The 1900 Building

Posted: 10.18.2025 | Updated: 10.18.2025

Located mere steps from the Atlantic Ocean, the 1900 Building is a historic landmark in downtown Melbourne, Florida, with a unique past. Originally a swank hotel in the 1920s, the 1900 Building served countless purposes over the decades, leading to a few ghost stories. Read on to learn more about one of the top haunted spots in the Orlando area.

Planning your next vacation to Orlando? While you’re hitting the beach and seeing the sights, don’t forget to make your trip a little spooky by booking a ghost tour with Orlando Haunts!

Is The 1900 Building Haunted?

At least two or three spirits haunt the 1900 Building. The ghosts seem to have originated from the building’s time as the Melbourne Hotel. The most active hauntings include:

• A heartbroken woman searching for her lost love
• A ship captain looking for the woman he left behind
• A former tenant who vowed to haunt the building

Over the years, numerous residents have reported hauntings and unexplained activity. Whatever goes on inside the 1900 Building, some refuse to visit after dark.

History of the 1900 Building

The 1900 Building opened in 1924 as the Melbourne Hotel. The three-story Spanish Revival structure was created by land developer Elton Hall. At the time of its construction, the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce was working to rebrand the town as “The Midway City,” a halfway point between Jacksonville and Miami. 

As more people purchased automobiles, the need for lodging near highways significantly increased. The Melbourne Hotel was located just off State Highway 1, known at the time as Dixie Highway. Positioned at the corner of New Haven Avenue and South Harbor City Boulevard, Melbourne’s first stoplight was placed in front of the hotel.

The Melbourne Hotel was not just any roadside lodging. The hotel boasted over 100 rooms, a bar, a restaurant, a rooftop garden, and a telegraph office. For a brief time, a police dispatch office was housed on the main floor. Advertising for the hotel claimed it was “strictly fireproof.” Hundreds of people attended the opening night reception for the hotel thrown by Elton Hall.

The Many Transitions of the Building

Other businesses that operated out of the main floor included the Manhattan Bar, Smitty’s Package Store, a drug store, a barber shop, and a taxi dispatch station. With so many thriving businesses, it’s no surprise that the hotel became the hub of downtown Melbourne. 

The building remained a hotel for decades until it was purchased by Melbourne Bank and Trust/Flagship Bank in the 1970s. A number of renovations were carried out, including covering the windows and remodeling the first and second floors of the former hotel. 

In May of 1984, the building was purchased by Harry and Wendy Brandon, who saw the historical significance of the once grand Melbourne Hotel. Their painstaking renovation included reinstalling windows throughout the building and restoring the first and second floors. They also restored the third floor, which had sat vacant and untouched for decades. The Brandons chose to rename the building the 1900 Building in reference to its official address, 1900 South Harbor City Boulevard. 

On November 11, 1985, 1900 Building had its grand reopening, over 60 years after its original opening at the Melbourne Hotel. As part of the festivities, a time capsule was placed in the west courtyard and will be opened on November 11, 2045.

Hauntings at the 1900 Building

Sometimes, when places sit unused for a long time, renovations can awaken dormant spirits. This seems to be the case for the 1900 Building. Before the building had reopened to the public in 1985, workers had already noticed strange activity. Contractors restoring the building’s original tile work would often stay late, working until 9 or 10 p.m. 

It was in these late evening hours that one contractor would hear someone walking up and down the second-floor corridor. The sound was especially unnerving because there was no one else in the building. This supernatural phenomena happened repeatedly, until the contractor dreaded being alone there at night.

Once reopened as office space, a real estate agent working in the 1900 Building claimed there were countless spirits haunting the space. The agent was convinced that her office was infested with ghosts based on the amount of unexplained activity she endured there.

Amelia

It seems that love stories and hauntings sadly go hand-in-hand. This is the case with Amelia, a ghost who has been seen in the 1900 Building for decades. As the story goes, Amelia lived in the Hotel Melbourne and was in love with a ship captain. 

This captain would visit her whenever he docked, until she suddenly stopped showing up. A lovesick Amelia later died in the hotel, and she has been seen wandering the corridors searching for her lost love.

In an alternate version of the story, this ship captain drowned on his way coming back to see Amelia. His forlorn spirit has also been seen throughout the building, unable to connect with his lost love.

Timothy E. McGuire

Timothy E. McGuire was a permanent resident at the Melbourne Hotel who liked things a certain way. He was a fan of the traditional, including crisp, white cotton sheets. Because of his tastes, he was deeply offended when the hotel embraced the Flapper style of the Roaring 20s. 

The hotel replaced its traditional sheets with red, white, and blue sheets made of silk. An outraged Mr. McGuire told the general manager of the hotel, “You’ll regret this move. I will haunt this flapper hotel forever!” 

Apparently, McGuire has kept to his word and has haunted the building since his death. It’s unclear how he feels about any of the fabrics used in the building today.

Haunted Orlando

Now over a century old, the 1900 Building remains an active space for both the living and the dead. However, it seems at least for now, both the human and spirit world have learned to cohabitate. 

Looking to add some spookiness to your Orlando vacation? You can learn all about the history and hauntings of the Orlando area by booking a one-of-a-kind walking ghost tour with Orlando Haunts today! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Orlando hauntings.

Sources:

• https://www.1900building.com/about-the-1900-building

• https://bizarrebrevard.wordpress.com/2015/03/04/the-1900-building-aka-old-melbourne-hotel/

• https://www.vieravoice.com/community/brevard-full-of-fascinating-haunted-places/article_ed569622-063b-5693-bb36-6eb726246c4d.html