Customer Reviews

Florida's Ghostly Legends and Haunted Folklore: Volume 2: North Florida and St. Augustine

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I picked this book off the shelf as a possibility for my 16-year-old daughter who's fascinated by the supernatural, just as I was at that age. Thumbing through the contents, I noticed a chapter about Public School Number 4 in Jacksonville, and that clinched it. PSN 4 is an object of awe for my daughter and her circle of friends. To see photos of this school, do a search using the terms, "Public School Number 4 Jacksonville FL." The photos alone, even for those who don't believe in other-worldly happenings, are guaranteed to ease a few goosebumps along your arms. Among the other interesting sites are the Homestead Restaurant (Jacksonville), Castillo de San Marcos (St. Augustine), and The Casa Marina Hotel (Mayport).

I fully expected one of those creepy sorts of books that offer an anecdotal rendering of each haunted site and not much more. A few days after I bought it, I was having a cup of coffee and looking for something to read that didn't have to do with work. I began to thumb through the book and made a lovely discovery. The author Greg Jenkins had actually researched each site, often talking to individuals in person. He even offers suggestions on how to do some paranormal sleuthing for those who are inclined. It's a rare treatment for this niche genre, to actually provide an objective analysis supported by facts.

All in all, Jenkins's book is a lively, interesting excursion into places where incidents happen without logical explanations. I don't know my fellow Floridian, but I'm glad I came to know his book. My daughter, her friends and I have had some entertaining discussions about the places the author selected. That's a nice gift for an author to give a parent.

I live in Northeast Florida, and for many years, resided at the Carriage House Apartments, one of the haunted locations in this book. Although the author apparently visited the site, he didn't learn much. For example, he says a man murdered his wife in Apt. 42. The murder, which took place in Feb. 2000, actually occurred in Apt. 97-A in another part of the complex, nowhere near Apt. 42. I lived in Apt. 44 from 1986-2003, directly above No. 40, the well-known haunted apartment, and many people felt my apartment was also haunted. In fact of the eight apartments in the building in which I lived, Apt. 42 (which is NOT next to Apt. 40 as Mr. Jenkins alleges) was the only one that was NOT said to be haunted!

The author then alludes to a "tall and slender" manager or assistant manager. We had numerous managers and assistants while I was living at the Carriage House, and by no stretch of the imagination, could any of them be described as "tall and slender."

At one time, the Carriage House was a quiet, well-maintained, desirable place to live but by the time the author visited, it had deteriorated into a dump. Yet, Mr. Jenkins claims he was "impressed" by "how nice this complex was." Either he is very easily impressed ,or he was the victim of a time warp and saw the Carriage House as it was 15 years previous--not likely. Additionally, he omitted the best-documented ghost story associated with the Carriage House.

The author's claims about other locations are just as erroneous. Although the Homestead Restaurant in Jacksonville Beach was closed a short time for renovations (and was apparently closed at the time of the author's visit), at no time was it "overgrown with trees and moss, the white paint now covered in mold, the wood decaying . . ." as the author describes. In fact, the Homestead is a very popular restaurant--still open for business.

Furthermore, Mr. Jenkins mistakenly calls Mayport's King House, the "John King House," and claims it was built in 1881. It fact, it was already standing in 1881 when William King married Clare Arneau, daughter of the man who built the house.

The remainder of this book is the same--errors of fact and misleading information. It is truly a shame the author does not possess even the most basic research skills.

The only dissappointment was that it did not include anything west of Tallahasee, or what South Floridians refer to as LA (Lower Alabama).

This is a "must-read" book for all who are interested in ghosts and legends and would like to explore the unknown in the State of Florida. All of Mr. Jenkins' stories are accurate according to the witnesses he interviewed. I, personally, have visited and spoken with many of the people in these various locations and can truthfully say that this book and the follow-up books are written based on actual facts, locations and descriptions. I have taken the time to explore many of the stories outlined in this book and can report that Apartment 42 is the correct apartment and yes, there was a tall and slender manager involved, as presented to me, also. The stories are well-written and as accurate as can be based on all known experiences of the people involved. This is a top-of-the line book and I can truly say that Mr. Jenkins did his research thoroughly. Having been a tested psychic/medium for many years I was curious and did my own investigations. The impressions and experiences I personally encountered - along with many of the people I spoke with - are exactly as presented in this book. Excellent work, Mr. Jenkins!!!