The Ghosts of DeLand
As a Stetson student who lives on campus, I have experienced a couple of creepy things. A couple of months ago, I had come back from class and went into my dorm room. I said hi to my roommate, but she was not in the room, so I assumed she was in the bathroom. I heard her say hello back only for her to walk into the room from the front door a couple of seconds later. I was completely shocked, and this personal experience is one of the the many odd stories you hear around campus.
Stetson has a history of odd events and ghosts sightings. I have been fascinated with the paranormal and ghosts ever since I was young. I like that ghosts are strange and a bit of a mystery. A lot of people do not like to talk about the paranormal because they do not actually believe in ghosts, or the subject makes them uncomfortable. Since becoming a Stetson student, I have researched stories of the ghosts here on campus and have heard stories from my friends and other people on campus. Stetson has many ghost stories, the main one being about the Hulley Tower.
The Hulley Tower, which was built in 1934, is at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. Doctor Lincoln Hulley, a graduate of Havard, helped Stetson University pay to build the Hulley Tower. According to Waymarking.com, the tower stands 116 feet tall and it consists of four large windows and seven smaller rough cast bells, ranging from 575 to 3,000 pounds. Stetson’s president was Dr. Hulley, he was president from 1904 until 1934. He died before the tower was finished and he was buried on the first floor of the tower. His wife, Eloise Mayham Hulley, lived another 25 years after the death of her husband. She was buried on the first floor right next to her husband. The tower is a memorial to the Hulleys since both are buried on the first floor of the tower within the stone base.
While no one knows when the rumors started, there have been stories about Dr. and Mrs. Hulley’s ghosts for at least forty years. According to Greg Jenkins in Florida’s Ghostly Legends and Haunted Folklore: Volume One: South and Central Florida, the ghosts have been seen walking around campus. Dr. Hulley walks a golden terrier and they have been seen around the Hulley Tower and others parts of the campus. Jenkins writes about one resident telling of a night where he was walking his dog, and he saw the couple, and went to walk over to them. As he got closer, he realized something odd: they were dressed a little old fashioned. He did not think much of it and kept walking. As he got closer, his dog started pulling back on the leash and began barking. The owner looked at his dog, then went to look up at the couple again, only to find they had vanished like ghosts. There have been multiple sightings for these ghosts at Stetson over the last several decades.
Besides the Hulley Tower, there are a few other places on Stetson campus that are haunted. It is said that you can possibly spot a ghost, particularly at night, at the fountain in Palm Court, or at the gym. Other possibly haunted places on campus include Flagler Hall and Elizabeth Hall. According to Jenkins, even some resident halls like Chaudoin Hall are haunted. There have been many reports of Chaudoin Hall being haunted, such as footsteps being heard down the hall when no one is there, and strange noises and screaming down the hallway. Jenkins wrote that there have even been reports of the study room on the second floor being haunted by a ghost. I was in Chaudoin last year and I did experience hearing noises and loud screams at the end of the hallway. The history of Chaudoin Hall and the experiences of my friends and I all point toward possible paranormal activity.
My favorite haunted place on campus is Elizabeth Hall, and the ghost of Elizabeth who haunts it. I think every Stetson student has heard of this particular ghost. Some of my friends have experienced paranormal events going on in Elizabeth Hall while they were studying for finals a couple of years ago. One night, my friend Danny was studying in Elizabeth and he heard noises from the bathroom. He heard the bathroom door open, but did not see anyone come out. The noises become louder even though no one was around and he eventually packed up his stuff and walked back to his dorm. He has never been back to study at Elizabeth Hall, and to this day, he still will not go back to the building.
Right next to Elizabeth Hall is DeLand Hall, which is also possibly haunted. Jenkins writes in his book, “DeLand Hall is known as the ‘Grand Old Lady’ and is known as the oldest academic building on campus.” Jenkins talks about one female student who noticed something strange going on while she was there. The grandfather clock chimed loudly and she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around, but there was no one there. This girl was absolutely terrified and got out of there as fast as possible, and never went back. When she talked to her professors about her experience, they were surprised by her story. They told her they were confused because that clock had not be wound in years, so it could not possibly be working.
My personal experiences and research have led me to believe that some of Stetson seems to haunted. I have always been fascinated with the idea of ghosts and the paranormal. The mystery of the paranormal has always interested me, and I want to learn more about ghosts in the places I live. In addition to the my previous experiences.
I remember talking on the phone and then hearing footsteps coming up the stairs. When I turned around, no one was there. I have multiple experiences at Stetson that were unusual and could be linked to the paranormal. Stetson has many stories linked to ghosts and unexplained events. Current students and faculty share similar stories frequently. With Stetson being a haunted campus, who knows, you might see a ghost yourself.
