The Haunting of Josephine

Built of stucco over coquina stone in a style that is a combination of Spanish, Italian and Gothic architectural elements, the Casa is embellished with rich decorative tile, stained glass, ironwork and stonework. The two- story high library features an elaborately painted ceiling done by a Scandinavian painter. High windows set with stained glass cast a pale green light into the cavernous music room, once the scene of Josephine's musicales.

Acres of gardens were planted with subtropical plants and Yarnell's collection of palms that at one time was said to number more than 2, The couple furnished the mansion with luxurious antiques from Spain and Italy, rare Persian and Turkish rugs. They searched the continent for art treasures -- one intricately carved casque box was said to have been Queen Isabelle's jewel box -- to fill all of the 36 rooms.

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Much of the building material and many of the artisans who worked on the decorative elements were imported from Europe. Stone-carvers and tile-workers often stayed in this country for months or years while completing their work. Until the Florida real estate bust of , life at the Casa was like an F. Hundreds of guests -- millionaire friends from New York and other winter resorts around Florida -- gathered for rounds of parties where the champagne spilled from fountains and entertainment was often performances of Shakespeare's plays, contests or airplane rides around Polk County.

But with the loss of the value of much of Yarnell's land in , followed by further losses in the stock market crash of and the death of two of the couple's four children, life at the Casa became more subdued. After Yarnell's death in Josephine desperately hung on to the Casa, selling off land, jewelry, antiques and eventually, the stories say, the Townsend diamond.

It was later, when Josephine became ill, that her nurses began to talk of hearing footsteps in the hall at night. But Josephine reassured them, saying that it was only her husband, who had come to look after her.

After Josephine's death in , the house stood empty for many years. It was finally sold by the heirs, and for a time, one wing served as a clubhouse for nearby condominiums.

Later, it was home to drifters and teen-age partiers, who left the place littered with old mattresses and trash. And, always, the story was told and retold that the house was haunted.

The days of the antebellum-era are long gone and the streets are no longer filled with horse drawn carriages, but the ghosts of that time are still very much alive and are waiting to tell their stories. Some of the historical buildings in Bullock County include the court house, which is rumored to be haunted by several spirits, including a former sheriff named Red Williams, the Pauly Jail and the Josephine hotel.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir – R.A. Dick (Josephine Leslie)

The Pauly jail has been restored to a great state of preservation and serves as a museum dedicated to the history of law enforcement during prohibition in Bullock County. The three story building is complete with a trap door and eyelet where a single noose hangs. Perhaps the most impressive building, from the aspects of stature, history and spirits, is the Josephine Hotel. It was built in by Robert A.

The lavish dinners held here brought guests from all over the region. Under the careful and meticulous eye of Mrs. Wild fowl were brought into the hotel by local hunters and piled in rows in front of the hotel. The room hotel was still considered one of the finest in the region and the saloons, located on the bottom floor, hosted cards games and kept the finest whiskey in town. In , the building became the property of F.

Ravencroft established his pharmacy here for many years until the building eventually became a commercial property. The old piano, located on the second floor of this three story, historic, hotel has been heard playing a ghostly tune. Extensive renovations have been done to resurrect the old hotel, and, once again, bring it to life. But rebuilding this grand hotel has come with a few spirited surprises.

It started out with an odd feeling of being watched, a cold chill in the humid and damp rooms, to seeing apparitions of people walking through the hotel. Joyce Perrin reports on some occasions, she stays overnight during renovations and she can hear the shuffling footsteps of what sounds likes several people on the upper floors.