HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
A 1950s Jacksonville Beach dive bar haunted by its former owner — burlesque performer Darlene 'Ginger' Payson — who ran it from 1976 until her death in 2003
1318 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
Research updated June 2026
Age
21+
Cost
$
Dive bar pricing; no cover
Access
Limited Access
Single-story commercial building
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1950 · Jacksonville Burlesque History · Post-War Commercial Architecture · Community Bar History
The one-story commercial building at 1318 Beach Blvd in Jacksonville Beach was constructed in 1950. Before it became a bar, the space cycled through several retail uses: a dress shop, a grocery store, and a glass shop. Its transformation into a dive bar came in 1976 when Darlene Edith Payson, known throughout Jacksonville's entertainment circuit as Ginger, took the lease.
Payson had spent years as a burlesque performer in Jacksonville. Her most celebrated act was 'Tiza, The Girl in the Goldfish Bowl,' in which she performed in a portable water tank as a mermaid. She also performed under billing including 'The Girl Who Shocked Chicago' and 'The Original Shower Girl,' names that suggest a touring career beyond northeastern Florida. She was born in Pekin, Illinois, and made her way to the Jacksonville area, where she became a fixture.
During her years running the bar, Payson suffered a devastating family loss: three of her sons were killed in a shrimping accident at sea. Their bodies washed ashore on the beach directly in front of the building where she worked every day. She continued operating the bar regardless. Payson ran the establishment from 1976 until her death in 2003 — 27 years of continuous operation. The bar has remained open since under new ownership, carrying her name and much of her memorabilia.
Sources
Ginger Payson appears to have stayed. Since her death in 2003, staff and regulars have reported a cluster of phenomena concentrated in the spaces she occupied most: the main bar area and the fireplace in the dining room.
The most-discussed event involves coins found scattered around the bar in places where coins were not left. Staff who knew Payson during her lifetime interpret this as her habit of standing rounds for regulars — a characteristic behavior carried into whatever comes after. The coins materialize without witness, typically overnight or in quiet periods.
Payson's apparition is most often reported next to the fireplace in the main dining room, though sightings have been noted in other parts of the building as well. The figure is recognized by people who knew her as resembling Ginger in life. Multiple staff members over the years since 2003 have reported the sightings independently.
Two additional phenomena round out the reports: shadows observed passing through the back room with no person attached, and the tactile sensation of something brushing against the legs of people seated or standing in the bar. Neither of these is attributed to a specific identity — they may represent separate presences or the same one in different modes.
Notable Entities
A functioning dive bar in a 1950 building on Beach Blvd, operated continuously since Darlene Payson opened it in 1976. Staff and regulars recount Ginger's history and the reported paranormal activity.
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