ARTICLES: Vanishing Haunts by Michael GavinDuring a recent jaunt to Spooky Empire's Scream Fest in Plantation Florida, Mike Gavin had the distinct opportunity to chat with haunt advocate, Terry Cronin. While proudly promoting his newest project, Students of the Unusual (a fiendishly fun comic featuring a collection of spooky vignettes), Cronin took time from his duties to tell Michael Gavin about his recent efforts in Melbourne Florida: the short film (featured at the 2000 Melbourne Independent Film Festival): Ghost Hunters of the Space Coast. He describes the film, produced by 3 Boys Productions, as, "A documentary where the most haunted places in Brevard were visited; it features people who have been visited by ghosts and had ghostly experiences." If producing a short film about the Space Coast's most haunted sites isn't remarkable on its own, the piece is fast becoming a history lesson of its own. Two of the three historic restaurants featured have since been demolished and the third is also threatened with extinction!
Miguel's Posada Del Ray was a famous restaurant on East New Haven Avenue in Melbourne. Cronin says it was haunted by numerous appearance of a small girl who had burned to death. Some accounts state that this young girl possessed visitors to the restaurant. Recently a large pharmacy chain made Miguel's an offer they couldn't refuse. The eatery was purchased for $3 million and subsequently torn down. It was replaced by a brand new CVS Pharmacy. Allegedly this did not dissuade the haunts and stories are beginning to emanate about the drug store being haunted. Also featured was a stop at Murray's Coffee to a Tea (built around 1900), where an ectoplasmic smoke would float past guests down the stairs, lights would turn themselves on in unoccupied rooms upstairs and tea cups were said to be seen floating in mid-air! Sadly, Murray's has been torn down to make way for a condo.
The haunted Ashley's Restaurant. Even the front door welcomes it's spooks.The last locale is known to many a ghost enthusiast. The infamous Ashley's Restaurant (located on US #1 in Rockledge). Unfortunately not even the friendly spirit which inhabits this popular dining room has the persuasive pull to prevent the state from eventually widening the highway (and forcing Ashley's out of business).
The film can be purchased from the filmmakers by visiting their website 3boysproductions.com or by dropping by studentsoftheunusual.com (and sending an email to Terry Cronin). Cronin and 3 Boys Productions have graciously offered ALL proceeds of the film's sales to local charity Unconditional Love Incorporated (which assists low income victims of HIV).
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