Article and images Copyright © 2002 Michael Gavin

Cont'd from Page 1

The Elijah Hand building underwent several transformations. Over the years the site became home to many different business. Those included another furniture store, a day care, a school that taught English as a second language, and its present day use as a nightclub. Eventually the Magnolia Hotel portion of the building was torn down (today, only glass wall is evidence that there was more to the north side of the establishment). In 1982, renovations included the addition of an awning to the building’s front (restoring appearances to resemble its 1907 origins).

So many have passed through the walls of the Elijah Hand Building, it’s not hard to imagine her as being haunted! Most of the activity is focused on the second floor. This second floor activity makes sense, especially since the burial preparations were done on the first floor. Another reason for the strange occurrences might can be tied to what psychic Lynne Rader (hostess of the popular cable call in show, Cosmic Zone Plus) learned on a recent tour of the site. At one point she sensed that several bodies had been stacked in the second floor halls! Her impressions also lead the revelation of a male spirit named Robert. What Lynne was not told, at the time of the investigation, is that a child of one of the former owners played on the upper floor with an imaginary friend; a friend who is named Mr. Roberts. The female spirit occasionally sighted in the halls of the second floor passed before her daughter did, and is now reunited with the child in the afterlife.

Paranormal investigators from the Central Florida Ghost Society have turned up some very interesting photographs of the site. These include several spirit orbs (these energy orbs are what experts believe to be spirits in transit).

The Blue Room underwent another renovation in late 2001. It is possible that this may have calmed some of the activity in the building. The only to be sure is to find out for yourself. . .