🕊️ Spiritualism

Ancient City Hauntings: More Ghosts of St. Augustine

✍️ Lapham, Tom
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$12.95
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A collection of twenty-five hauntings, spirit accounts, and historic ghost tales from St. Augustine, Florida.

This volume explores the eerie history of St. Augustine through twenty-five accounts of spirits, local demons, and haunting phenomena. Dave Lapham examines paranormal activity across landmark locations, including the Old Jail, the Oldest House, local churches, and regional inns. The text traces ghostly encounters from ancient times through periods involving Spanish settlement, French sailors, and Minorcan history, detailing cold spots, spectral sightings, and local lore.

Key Themes
St. Augustine ghost lore Historic Florida hauntings Regional supernatural spirits
Literary Context

Set in St. Augustine, Florida, America's oldest city, this work draws on centuries of regional history. It reflects local interest in supernatural experiences, paranormal investigations, ghost tours, and historical events involving French sailors, Spanish settlers, and Minorcan communities.

Difficulty
● Easy
Recommended For Fans Of
Stewart Farrar · Dion Fortune · Colin Wilson
🕊️
Spiritualism
🏛 Pineapple Press 📅 2004 📖 191 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781561643073
Fun Fact
Lapham's 'Ancient City Hauntings' excels at weaving compelling, atmospheric narratives around St. Augustine's iconic locations. Its strength lies in evoking a strong sense of place and historical depth, making the city itself a character. Readers seeking rigorous scientific investigation or philosophical treatises might be disappointed; this volume firmly focuses on engaging storytelling. It’s a strong addition to regional ghost literature, perfect for those who appreciate a well-told, historically rich supernatural tale.

📝 Description: Ancient City Hauntings: More Ghosts of St. Augustine

Dave Lapham returns to Florida with Ancient City Hauntings: More Ghosts of St. Augustine, published by Pineapple Press. Following up on his popular first volume, Ghosts of St. Augustine, Lapham gathers twenty-five stories centered on spirits and supernatural encounters in America's oldest city. His coverage spans several centuries of local history, bringing together accounts of French sailors slaughtered along the river, Minorcan settlers, and the warriors of Moultrie Creek. He also documents sightings of the old Spanish Washer Woman, alongside tales involving ghost magnets, local herbal creations, spectral dogs, and demons. The narrative guides readers directly through specific historical sites and local businesses across the area. Lapham inspects reported hauntings at the Oldest House, the Old Jail, Ripley's, and the Oldest School House, as well as the Pumpkin Church, Casa de La Paz, and Casa de Sueños. The entries also explore various haunted bed and breakfasts and other regional establishments that harbor lingering souls. He documents the dark streets, cold pockets of air, and eerie bay front atmosphere that have made the location a central focus for paranormal investigations and popular television documentaries. This collection suits readers who enjoy localized regional ghost lore, historic southern hauntings, and accounts tied to specific Florida landmarks. It is less suited for readers seeking broad theoretical instruction in occult magic or systematic spellcraft, as the focus remains strictly on regional spirit encounters and historical paranormal tales.

💎 Expert review

“
💎
Esoterica Books editorial team
Occult literature desk
Lapham delivers a well-structured collection that effectively captures the eerie ambiance of America's oldest city. The narratives are accessible and engaging, making them suitable for casual readers interested in local legends. However, this book does NOT suit skeptics seeking empirical proof or scholars looking for rigorous academic analysis of spiritualist phenomena. It may also disappoint readers expecting complex philosophical discourse on the nature of hauntings, as the focus remains squarely on storytelling and location-specific lore. The tone is light and entertaining rather than profound, catering to entertainment rather than deep metaphysical inquiry.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This book is an ideal companion for travelers planning a visit to St. Augustine or those with a deep fascination for the paranormal history of the American Southeast. It appeals to readers who enjoy immersive storytelling that blends factual historical landmarks with supernatural narrative. Those seeking atmospheric depth will appreciate the detailed descriptions of cold spots and spectral whispers within iconic sites like Ripley's and the Oldest House. The collection offers a gentle yet engaging entry point into spiritualism, allowing enthusiasts to explore the city's restless souls without requiring academic rigor. It serves as both a guide for the curious tourist and a captivating anthology for fans of localized ghost lore.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —
⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5
★★★★★
If you're captivated by local legends, fascinated by paranormal investigations, or drawn to the spectral echoes of America’s past, this book is for you. Ideal for armchair ghost hunters or those visiting St. Augustine, it offers a chilling, immersive journey into the city's enduring supernatural…

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
E
Esoterica Books editorial team

Lapham delivers a well-structured collection that effectively captures the eerie ambiance of America's oldest city. The narratives are accessible and engaging, making them suitable for casual readers interested in local legends. However, this book does NOT suit skeptics seeking empirical proof or scholars looking for rigorous academic analysis of spiritualist phenomena. It may also disappoint readers expecting complex philosophical discourse on the nature of hauntings, as the focus remains squarely on storytelling and location-specific lore. The tone is light and entertaining rather than profound, catering to entertainment rather than deep metaphysical inquiry.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While not overly graphic, the stories are genuinely chilling and deal with themes of death and the supernatural. It's best suited for mature teens and adults who appreciate genuine ghost stories without sensationalism.
No, each story in this collection is self-contained. While it builds upon the popular theme established in the first volume, 'Ancient City Hauntings' can be enjoyed completely independently as a fresh set of spectral encounters.

📖 Who should read this

If you're captivated by local legends, fascinated by paranormal investigations, or drawn to the spectral echoes of America’s past, this book is for you. Ideal for armchair ghost hunters or those visiting St. Augustine, it offers a chilling, immersive journey into the city's enduring supernatural mysteries.

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Historic Hauntings & Locations

Explores how specific historical sites like the Old Jail, Oldest House, and various B&Bs serve as focal points for paranormal phenomena. The book vividly describes the unique atmosphere of these places, linking their deep pasts to the lingering spiritual energy that defines St. Augustine's spectral reputation.

The Enduring Past

This volume delves into the profound connection between St. Augustine's long history as America's oldest city and its pervasive supernatural activity. It suggests that the city's ancient events—from colonial conflicts to everyday lives—have imprinted an indelible spiritual residue, manifesting as the many ghosts encountered today.

Paranormal Manifestations

The book details a variety of ghostly encounters, from unexplained cold spots and disembodied voices to full apparitions and spectral memories. It examines how these phenomena are experienced by residents and visitors alike, highlighting the diverse ways the unseen world interacts with our own in the Ancient City.

📜 Historical context

This work stands firmly within the tradition of regional folklore, focusing on localized ghost narratives. As America's oldest continuously inhabited European settlement, St. Augustine naturally serves as fertile ground, reflecting centuries of diverse human experience. The book also taps into the contemporary surge of interest in paranormal tourism and investigation, offering detailed accounts that feed public curiosity.

📚 Glossary

Ancient City
Paranormal Investigation
Cold Spot

📔 Questions to reflect on

  1. If you were to visit St. Augustine, which haunted location from the book would you seek out first, and why?
  2. How do you think a city's age and historical turbulence contribute to its reputation for being haunted?
  3. Have you ever experienced an unexplained 'cold spot' or other subtle paranormal manifestation? Describe the encounter and your feelings.

🏛 Books from this publisher Pineapple Press

All books from this publisher →
Ghosts of the Carolinas for Kids Zepke, Terrance -4%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Zepke, Terrance
Ghosts of the Carolinas for Kids Zepke, Terrance
$10.48 $10.95
86
Ghosts and Legends of the Carolina Coasts
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Zepke, Terrance
Ghosts and Legends of the Carolina Coasts
$14.95
81
Haunt Hunter's Guide to Florida -38%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Moore, Joyce Elson
Haunt Hunter's Guide to Florida
$12.95 $21.00
78
Haunting Sunshine
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Powell, Jack
Haunting Sunshine
$12.95
81
Florida Ghost Stories
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Jones, Robert R
Florida Ghost Stories
$12.95
81
Best Ghost Tales of South Carolina -59%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Terrance Zepke, Julie Rabun
Best Ghost Tales of South Carolina
$12.95 $32.00
78
Ghost Tales from the Oldest City -13%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Suzy Cain, Dianne Jacoby
Ghost Tales from the Oldest City
$8.63 $10.00
78
Ghosts of the Carolina Coasts -23%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Zepke, Terrance
Ghosts of the Carolina Coasts
$9.95 $13.00
86

You might also like

See more →
Ghosts of the Carolina Coasts -23%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Zepke, Terrance
Ghosts of the Carolina Coasts
$9.95 $13.00
86
Haunting Sunshine
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Powell, Jack
Haunting Sunshine
$12.95
81
Florida Ghost Stories
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Jones, Robert R
Florida Ghost Stories
$12.95
81
Ghosts and Legends of the Carolina Coasts
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Zepke, Terrance
Ghosts and Legends of the Carolina Coasts
$14.95
81
Ghosts of Florida's Gulf Coast
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Brown, Alan
Ghosts of Florida's Gulf Coast
$10.95
81
Oldest Ghosts: St. Augustine Haunts
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
2
Harvey, Karen
Oldest Ghosts: St. Augustine Haunts
$8.63
81
Best Ghost Tales of South Carolina -59%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
1
Terrance Zepke, Julie Rabun
Best Ghost Tales of South Carolina
$12.95 $32.00
78
Ghosts of the Georgia Coast -55%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
1
Don Farrant, Regina Stahl Briskey
Ghosts of the Georgia Coast
$12.95 $29.00
78
Haunt Hunter's Guide to Florida -38%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
1
Moore, Joyce Elson
Haunt Hunter's Guide to Florida
$12.95 $21.00
78
Florida's Ghostly Legends and Haunted Folklore: Volume 2: North Florida and St. Augustine
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
1
Jenkins, Greg
Florida's Ghostly Legends and Haunted Folklore: Volume 2: North Florida and St. Augustine
$14.95
78

Have a question about this item?

Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.

Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist