hauntings at the hotel date back many years. A Confederate soldier is considered to be one of the most well-known ghosts. Frequently sighted in Room 318, he is reputedly highly active, particularly during the anniversary.
There’s a young woman who died in a fire, and her ghost haunts the historic Casa Monica Hotel. The young lady, whose identity is unknown, is frequently sighted in the lobby and on the stairs and is rumored to haunt the hotel.
Her apparition has been seen by guests, and they have heard her footsteps. In addition, the spirit of a Spanish soldier is supposed to haunt the establishment.
The soldier haunts the hotel ballroom; he is reported to have died in a duel. Visitors claim to have heard his footsteps and seen his apparition.
A woman named Virginia, who was married to a hotel employee, is another ghost. She perished in the hotel fire that started. She is frequently observed pacing the hallways.
A young girl and a woman dressed in white are two more spirits who are rumored to haunt the Casa Monica hotel. The little girl is supposed to haunt the hotel’s eighth story, while the woman in white is supposed to haunt the fourth floor. There is a soldier from the Confederacy on the third story.
Groups of dancers doing the waltz in the corridors while looking like they’re from the Roaring Twenties are a regular sight that’s sure to make an impression.
The Casa Monica has been ranked as one of the greatest locations to visit in St. Augustine by numerous publications and websites, despite the existence of these spirits.
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