Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest fort in the United States. It was constructed between 1672 and 1695 by the Spanish living on Matanzas Inlet for the protection of the northernmost outpost of the empire, Saint Augustine, Florida.
In the watch tower closest to the road, it is said that a light ignites on stormy nights. Residents and locals that are familiar with the fort often overlook this unexplained phenomenon, but for the avid ghost hunter, seeing this makes for a remarkable experience.
It is not unusual for people to report seeing a soldier who is lavishly dressed in clothing that represents the era of the Spanish control looking out at sea. This apparition is normally seen when the sun is just starting to rise, or when the sun is setting.
Another ghostly story claims that an officer at the Fort caught his wife cheating on him. He put both the wife and her lover in the dungeon, shackled and chained. Then he bricked up the dungeon so the two could never escape. Although nothing was recorded historically of this, in the 1830s, an engineer had the wall removed and found two skeletons shackled in the room.
Many tourists have experienced strange sensations in the dungeon, including goose bumps, breezes, the feeling of being touched, and many individuals have even experienced physical sickness for no apparent reason.
Sounds of soldier's boots have been heard in the soldier's quarters by staff members. A staff member saw the indentation of a full form apparition of a soldier lying in one of the beds in the soldier's quarters.
There are various other paranormal reports from the fort as well such as:
People are sometimes shoved in the cannon room.
An apparition of a soldier is sometimes seen walking along a wall of the castle, with a lantern.
Footsteps of soldiers are sometimes heard running around the courtyard.
An apparition of an executed English pirate has been seen at the wall where he died via a firing squad.
The head of an Indian is seen floating around the walls of the courtyard, looking displeased.
What is the origin of all of these reports and claims? It definitely sounds like there is something unearthly still lurky around the grounds of the fort.
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