"Freaky Florida" by Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz

While at the Frogman Festival, I picked up ANOTHER great book from Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz.  "Freaky Florida" is another book, covering Florida from the two.

It really is a sibling book to their "Eerie Florida" volume, it covers new ground....  so you should pick up all of their books.

There is a lot going on with this one.....

A couple of cities have uncovered ruins in the state that kinda change everything.  Legends relating to older civilizations are covered.  

As a fan of history, I got a lot from this book too...  it is far from a book just covering folklore.  I found that there was a fort in Florida that, during the Civil War, did not get taken by the CSA.  Another Civil War battle I did not know about is brought up too!  Geronimo's forced adventures in Florida are covered.  The authors write about the tragic deaths involving the Apollo 1 crew too.

Some stories link the establishment of parks to very strange stories and crimes.  One involves a hollow earth cult, and another involves a serial killer.

Like I said about their other books, the stories are quick reads and to the point.  These would be great books to pick up before your next trip to Florida!

 

"Erie Florida: Chilling Tales from the Panhandle to the Keys" by Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz

I wanted to quickly mention the book, "Eerie Florida:  Chilling Tales from the Panhandle to the Keys" by Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz.....  This is a GREAT book with a lot of heart.

I have read a ton of strange/weird/ghost type books, and some are slopped together with little effort.  That is not the case with this nice volume.  These guys care about their state and its history.  They are efficient with their words too, giving you a lot of stories and information for your money.  There are over 20 chapters each covering an interesting legend in Florida.

They cover some well known spots.......  I think we all know about Cassadaga and St. Augustine, and they cover those areas, while still adding some lesser known tales relating to those locations.

The authors cover a lot of ground, telling about what they know, recommending other books, and mentioning some of the better tours/ghost walks they have done.  I was impressed with one story, ending with Muncy and Schultz not being able to get a boat captain to take them to a specific location because of its legend.

I could go on and on about this one, but make this one a must read before your next visit to Florida!

I was lucky enough to get my copy signed by the authors at the recent Frogman Festival!
 

"Horror Guide to Florida" by David Goudsward and Scott T. Goudsward

"Horror Guide to Florida" was ANOTHER great bargain I found underpriced at Half Price Books!

David and Scott T. Goudsard have put together a strange and great reference for horror fans visiting Florida.  They haven't over saturated the book with a ton of mainstream horror movies either.  There are lots of literary and real life places mentioned.

Interestingly, they cover fictitious Florida towns from film and literature too!

This is just a good reference book for road trippers to keep on their shelf.  Being me, I read it straight through taking notes.  On my next Florida road trip, I will now be looking for filming locations seen in the Creature from the Black Lagoon Films....  I can take an air boat tour associated with a couple of horror films, and I can look for locations used in Edward Scissorhands!

I also learned about a cult now associated with a state park!

I learned some interesting Florida related facts concerning Maurice Gibb (and a score he did for a movie) and Stephen King.  Also, as the authors discuss literature, I have added some interesting books to my reading list!

This is just a very uniquely done book....  I admire it's originality.  It gets my highest possible recommendation

Haunted St. Augustine and St. Johns County by Elizabeth Randall

I picked out several weird and odd books on St. Augustine that I wanted to read.  Luckily, I found many on the legendary town that were well done.

"Haunted St. Augustine and St. Johns County" by Elizabeth Randall is easily one of my favorite "Haunted" type of books to come around in some time.

For one thing, this book came out in 2013, so it is a pretty up to date volume.  Also, Randall takes a very fact based stand in her ghost book.  Sure, she interviews people who have worked at the sites, but there is a lot of researched history in this book.  She is very clear when she gives a legend, and she is also clear about the generous amount of specific names and dates she uses.  Additionally, unlike many similar books, she includes a large bibliography section in the back!

Elizabeth Randall covers one tragic event in St. Augustine in a more professional manor than most.  The death of two people in 1944 that is covered by probably every ghost tour in town is mentioned.  The author does cover some of the ghost sightings, but she focusses more on the known history of the location.  She discusses a thorough history of the site, given to her by an employee.  She also gives information from the coroner's report. 

Randall does let the reader know what she thinks about some of the sites trying to snag the many tourist dollars with their ghostly legends.  She is a bit critical of one location cashing in on a $25 per person ghost hunt. 

Elizabeth's way of thinking could easily help any traveler prioritize the stops they want to make while in town (while also thinking about their budget).  The above mentioned attraction can be admired from the outside.  You can walk by, take some nice photos and be happy.  You will have an extra $25 to spend at one of the exciting restaurants Ms. Randall mentions (one with an amazing and strange history, a resident ghost, AND that doesn't charge an admission fee).

I thought it was pretty interesting that the book has a chapter on the still unsolved murder covered extensively in the out of print book, "Bloody Sunset in St. Augustine."  It was good to see a recent mention of this case.

I read this book pretty quickly, as it is 120 pages.... BUT I felt like it was packed with very usable information.  You get a whole lot more for your money with this one.  I give it my highest recommendation.

The Pearl Shop- St. Augustine Florida

I wanted to quickly mention a cool little place we walked in to in St. Augustine, The Pearl Shop.

Getting a piece of jewelry is becoming a habit when we travel.  Finding something nice, yet affordable is part of the fun.

This little hidden away shop was a great find, and I just wanted to give them a quick endorsement as a favorite jewelry dealer in St. Augustine!

Oldest House in America, St. Augustine Florida

This undated postcard mentions on the back-

The old Spanish Mission Building on St. Francis Street is without a doubt the oldest building in America.  It was erected by the Monks of St. Francis who came to St. Augustine with Menendez and used by them as a Chapel until 1590.  It is now private property, open to the public as a historical museum.

Night View of Grady Bridge, Connecting St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida

This postcard was sent from Tampa in 1929!  A friend mentions to another friend in New York that the Bridge is 6 miles long!

Gandy Bridge, Between St. Petersburg and Tampa Florida

This undated postcard shows the Gandy Bridge, Six Miles Long, Spanning Tampa Bay Between St. Petersburg and Tampa Florida.

Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement in St. Augustine

On our tour of St. Augustine, our great guides pointed out several buildings with direct links to Martin Luther King Jr.- and the Civil Rights movement in the 60s.

The Woolworth's lunch counter where four African-American teens were denied service (and arrested) in 1963 is displayed at the current Wells Fargo.  This Wells Fargo is where the Woolworth's was located (the doors still have the Woolworth name on the door handles).  Here is a nice article about the display.


Our tour guides told us that when King was in town, he actually stayed in different houses each night for security reasons!  It was exciting seeing those homes!

Unfortunately, a very significant place in relating to the Civil Rights movement in St. Augustine is no longer there.  The Monson Lodge was destroyed and replaced in 2003 by a Hilton.

The tour guides and the town itself have done a great job of acknowledging this part of St. Augustine's past.

Old postcard of Fort Marion and Old City Gates in St. Augustine Florida

The back of this old, but undated postcard states-

The upper view shows Fort Marion.  This ancient fortress, on the Matanzas River, was originally built in 1565.  It was destroyed in 1586 by Sir Francis Drake.  The present fort was finished in 1756.
The lower view shows a section of the Old City Gates, all that now remains of the wall, which together with the moat, once protected the city on the North.  Built by the Spaniards in 1743.  Rebuilt in 1804.

Postcard of the Arch, Fort Marion, St. Augustine, Florida

Still on the topic of Castillo de San Marcos, the back of this undated postcard says-

This arch without a keystone, supported heavy guns during Spanish occupation.  Viewed by 150,000 visitors each year.

Old Fort Marion Arch and Stairway, St. Augustine, Florida

Here is another old postcard showing Castillo de San Marcos that was most likely published before 1942, when it was still called Fort Marion.

"Showing the ramp over which guns were transported to the terreplein.  In Spanish days there were no steps."

Hot Shot Oven, Fort Marion, St. Augustine, Florida

Here is another old postcard showing Castillo de San Marcos that was published before 1942, when it was still called Fort Marion.

"In this oven shot were heated to fire at wooden vessels.  At the rear may be seen bullet holes in wall where prisoners were executed."

1906 Postcard showing Castillo de San Marcos in Florida

This great postcard from St. Augustine was sent in 1906!  I removed the address from the front.  It shows Castillo de San Marcos.

Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida

On this trip to St. Augustine, we took the tour of Castillo de San Marcos!  Of course... I don't think I have ever heard anyone call it that.  I think it is generically called "The Fort".

If you are in St. Augustine, you see the Fort.  The thing is huge, and very visible from just about everywhere.

In fact, it is spectacular from the outside.  You can walk all around it from the outside- without buying a ticket.  One evening, after it had officially closed, we went over and had coffee on a bench near it, admiring the Fort, the Bridge, the water, and the city.  It was a very perfect moment.

Some have become too cozy with the Fort.  One of our tour guides told us that he has witnessed more than one relic hunter with a metal detector escorted away by the police.  This historic site is monitored closely.

I don't want to rehash the history of a site- check out the official National Park site for that- but it is more than three centuries old.  It has changed hands six times among the Spanish, British, the Confederacy, and the US government.  Each take over was peaceful.  Additionally, Castillo de San Marcos was used as a military prison to hold captured Native Americans during the Indian Wars in the West.

It is so much fun exploring an old structure like this.  And, like the other Forts we have visited lately, the National Park service is pretty generous about allowing access.  You can literally just walk around and investigate casually.

Oh, they also shoot cannons right outside of the structure too!  A short walk away, at the Fountain of Youth, they also fire cannons!  So, several times a day it seems a tourist can see a cannon in action!  How cool is that?

Old Postcard of Hotel Ponce De Leon, St. Augustine, Florida

The back of this undated postcard showing the Ponce De Leon Hotel in St. Augustine says-

Built in 1885.  One of the famous East Coast System hostelries.  Spanish style of architecture.  Cost $2,000,000; considered one of the finest hotels in the world.  Has five acres of roof.

St. Augustine Coffee Shops

I did make a point to stop by several coffee shops in St. Augustine!  We were able to stop by Crucial Coffee, The Kookaburra, and City Perks Coffee.  

All were in the main downtown area of St. Augustine (walking distance from the Gates and the Fort).

I liked them all.... though, these are busy areas, and none of the shops provided much inside seating space.... which is to be expected in this area.  A couple did have a couple of tables inside.  Outside seating was pretty common though.

They all had great coffee, which I wasn't expecting!  Some coffee shops in heavy tourist areas really slack in having a quality product (a particular shop in Savannah comes to mind), but all of them in St. Augustine were great!

They ALL had good, fresh coffee, great staff, and nice, clean shops!

Old postcard showing Logia of Hotel Ponce De Leon, St. Augustine, Florida

Noted on the back of this unused postcard is that the Logia is "a favorite lounging place for the guests during concert hour."

Indian Burial Ground- Fountain of Youth Park, St. Augustine, Florida

This old postcard that would likely not be marketable now, says

"On April 13th, 1934, while preparing to set out full grown orange trees, workmen came in contact with human bones.  The Smithsonian Institute at Washington was immediately notified.  They sent Dr. M. W. Sterling head of the Department of Ethnology, under whose supervision the excavations were made.  In his report he states that in his opinion these skeletons were part of an ancient Burial Ground, made during the early mission and military period of the Spanish regime, which dates after St. Augustine was established in 1565.

There are over one hundred skeletons exposed in the exact position as they were found, housed in an appropriate building of Indian Communal design."

These skeletons are no longer on display.

World War Memorial in Memorial Park, Jacksonville, Florida

Here is another undated old postcard from Florida.