Orlando’s Historic Haunts

If you think Orlando, Florida, is only about everything Disney, you’re missing out. Orlando was once an open frontier where cattle were herded to market, fortunes were made and lost, and citrus was king. Its history is studded with tales of restless spirits who can’t seem to let bygones be bygones. Take a stroll through downtown Orlando, with its century-old buildings that used to house hardware stores, funeral parlors, hospitals, grocery stores, newspaper offices, hotels, theaters, and five-and-dimes. Over the years, these old-fashioned venues have been replaced by modern cafes, restaurants, bars, and assorted retail stores-but the ghosts that haunt them don’t know that. They’re still wandering original hallways, passing through walls that used to be doors, and ascending staircases long since sealed off.