Astor, Florida: A Possible Ground Zero for the Paranormal, UFO's and Cryptids?

By David Hoes - Astor is a town of about 1500 residents that has a rich, but sometimes violent history. It is also the focal point for a remarkable variety of paranormal phenomena. The following is a list of some of the strange events in and around Astor:

- The ghost of an Indian chief and a French Huguenot Monk have been seen in the area

- A dinosaur-like river monster known as "Pinky" has been sighted by numerous witnesses

- UFOs have frequently been spotted in local skies

- Skunk Apes, a Florida version of Bigfoot, are said to inhabit the surrounding forest

- The town's lighthouse-keeper and drawbridge-tender were mysteriously murdered

- The leading citizen and largest property owner died on the Titanic

- A Transylvanian Count served as newspaper publisher and local historian

Astor History

Astor is located almost due north of Orlando and due west of Daytona Beach, on the west bank of the St. John's River. The lands around Astor were originally inhabited by Timucua Indians. There is a large shell mound just north of town where in the 1880s archeologists uncovered a number of relics and human remains.

French Huguenots escaping religious persecution settled at the present site of Astor in 1562. However, the entire colony was wiped out by Spanish troops in 1566. Later, the Spanish were driven out by the British.

The next European to settle in the area was James Spalding, who established a trading post at the present site of Astor in 1763. By that time, there were only about two dozen Timucua still alive. The rest had been killed by disease or war.

In 1822, a Jewish immigrant, Moses Elias Levy, raised oranges and sugar cane at the future site of Astor. During the Seminole wars, several forts were built in the vicinity. While some battles took place, more US troops died from disease than from combat. By 1870, the area was largely deserted.

However, in 1874, William B. Astor, Sr., purchased 12,000 acres of land along the St. John's river and established the town of Manhattan. When Astor died twenty years later, the town was officially renamed Astor in his honor. His son, John Jacob Astor IV inherited his father's estate and continued to promote the town. John Jacob Astor IV is remembered for his heroism during the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, when he gave-up up his place in a lifeboat to another passenger.

A more recent but somewhat less famous resident of Astor was Count Albert Wass de Szentegyed et Czege, (known as A. Wass de Czege) a Transylvanian nobleman and author, who came to Astor following World War II. He was the publisher of the local newspaper and a local historian.

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Source: Phantoms and Monsters