Nestled along the shores of St. Augustine, the Lighthouse stands as a beacon of maritime history, but within its towering structure lies a haunting tale that has lingered for over a century. The story of Hezekiah Pittee and his family, intertwined with tragedy and eerie occurrences, paints a chilling portrait of spectral presence.
Hezekiah Pittee, a Superintendent of Lighthouse Construction, arrived in St. Augustine from Maine with his family. In an act of kindness, the Pittee household transformed the Lighthouse site into a haven, a playful space where the children of workers frolicked and found joy. However, in a heart-wrenching turn of events in 1873, tragedy struck when a cart, meant for amusement, careened into the water, claiming the lives of three Pittee sisters and another girl. Mr. Dan Sessions, a courageous worker, attempted a rescue, but only one girl survived. The mourning town witnessed the Pittee family’s sorrow as they returned to Maine, burying their daughters and leaving behind a lingering sadness at the Lighthouse.
Over 145 years have passed, yet strange occurrences continue to be linked to the spirits of these young girls. In the 1950s, a relief Lighthouse Keeper, residing within the Keeper’s House, reported eerie incidents of unexplained footsteps upstairs. Investigations yielded no presence, yet the echoes persisted.
During this time, James Pippin served as the Head Keeper from 1953 to 1955, becoming the final Keeper to live at the Light Station. Initially residing in the Keepers’ House like his predecessors, Pippin’s tenure was marked by an unsettling event. Convinced of a haunting within the grand house, Pippin relocated to the smaller 1941 Coastal Lookout Building, steadfastly refusing to spend another night within the supposedly haunted halls.
The echoes of Hezekiah Pittee’s family tragedy persist within the walls of the St. Augustine Lighthouse. Eerie encounters and unexplained phenomena have left an indelible mark on the history of this maritime icon, weaving a tale of loss, mourning, and spectral mystery that continues to intrigue and haunt visitors to this day.