THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The former Hotel Roosevelt is associated with ghost stories connected to the catastrophic 1963 fire that killed 22 people, with reports of strange elevator behavior, electrical disturbances and the lingering presence of victims.
The Carling opened as an upscale Jacksonville hotel in the 1920s and later operated as the Hotel Roosevelt. On December 29, 1963, a catastrophic fire swept through the hotel while it was crowded with guests attending events surrounding the Gator Bowl. Twenty-two people died, making the disaster one of the deadliest fires in Jacksonville history. The building later became residential property and was eventually restored under its original Carling name. Local paranormal lore connects the building's reported activity with victims of the fire. Jacksonville's River City Haunts tour has included The Carling and describes unusual elevator activity along with stories that spirits of those killed remain in the building. Other paranormal accounts attributed to employees describe electrical disturbances and equipment behaving unexpectedly. These reports are anecdotal, but the recurring claims and established local ghost-tour tradition make The Carling an identifiable haunted location rather than simply the site of a historical tragedy.