We've all read about Scrooge and his experiences with Christmas Ghosts. That's fiction, but there are some spirits that only become active during the holidays.
We have some here in Fort Lauderdale in one our historical landmark. It's called the River House Inn and our first ghost, her name is Barbara Estelle Bryan Umbro. Although in the Evergreen Cemetery she's Barbara Estelle Bryan which her new husband Mr. Umbro seems to be total erased from Broward County's death records. We still can't find the reason this was so.
Barbara Estelle Bryan
Barbara's ghost loves the holidays. Employees who say they would see her ghost more around Christmas. She has been spotted by patrons all year round sporadically but it's the holidays that she seems to be more comfortable to make her appearances. Employees that would get a glimpse of her slowly descending from the ceiling. If the worker looks at her head on...she would vanish. Most of them said, that to view her you would have to look from the peripheral side view. Although patrons who ate at the historical landmark turned restaurant would be get to see her full faced strolling up the veranda in her white dress. Her arm would carry the long length of her lace dress, but she would never talk. Some say that they interact with her. She would curtsy, bow her head and move on.
Her mischief would be against those who work at her home or those she did not like who ate in her bedroom. Waiters would say that she would knock over the sugar canisters. One employee, had her tray lift up over her head, like being hit up from underneath. Those who ate in her room who sometimes have the lights turned off. On her worst days she would bounce pictures and mirrors off the walls. One old heavy mirror has bounced off the wall into the middle of her room and crack. This happen about 4 times till the owner of the restaurant took it out of her room and now is on the eastern side of the eating establishment...double sticky taped to the wall now, the mirror hasn't moved since it's removal from her bedroom.
On the Eastern side of the River House Inn, there is another ghost of a young boy. Although this spirit died as a man, we believe he's a high spirit (crossed over and able to come back at any age)that loves Christmas time. His home was the first to get electricity and his father had convinced General Electric to bring a electrical power plant to Fort Lauderdale in 1912. He was 8 in 1912 when they electrified his home to have power. We assume that's the reason he comes back as a eight year old. His name is Perry Bryan.
The spirit of Perry wears white pants, white shirt, black belt, black shoes and often carrying a ball. Many of the patrons would complain of a child playing on the steps between the first and second floor. Those who dine with children and don't pay attention to their child will find them missing in the house. When found they would say..."I was playing ball with a boy." When asked to show them the child with the ball, he would never be found.
During the holidays, the whole house would be decorated in Christmas lights. Several trees would be adorned in all the trimming, especially lights. Vivian, the manager of the River House Inn till it's closings in 2009, would be the last person out. She would have to turn off all the Christmas decorations by hand, turn on the security system and leave. Sometimes she would go to a local tavern that was up the street for the old restaurant. Upon returning, she would find the entire house lit and all the decorations plugged back into the sockets. She would go inside, shut off the security system and re-unplug the decorations and go home. On many occasions the day crew would call her and say, "Why didn't you unplug the decorations?" After a while, the staff would get to know Perry on a regular basis.
Patrons and workers would sometimes find that their cell phones, digital cameras and other electrical devices would be drained. Employees knew to always have their chargers with them on those occasions. Many patrons to my tour would often have their cameras drained from Lithium batteries that often would last for 15 hours be drained in seconds.
Perry as a boy in door window.
May the spirits of season touch your heart this holiday time. Fort Lauderdale Ghost Tour still goes to the River House Inn. If you would like to see and hear more stories about the ghosts of Downtown Fort Lauderdale book your tour and maybe you'll get a experience to tell your family and friends over and over again.
Click here to get to Ghost Tour Website
