Evicted in Life: Moved back in Death Marreoros Guest Mansion

Photo credit: Marisa De Roma (a,k,a The Wandering Oddball)

Key West is home to an abundance of ghost stories. Some are malevolent or disturbing. Some are just people who never left Key West’s peaceful atmosphere. 

Then there are sad stories, the kind that would make you remember life is not fair.

One of these tales comes from the Marreros Guest Mansion.  

Enriquetta Marrero

The story goes that in 1890, a wealthy cigar-industry man, Francisco Marrero, was married to Enriquetta Marrero. Together, they had eight children. With his wealth, Francisco built a beautiful Victorian home for his family.

One day, it seemed Francisco took a business trip to Cuba and never returned. 

Later on, he was declared dead, leaving Enriquetta a widow with eight children to raise. Not long after, a woman from Cuba came to the house, claiming she was married to Francisco. 

Well, it turns out her late husband had a first wife from Cuba whom he never legally divorced! 

She came to claim the house. Unfortunately for Enriquetta, the courts sided with the woman due to her still being legally married to Francisco.

Enriquetta and her children were kicked out of the home. Enraged Enriquetta swore that in death, the mansion was hers. In some versions of the story, it is said she and her children perished being out in the streets, but there are also descendants of hers that came forward, so it might not be completely true. 

Ghost Stories

Many people smell her lavender perfume, and she loves pulling small pranks on the guests. She haunts Suite 7 and guests report stuff being moved around mysteriously. She is also known to not like particular guests and lets the living know by swinging the chandelier back and forth.  

Her children haunt the home and the laughter of children can be heard. It should also be noted that guests only 21 and over can stay. So if that were the case, why was the laughter of children heard by some? Also, like their mother, they too love pulling pranks. One particular room that they would play in while alive is said to have activity. The door would lock and unlock on its own. 

The hauntings have not deterred guests, by the way, as people still book rooms there during their stay in Key West. So basically Enriquetta and the home’s history have brought good publicity to curious tourists.