“South Florida by the numbers” is a web feature that catalogs the most notable, quirky and surprising real estate statistics.
In a city known for relentless progress and development, Miami’s unique history can sometimes get lost. But Halloween is a great time to scare up some of the spooky and supernatural mysteries behind some of its most iconic homes and hotels, which still linger in the shadows of shiny skyscrapers and condo towers. Let’s throw on some costumes and go trick-or-treating in this haunted edition of “South Florida by the numbers.”
16
Age of Agnes Skuvst when she backed out of her wedding (one day before the event) to Edward Leedskalnin, who went on to build the legendary Coral Castle as a tribute to her. The castle is shrouded in mystery, from the unanswered questions about how Leedskalnin managed to build the castle with no outside assistance or large machinery, to rumors that he cured his own tuberculosis through the use of magnets. (wikipedia)
60
Number of “ghost voices” recorded by the League of Paranormal Investigators at the renowned Deering Estate at Cutler, located in Palmetto Bay. Built in the 1920s, the estate has six historic houses, three archeological sites, 450 acres of protected natural areas, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [Npr]
11 p.m.
Time of each day when, at the Miami River Inn, visitors have allegedly consistently reported hearing “a series of sounds and witness[ing] some events,” including doors opening and closing loudly, sounds of feet wiping on floors and running toward doors, door knobs shaking and various crashing noises. [Hauntedhouses.com]
99
Age of the Curtiss Mansion in Miami Springs, former and historic home of aviation mogul Glenn Curtiss. The home was reopened in 2012 after decades of disrepair, and is “long rumored to be a bastion of ghostly activity.” (What kind of mansion has its own operating room?) [MiamiNewTimes]
13
The floor of the Biltmore Hotel that used to house a casino and speakeasy during Prohibition, and where gangster Thomas “Fatty” Walsh was murdered during a party. According to legend, Walsh’s ghost still inhabits the hotel, and its elevators have been rumored to stop on the 13th floor for no apparent reason. During World War II, the hotel served as a military hospital where many injured soldiers lost their lives, and spirits in army uniforms are said to roam the halls. [USAToday]
1925
Year that Villa Paula (a neo-classical mansion in what is now Little Haiti) was built for the Cuban consulate general. (It was named for his wife, Paula, who later died after complications resulting from a leg amputation.) Paula’s ghost is rumored to visit from time to time, and an inordinate number of cats have reportedly been killed by the home’s swinging front iron gate, according to neighbors and former owners. [Hauntedhouses.com]
This column is produced by the Master Brokers Forum, a network of South Florida’s elite real estate professionals where membership is by invitation only and based on outstanding production, as well as ethical and professional behavior.