ORLANDO — You don’t have to be a resident of Orlando to appreciate author Joshua Ginsberg’s non-fiction book Haunted Orlando, although the City Beautiful’s reputation as one of the nation’s most beloved tourism hotspots should give this engaging work the potential for a much wider audience than, say, a book titled Haunted Spearfish, S.D.
Of course, those of us who do live in Orlando are likely to find Ginsberg’s book (part of the Haunted America series by Arcadia Publishing) to be quite captivating indeed. He not only chronicles Orlando’s legendary haunts, but documents some intriguing history about the bustling city that got its name way back in 1856. Along the way, Ginsberg chronicles tragedies, odd mysteries, plenty of family drama and the lifestyles of the rich folks who had the means to build the city’s earliest posh hotels and popular establishments — even if their deaths may not have convinced them to fade into the afterlife. As Ginsberg notes, some spirits like to stick around and keep an eye on their biggest investment.
Before proceeding, I should first make an admission: I’m a believer in the supernatural. I grew up in a historic house in Fall River, Massachusetts that had a ghost in the attic, and the house I’m now living in (located in Orlando’s Colonialtown North neighborhood) may be as well. The desk in my office faces a window looking out onto my lanai, and in the early morning darkness, I’ve often seen a shadow person walking behind me in the room, the shadowy figure clearly reflected in the window. When Ginsberg recounts the locations that end up on Orlando’s ghost tours, I need no extra convincing.
What is the book Haunted Orlando?
Joshua Ginsberg has specialized in travel and history books, including Secret Tampa Bay: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure and Secret Orlando: A Guide To The Weird, Wonderful and Obscure. As you can tell, Ginsberg loves the parts of these cities off the beaten path, less likely to be touted on the Visit Florida website. But, with an appeal to the wacky and quirky, these spots have their own indelible fan base.
When it comes to Haunted Orlando, Ginsberg seems keenly aware that a book like this is virtually certain to appeal to anyone who has heard footsteps behind them in the dark, only to turn on the lights and find no one there, or noticed a prized possession that has mysteriously turned up in an odd spot.
“You can tell yourself, as I have many times while researching and writing the stories in this book, that surely, it’s just your imagination playing tricks on you; it’s only a draft making you shiver and raising the hairs on the back of your neck,” Ginsberg writes in his book’s preface. “You can say out loud, if it helps, that there must always be some rational explanation. All the same, perhaps we’ll leave the night life on tonight and keep some salt and a holy symbol forged of iron within arm’s race on the nightstand.”
A man after my own (often scared) heart!
Keep in mind that I’m hardly alone in accepting the existence of the supernatural. In an article titled “Why People Believe In Ghosts – A Psychologist Explains All,” Dr. Russell Moul stresses that unexplained circumstances and events often lead us to take more seriously the existence of the supernatural — and this is hardly a new trend.
“The belief in ghosts is a funny thing,” Moul wrote. “Despite there being no evidence to support their existence, ghosts have haunted humanity wherever they have settled across the planet. Every age and every culture has its own type of ghost and ghost stories, each shaped by its own peculiar context. And despite the rise of scientific thinking in the 20th and 21st centuries, the belief in unquiet spirits is still very much alive.”
It would appear Ginsberg gets that — which is what makes his book so much fun.
Why is Orlando a haunted city?
As the author notes in recounting Orland’s best known ghost stories, a key trend that is historic buildings — including hotels, restaurants and other popular establishments — often have plenty of these strange occurrences and phenomena that gets them a reputation for being haunted. That’s true even if the buildings change hands multiple times since it first got constructed, or if the building’s purpose changes — say, from hotel to private residence or a different kind of commercial use.
In an indirect way, there’s a suggestion that the city’s earliest and most affluent residents — the folks who built these often majestic properties — may be the ones most likely to stick around in spirit form. Are rich folks more determined to become ghosts? We never get a concrete answer, although there are instances in Haunted Orlando of less prominent people who became victims of tragic events who never leave the place of their death, so affluence may not always be the key to hauntings.
The book is sublime for exploring some of Central Florida’s best loved attractions, including the absolute biggie, Walt Disney World, and the many hauntings reported there, including, quite appropriately, at the Haunted Mansion. The book also explores ghostly sightings at Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center, and the historic town of Sanford, among others.
A good chunk of the book, though, is devoted to Orlando and the locations that make it on the Orlando Haunts ghost tours: the Orange County Regional History Center (formerly the Orange County Courthouse and the place where serial killer Ted Bundy was tried for murder in 1980), Wall Street Plaza, the old Church Street Station and the former Hamburger Mary’s restaurant, and many others. Along the way, I enjoyed Ginsberg’s tone — respectful of the legends that have been passed down, but with a wry sense of humor that makes the chapters considerably more enjoyable. Florida does have a wacky reputation, and there’s a certain tone of “Yep, Typical Florida!” and “Does it get any crazier than this” in Ginsberg’s style that I found irresistible.
I also appreciate the impeccable research he devoted to the region’s history, the interviews he did with folks who live or work at these haunted locations, and his enthusiasm in recounting some delightfully eerie tidbits. Ginsberg notes in the book’s introduction that he “tried to infuse some humor and more than a few geeky pop culture references, all while remaining respectful. Every ghost story, after all, is spawned from a human life lost, and that’s worth pausing to consider.”
Mission accomplished, I’d say. A fast, breezy read at 122 pages, Haunted Orlando should appeal not only to us locals but also those interested in history and ghost stories (admit it, don’t you think the real ones can be scarier than what Stephen King might conjure?) and to the legion of tourists who make Orlando an annual pilgrimage. Even if you’re not a believer in the supernatural, isn’t it possible a book like this could …
…. change your mind?
Where Can I Get The Book Haunted Orlando?
Haunted Orlando by author Joshua Ginsberg is available from Arcadia Publishing or Amazon. If you’re planning a visit to Orlando, the book is easy to find at tourist offices, local bookstores, and history museums.
Michael Freeman is an Orlando journalist, playwright and author of the terrifying book “Bloody Rabbit”. Contact him at Freelineorlando@gmail.com.
Freeline Media accepts opinion columns — ones that are polite, civil, and done with insight and good taste — from all points of view, all ideologies, all political parties and concerns. We are also looking for authors of original short stories. Contact us today at FreelineOrlando@gmail.com if you’d like to share your views and opinions.
