It is the site of Florida's first lighthouse and the 10th tallest in the nation. You must be 7 years old and 4 feet tall to climb the 219 steps to the top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse tower.

Unless, of course, you happen to be a ghost. In which case, there are no rules for you.

Is our lighthouse haunted? That's what three different film crews have tried to find out.

The Public Broadcasting Service sent a crew to film the St. Augustine Lighthouse as one of its subjects in a feature on Southeastern lighthouses.

Two years ago, a Discovery Channel crew visited and filmed a documentary on ghosts and legends of America's lighthouses. The crew deemed St. Augustine to be its favorite and took many rolls of film, searching for the ghosts in the tower and on the property.

Several staffers have seen a hazy, male figure walking through the house. Perhaps a former lightkeeper making his rounds?

Once, when the museum was being rearranged, a maintenance man lifted one end of a bench to set it aside. Before he could walk around to lift the other side, it raised up in the air and moved itself. (We think that worker took the rest of the day off.) Could it have been a Spanish watchman from the first wooden tower built in 1586?

In 1955, the tower was automated. It was during this time that guests in the house reported seeing and hearing the ghosts of two little girls. The guests promptly moved out. But it is believed that the little girls were the daughters of the construction manager, who built this lighthouse in the 1870s after erosion threatened the old tower.

There are also a few reports of seeing a figure at the top of the tower. Could this possibly be the lightkeeper who fell to this death while painting the original tower in 1859?

There will always be stories and legends of ghostly experiences. But in a town as steeped in history as St. Augustine, ghost stories abound. And, why not? It could be possible for a few souls to be trapped, somewhere between antiquity and modern times.

So, you could be among the 140,000 people per year who visit the St. Augustine Lighthouse. Whether it is to view the museum, or take in the spectacular vista from the top, just remember, if someone taps you on the shoulder, it could be an encounter you will never forget.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum, still a working lighthouse, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (extended summer hours). Costs range from $2.50/child, $3.50/seniors and $5/adult (with group rates of 10 or more available).