Beware the Haunted LoCals

Written By: Vicktor Duffy, Staff Writer

SPOOKTACULAR: The stories behind some of the most haunted places in the Golden State.

For those with an interest in the mysterious and paranormal, California offers a variety of supposedly haunted locations, each with its own unique lore and ghostly inhabitants. California is home to a range of seemingly haunted locations with diverse and fascinating origin stories. In this article, we will delve into the eerie tales and strange legends associated with the most haunted places in California. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, these tales are sure to capture your imagination and make your spine tingle.

In the late 1800s, when the Winchester Repeating Arms Company was at the height of its success, it produced the most popular rifle in the United States. Named for its use in colonizing the American West, the Model 1873 was widely known as “The Gun That Won The West.” However, tragedy struck soon after. In 1881, only a year after his father, founder Oliver Winchester, passed away, so did his heir, William, leaving behind a large inheritance of $20 million for his wife, Sarah Winchester. The inheritance instantly made Sarah one of the wealthiest women in the world and 50% ownership of the company.

Grief-stricken, Sarah turned to a psychic for answers. The psychic told her that the Winchesters were cursed by the souls of those murdered by the rifles that had built their fortune. To appease the spirits, Sarah must construct a home according to the spirits’ plans. If the hammers ever stopped, the spirits would come for her life, just as they had taken her loved ones before.

Construction of the Winchester Mansion began in San Jose in 1884 and continued for almost 40 years, ending with Sarah’s death in 1922. To keep the ghosts from discovering her location, the house was designed uniquely, with strange features such as staircases leading to ceilings and balconies overlooking inside rooms, and small rooms contained within bigger ones, thus creating a confusing maze for the ghosts and visitors alike. Even to this day, the mansion leaves people scratching their heads and questioning the logic behind its design.

The Whaley House Museum, originally constructed in 1857 as a luxurious mansion for the Whaley family, quickly became an important staple of the San Diego community, serving various social functions, such as a school, polling place, general store, commercial theater, and even a courtroom. It was primarily a home for the Whaley family, who tragically lost four of their members while residing in the house. Beyond being a historic landmark, the Whaley House Museum is also known to be one of the most haunted places in the United States, likely due to its history as a cemetery and having been used for public executions.

 The Greek Revival two-story house was designed by Thomas Whaley and construction began on May 6, 1856. Completed in 1857, the cost of the house was more than $10,000. Made from bricks produced in Whaley’s brickyard on Conde Street, the house was constructed to be the first of its kind in San Diego. It was deemed a beautiful mansion at its time, despite its smaller stature by today’s standards. Shortly after moving in, the Whaley family told the San Diego Union that they heard heavy footsteps in the house which they believed to be the ghost of James “Yankee Jim” Robinson, who had earlier been hanged on the property for stealing a boat. The exact location of his hanging is speculated to be the arch in the house’s parlor.

Alcatraz Island started as a military fortress with a large stockpile of cannons installed on its grounds and a place to detain military prisoners. By the early 1900s, the island’s primary purpose shifted in favor of a military prison, and by 1933, it began to serve as a maximum security prison for the most incorrigible and violent criminals within the federal prison system. From Al Capone to the Birdman, notorious figures in history have occupied this place, making it a fitting home for some of the worst offenders of its time.

The prison is located approximately 1.5 miles away from the coastline of San Francisco and occupies 22 acres of jagged rock, leading it to gain the rather straightforward nickname of The Rock. The significant locations within the prison include four cell blocks, a hospital, an administrative building, and a recreational area. The island prison was spacious and had the potential to hold a total capacity of 336 inmates. It was known for its reputation of being impenetrable and impossible to escape from, although many prisoners attempted it nonetheless with mixed results, including the certain demise of some individuals and the possible escape of three others.