There’s something strange in the 305 and it’s these nine spots in which people have reported inexplicable temperature drops (a rather unusual happening for Miami, no doubt). And no, it wasn’t the AC, but the chilling result of paranormal activity! Not everything is sunshine and beautiful beaches in the Magical City, some of its most inconspicuous buildings hide some dark, ghoulish secrets and we’re here to uncover them.
So if you dare, check them out to get in the mood for the upcoming spooky season:
1. Coral Castle, Homestead
Built in the early 1900s, the Coral Castle is a stone-cold reminder of a love lost. It was built by Edward Leedskalnin after his fianceé abandoned him the day before their wedding. Leedskalnin was so distraught by their failed affair he spent the next 28 years building this stone castle in the hopes his love would return to him and they would live happily ever after at his coral castle. The spookiest part about Coral Castle is the fact that Leedskalnin managed to build it all by himself with no modern machinery, engineering knowledge or outside help even when he was 5 feet tall and weighed only 100 pounds! No ghosts here, but this type of dedication and obsession sure is haunting.
Where: 28655 S Dixie Hwy, Homestead, FL 33033
2. Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables
Built in the 1920s, the Biltmore in Coral Gables hotel is home to many an otherworldly being. So if you’re walking down the hall one day don’t be surprised if you catch a whiff of cigarette smoke, that’s probably the ghost of Fatty. The gangster Thomas “Fatty” Walsh was fatally shot on the 13th floor over a gambling debt back in 1929 and has been roaming the halls ever since. This friendly spirit often roams the hotel playing pranks on staff and guests, making bar shelves rattle and turning up on their mirrors mysteriously.
Where: 1200 Anastasia Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33134
3. Deering Estate, Palmetto Bay
It’s no secret that the Deering Estate is a hotbed for paranormal activity, so much so that the 444-acre estate offers two ghost tour experiences for visitors. The Historic Ghost Stories tour tells the story of Native Americans who lived here along with Charles Deering, the estate’s owner, who died on site in 1925, while the Spookover overnight tour takes the most devoted fans of the paranormal to the most active areas in the estate. The tour is led by paranormal investigators who often encourage visitors to bring any of their equipment that will help them capture all their ghostly encounters!
Where: 16701 SW 72nd Ave, Miami, FL 33157
4. Charlotte Jane Memorial Park Cemetery, Coconut Grove
Formerly known as the Coconut Grove Bahamian Cemetery, this gravesite is a burial site for many members of the area’s African-American and Bahamian residents. In order to avoid flood damage, you’ll notice that all graves are above ground. Legend says this was the graveyard in which Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” hit was filmed and many Miamians claim to have seen his ghost moonwalking through the grounds. The video was most likely filmed in L.A., but who’s to say there isn’t a ghostly impersonator and fan of Jackson roaming the grounds?
Where: 3575 Douglas Rd, Miami, FL 3313
5. Miami City Cemetery, Downtown
This other spooky burial ground was founded in 1987 and is Miami-Dade County’s only graveyard. The site is home to over 9,000 graves and is the final resting place of Julia Tuttle, the “Mother of Miami,” the founder of the Burdines department store chain and Miami’s first and third mayors. The site is apparently a hotspot of paranormal activities, with many having reported eerie mists creeping up from nowhere, inexplicable cold spots and feeling the chilling sensation of being watched. There have even been reports of strange animal sacrifices carried out by the living.
Perhaps, the most creepy thing about the Miami City Cemetery, however, is the unusual grave of Carrie Barrett Miller. After her death, her husband placed her body in the grave and poured concrete over her. The tombstone reads, “The body of Carrie Barrett Miller was molded in this solid block of concrete. December 4th, 1926. After the body has gone to dust, her sleeping form will remain.” Yikes!
Where: 1800 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33132
6. Colony Theatre, Miami Beach
This 1935 picture house in Miami Beach is home to a rather fur-endly spirit. Many guests at the Colony Theatre have reported seeing the spirit of a teeny-weeny white toy poodle running around the halls. But the ghostly pooch isn’t the only one haunting the theatre, actors and staff have also reported hearing mysterious footsteps in the area behind the main stage.
Where: 1040 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139
7. Villa Paula, Little Haiti
Villa Paula was Miami’s first Cuban consulate. Built in 1926 for Consul Domingo J. Milford, the gorgeous neoclassical villa was named after Milford’s wife Paula, who died in the house at a very young age after complications with a leg amputation and many have reported seeing the one-legged ghost lady roaming the halls of the villa. Legend says Paula liked to keep vases of fresh roses around the house and was an avid fan of Cuban coffee, so don’t be surprised if you smell the perfume of roses and freshly-brewed coffee, it’s probably Paula who’s roaming somewhere nearby.
Where: 5811 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33127
8. The Alfred I. DuPont Building, Downtown Miami
Built on the foundations of the demolished Hotel Halcyon, this Art Deco skyscraper in Downtown Miami is said to host a whole lot of paranormal activity. In 1963, Grant Stockdale, a businessman and friend of President John F. Kennedy’s, fell from the 13th to the 5th floor and died just 10 days after JFK’s assassination. Paranormal investigators who have visited the floor say a strange aura surrounds the area where he died. But that’s not all, some of the floors at the DuPont are no longer in use, but many have reported hearing running faucets in empty bathrooms, and a group of workers even saw the face of a severely burnt man on the second floor. Let’s just say, the DuPont definitely makes for a totally interesting and thrilling wedding venue!
Where: 169 E Flagler St, Miami, FL 33131
9. Curtiss Mansion, Miami Springs
This Pueblo Revival Manor was built by aviation pioneer Glenn Hammond Curtiss back in the 1920s and is nowadays one of the most popular places for weddings and other special events. While nothing particularly scary ever happened at this Miami Springs mansion, the house was abandoned for around 30 years giving rise to rumours of paranormal activity. Visitors often claim to hear doors shutting close in empty rooms and ghost hunters have also said the Curtiss Mansion’s atmosphere is overall quite eerie.
Where: 500 Deer Run, Miami Springs, FL 33166
Contributed by Bianca Marcof