The Spirit of Louise
An unassuming Victorian style house like any other of its time period sits quietly and peacefully on Carrera street in St Augustine, Florida. However, this house truly is like no other in the Ancient City. Walking the halls of this Victorian style home is the spirit of Louise. An artist in her former life, Louise once had a studio called “The Candy” on the second floor of the Victorian home, and is still to this day very proud of her works she created in life.
Harry Stafford, Ph. D., who created his own paranormal investigation tour called Haunted St. Augustine (that we continue today in his honor), owned the home many years ago. The doctor was great friends with Willa Watkins, a local medium, and her husband Charles. The pair were having dinner with Dr. Stafford, who preferred to just be called Harry, in his newly purchased home. During the meal, he explained to the couple that he didn’t quite yet feel completely comfortable in his new home. Something in the house gave him an uneasy feeling like if there was a presence there that did not quite approve of him. Harry went on and told them about the artist Louise who had lived and worked out of what now was his house. Neighbors had informed Harry about how much she loved the house. Willa excused herself from the table. She had decided to try to make contact with Louise. She needed some privacy. She didn’t tell Harry and Charles about what she was attempting to do. She reached out to Louise and asked her to make herself known and to give them some sort of message. After her humble request, she thanked Louise, and returned to the dinner table to continue the party.
After the party, Harry was giving the Watkins a tour of his new home. As they were halfway up the stairs to the second floor, they all heard noises from the living room downstairs that sounded like a variety of voices and clinking silverware, as if there was a small party taking place. Willa stopped in her tracks, turned to Dr. Stafford, and exclaimed “Where’s the painting? I heard a woman’s voice saying, “where’s my painting”. Willa now explained that she had attempted to contact Louise when she left the dinner table. Dr. Stafford was aghast, as he had never mentioned to either Willa or Charles that when he moved in there had been a painting sitting on the mantle in the living room. It was created on a piece of glass, a depiction of the house itself. He felt it didn’t fit with his furniture and belongings so he had removed it and put it away in the attic. He now informed Charles and Willa about it and proceeded to bring the painting down for them to see it. In the presence of his guests, he studied it closely and noticed a tiny signature in the bottom corner reading…. “Louise”. He then decided to place the painting on his mantle to keep on display to appease Louise… and it worked. After that, Harry felt a more peaceful feeling throughout the house. Louise must have been pleased that her painting of the house that she loved so much was back in an honorary spot on the mantle in the living room.
The house remains haunted by the spirit of Louise and continues to haunt any person who takes up residence in her former studio, with the only exception being an artist that lived there for a brief time with whom Louise no doubt felt connection with. Residents report orbs, energy ribbons, unsettled instincts, and voices not unlike the voices heard the night that Dr. Stafford and his guests heard on the evening of the dinner party, when Louise made her wishes known from beyond the grave.