Tag Archives: Haunted California

Investigation of the Whaley House, Ep. 472

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History Goes Bump featured the Whaley House on an episode in 2016 and it has been on our bucket list to investigate for quite a while. We finally had the opportunity to do that in January of 2023 during a quick trip to hang out with family back in California. The Whaley House is the oldest brick structure in southern California and was built by Thomas Whaley, Jr. The home served a variety of purposes and sits on an old hanging ground, so it isn’t surprising that people claim that this is one of the most haunted houses in America. Join us as we share our investigation of the Whaley House! The Moment in Oddity features larger than life balloons and This Month in History features the birth of Andre Michelin.

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Cerro Gordo Ghost Town, Ep. 410

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The ghost town of Cerro Gordo is found in California’s Inyo Mountains. This fairly prosperous mining town was established in the mid-1800s and had been mostly abandoned for decades. New life was breathed into it recently after being purchased in 2018 for almost $1.5 million. This mining camp had been a dangerous place to live. People died from gunfights, disease and mining accidents. And now it would seem that spirits still remain because of all those deaths. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of the Cerro Gordo Ghost Town! The Moment in Oddity features the Steamboat Arabia and This Month in History features the opening of the Sistine Chapel to the Public. Our location was suggested by listener Julie Shjandemaar.

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Andres Pico Adobe, Ep. 364

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The Andres Pico Adobe dates back to the early 1800s and is the second oldest residence in Los Angeles. This was named for the man who once lived there, Andres Pico. The adobe part of the name refers to the material from which it is constructed. Today, it is the home of the San Fernando Valley Historical Society and is a museum that can be toured featuring artifacts and cultural relics. Maria Wessenauer is the Vice President of the San Fernando Valley Historical Society and creator of Hollywood Exhumed and she joins us to share the history and hauntings of the Andres Pico Adobe. The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Scott Booker and features Garry Hoy falling to his death and This Month in History features Colonel Thomas Pride’s Purge.

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Zalud House, Ep. 359

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The Zalud House in Porterville, California is like a time capsule glimpse into the life of a family. A family who suffered much tragedy in the house. This home is unique in that the Zalud Family were the only family to live in this mansion and it is furnished with their belongings. Several family members died here and it seems to have trapped their spirits. Paranormal tours are offered and Ghost Adventures has investigated the house. Some of the activity is fairly mundane, but there also is a darkness here that seems to be connected to a chair. Join us as we share the history and haunts of the Zalud House! Moment in Oddity was suggested by John Michaels and features Alice Blunden buried alive twice and This Month in History features Will Rogers. Our location was suggested by Anna Frias.

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Black Dahlia Murder House, Ep. 305

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The “Black Dahlia Murder House” is actually the John Sowden House. The man I believe killed Elizabeth Short lived here for a time and I believe he murdered her and many other women in this house. The torture and murder that took place here has left a negative spiritual residue that has lead to hauntings. Not only that, but the Black Dahlia herself is not at rest and has been seen in several locations in her spirit form. Join me as I explore the murder of the Black Dahlia, her killer and the history of the house that ties the two together, the Sowden House! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Michael Rogers and features the Aztec Death Whistle and This Month in History features Congress taking over lighthouses.

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Brookdale Lodge, Ep. 252

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Santa Cruz has come up several times on the podcast. The city is a redwood forested wonderland, but it is also a mystical and supernatural dreamland. One of the most well-known locations in Santa Cruz is the Brookdale Lodge, an establishment that has been around for over a hundred years. This was a place for the wealthy and famous to relax and later became a family getaway. Today, it is striving to recover from years of neglect to obtain some sense of its former glory. Some things left over from the past are ghosts. There is reputedly quite a bit of activity here. On this episode, our listener and Executive Producer Sasha Wolfe, interviews the members of Santa Cruz Ghost Hunters to talk about technique, theories and the Brookdale Lodge. Moment in Oddity was suggested by listener Jennifer Durham and features two gravestones on Savannah Airport runway. This Month in History features the Bread Riot in Richmond, Virginia.

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Yosemite National Park, Ep. 240

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In the United States, there are 59 separate natural protected areas known as National Parks. The Department of the Interior oversees these parks under the National Park Service and each area has been dedicated by an act of Congress. The effort to set aside these areas was initiated to prevent the expanding population from destroying distinct natural areas, so they could be preserved for future generations. Yosemite National Park was one of the first parks designated for special protection. The park covers an area of 747,956 acres in the Western Sierra Nevada of Northern California. It was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1984. Known for it’s granite cliffs, waterfalls, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, and glaciers it is the source of not only beauty but of an amazing history and great stories including those of curses, cryptids, and ghosts. Join us as we explore the history and the hauntings of Yosemite National Park. The Moment in Oddity features The White Death Sniper and This Month in History features the Russians surrendering to the Japanese after the Battle of Port Arthur.

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Haunted Calico, Ep. 234

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The Calico Mountains rise out of the Mojave Desert, painted in a variety of colors, which is how they got their name. These mountains are home to Calico, a ghost town that was once a thriving mining town. As was the case with so many other mining towns, once the price of silver dropped, people started leaving. The gunfights, gambling and mining of the past just faded away. Today, it is a tourist attraction that seems to still be home for some of the spirits of its former residents. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of the town of Calico. The Moment in Oddity features Judge Crater goes missing and This Month in History features Congress creates the Committee of Secret Correspondence. Our location was suggested by listeners Lianna Sapien, Anna Prado-Frias and Laura Rey.

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Preston Castle, Ep. 212

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Perched on a hill above the town of Ione in California is a menacing and haunting castle-like structure that once was a reform school. The Preston Castle was an ambitious plan to get juvenile deliquents to become contributing members of the community. But as was the case with so many of these types of places that were built in the late 1800s and run through the early 1900s, abuse, overcrowding and death were commonplace. The emotional residue of this location seems to have led to haunting experiences. Pam Ennis, Case Manger for Pacific Coast Spirit Watch, joins us to share the history and some of her paranormal experiences at Preston Castle. The Moment in Oddity features the Taos Hum and This Month in History features the birth of Ida B. Wells.

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The Ghost Town Bodie, Ep. 190

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The town of Bodie in California is probably one of the best preserved ghost towns in America and the town describes itself as being in a state of arrested decay. There are over 100 structures still standing today with many of them dating back to the late 1800’s. The town is a State Historic Park maintained by the California State Parks System. In its heyday, it played home to gamblers, miners, gunfighters and prostitutes. It went boom and bust quickly and left abandoned. Some would claim that it is not completely abandoned. The spirits of those who lived during Bodie’s glory years seem to still be around, as if waiting for another rich strike to bring the people flocking to the ramshackle buildings. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of the ghost town of Bodie! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by listener Kathy Webb-Thomas and features The Cadaver Synod and This Month in History features the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. We also have the 13th installment in the 3rd series of Tim Prasil’s Spectral Edition! Our location was suggested by listener Debbie Miller.

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