HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
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Daytona Beach's oldest Victorian home, built 1884, sheltered a shipwrecked Stephen Crane in 1897 — and now hosts three named spirits including a woman in white and the ghost of Crane himself
111 Silver Beach Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32118
Research updated September 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Museum tours $5. Paranormal investigation events priced separately; see website.
Access
Limited Access
Victorian home with stairs; not fully wheelchair accessible
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1884 · Oldest Victorian home on Daytona Beachside · Site of Stephen Crane's 1897 post-shipwreck recovery · National Register of Historic Places · Built by Lawrence Thompson, one of Daytona Beach's founding settlers
Lawrence Thompson was among the earliest settlers to arrive on the beachside of what would become Daytona Beach. In 1884 he constructed a Victorian-style home at 111 Silver Beach Avenue, a property that would remain in his family and then pass into institutional preservation — making it the oldest surviving example of Victorian-era architecture on that side of the Halifax River.
The house gained its most significant historical association in January 1897. Stephen Crane, at the time a 25-year-old journalist and author who had published The Red Badge of Courage two years earlier, was aboard the SS Commodore when the ship sank approximately 16 miles offshore on January 2. Crane was one of four survivors who spent roughly 30 hours in an open dinghy before reaching Daytona Beach. He was taken to recover at Lilian Place. The experience consumed him; he later wrote 'The Open Boat,' a short story considered among the finest in American literature, drawing directly on the survival ordeal.
The house passed out of the Thompson family after Lawrence Thompson's death in 1920. In 2006, a nonprofit Heritage Preservation Trust was formed with the goal of acquiring and restoring it; the trust took ownership in 2009. Lilian Place now operates as a museum, event venue, and center for paranormal investigation. The building and its 2.5-acre riverfront grounds are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sources
Lilian Place Heritage Center has accumulated a roster of named spirits over decades of reported activity. The most frequently encountered is a woman known as Lucille — identified in accounts as a former girlfriend of Lawrence Thompson's brother Harry, or possibly Harry's first wife. She makes her presence known through utility disruptions: faucets turning on, lights flickering, knocking sounds in the walls. Investigators and visitors describe her as a consistent presence rather than an intermittent one.
Francis is a child-aged entity whose energy is described as attached to a specific dollhouse donated to the home. The dollhouse belonged to the daughter of Lorenzo Houston, Daytona Beach's first mayor. Francis's activity tends to center on the rooms where the dollhouse is kept.
Stephen Crane's connection to the house is historical fact — his 1897 shipwreck recovery and the subsequent writing of 'The Open Boat' give his presence at Lilian Place documented grounding. Staff and visitors have reported what they interpret as Crane's figure walking in the hall near the room dedicated to him.
Paula Lessmiller, president of the Heritage Preservation Trust, has overseen paranormal investigations using professional equipment. Video recording has captured what investigators identify as orbs in several rooms. A visiting medium described the kitchen as particularly active. The venue hosts monthly 'Dining with the Spirits' and mystery dinner events in addition to formal investigations.
Notable Entities
A guided walk through the oldest Victorian home on Daytona Beachside, built in 1884 by Lawrence Thompson, one of the city's founding settlers. The home's connection to Stephen Crane's 1897 shipwreck survival is featured. Check the website for current tour availability during restoration.
Guided investigation of the mansion using professional ghost-hunting equipment. Investigators can access areas associated with the three named spirits. Monthly events; check website for schedule.
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