Over Spring Break, I traveled to Florida to visit one of the most famous lighthouses in America.  The Pensacola Lighthouse, located on the Pensacola Naval Base, has been named one of America’s most haunted places.

Built in 1859, the lighthouse is a beautiful sight: painted half black and half white, and stands at a towering 159 feet.  Next to the lighthouse is the keepers home, which has been transformed into a museum. To start the tour, I had to walk up a wrought iron, spiral staircase with 177 steps.  The stairs were beautiful, but not very practical because they did not allow for traffic coming up and down, and they tended to make me quite dizzy.

When I finally got to the top, the views were incredible.  You could see the beautiful bay and a great view of the naval base.  The guide at the top was very informative and told us all about the history of the lighthouse, and how it was still in use today.  

The Pensacola lighthouse has a darker story, though.  Visited by the Ghost Hunters from the Syfy channel, which found evidence of paranormal activity. Legend has it that a lighthouse keeper, Jeremiah Ingraham, and his wife, Michaela Penalber, moved into the lighthouse shortly after it was constructed.  

Then, the couple started having marital issues and incidents of domestic abuse. One night, Michaela had had enough and stabbed her husband to death. Lack of evidence led to Michaela being free, and she spent the rest of her days tending to her beloved lighthouse.

Michaela died in the lighthouse in 1855, but rumor says that she never really left.  Visitors claim that objects have been flung at them during their tour of the Keeper’s House, bloodstains of the murder she committed appears on the carpet and is impossible to clean, and she can be heard breathing and calling out visitors names as to warn them that she is watching.  

Another spirit lives at the lighthouse as well.  A runaway slave hid in the basement of the Keeper’s Quarters.  During the tour, visitors have reported feeling touches, their hair being pulled, and seeing an apparition.  One visitor claims that a piece of metal flew off the wall and landed on the floor in front of them, with no explanation why.

At the top of the lighthouse is a heavy trap door.  When left open, the door seems to close on its own. Banging can be heard from the top of the tower, even when no one is there.  Finally, a transparent woman in a long white dress has been reported at the top of the lighthouse.

So, what do you think? Is the lighthouse truly haunted?