THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The historic grounds of St. Paul's Episcopal Church are said to be haunted by spirits associated with Key West's early burial ground. Accounts include apparitions near the former graves, shadow figures, unexplained sounds, and the sensation of an unseen presence.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church has occupied the corner of Duval and Eaton Streets since the nineteenth century, although successive church buildings were damaged or destroyed by hurricanes and fire. Southern Most Ghosts connects the site's paranormal reputation to the early burial ground surrounding the church and to graves disturbed during disasters in Key West's history, particularly the Great Fire of 1886. Visitors and ghost-tour accounts describe apparitions near the old burial area, shadowy figures, unexplained sounds, and a persistent feeling of being watched around the church grounds after dark.