Bask in the warmth of the Southern California sun by day; sleep in the chill of a ghostly presence by night. If your spine tingles at the thought of mysterious cold spots or the eerie sounds of footsteps creaking down the hallway, San Diego has some great places for you!
WILLIAM HEATH DAVIS HOUSE
Nestled in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter, the William Heath Davis House is the oldest structure in downtown San Diego. Built in 1850, it boasts classic Victorian decor and a Victorian-era ghost hostess. (A ghostess?)
Though her identity is unknown, the apparition of a Victorian woman is often seen near the stairs leading to the second floor. In one account, a tour guide had arrived to start the tour only to find the guests already going upstairs. When questioned, they told the guide that a woman in period costume had beckoned them up. No one was in costume that day nor was anyone upstairs.
Another eerie story was featured in a 1977 San Diego newspaper article. Interviewees reported lamps flickering on and off by themselves. Admittedly, that isn't unusual with power surges and sudden outages... Except that the house wasn't outfitted with electricity until 1984.
HOTEL DEL CORONADO
Fondly dubbed "The Del" by locals and visitors alike, the hotel boasts many famous people as guests throughout its 120-year history. Names like Marilyn Monroe and Lyndon B. Johnson have passed through its storied hallways. And then there was Kate Morgan.
Kate Morgan was a con-artist who traveled with her husband, Thomas. A beautiful woman, she would charm gullible men into poker games with her "brother." Once they fleeced the unfortunate lad of his funds, they would move on to the next mark. The scams worked well until she found out she was pregnant. Thomas, apparently not pleased, left her.
She checked into The Del around Thanksgiving in 1892 and waited five lonely days for her husband to return. Finally, despondent at being abandoned, she met tragedy at the end of a .44 caliber gun.
Her ghost is said to still haunt her old room 312.
However, there are some that wonder if her death was truly a suicide. The gun was found two steps above where her body was found. Most curiously, there is no record of gun powder on her hands or the entrance wound. Perhaps she haunts The Del not looking for her errant husband, but searching for her murderer.
WHALEY HOUSE
The Whaley House is touted by the Travel Channel as the most haunted house in America. The dynamic history of the Whaley House adds to its mystery.
Aside from being the home of Thomas and Anna Whaley and their children, the house was also once a courthouse where men were sentenced to and then met their deaths. "Yankee" Jim Robinson was hanged at the Whaley House and is buried at the nearby El Campo Santo Cemetery. However, it is said his footsteps still echo through the house. Matbe he is angry about his botched execution where he hung for a tormented 15 minutes before finally dying.
Thomas Whaley can't seem to leave his beloved home either. In one account, a museum worker caught the potent whiff of cigars. She searched the area, intent on asking the individual not to smoke near the museum entrance. Strangely, she couldn't find anyone. The next day, she mentioned the incident to a co-worker and was informed that Thomas had been terribly fond of cigars.
The Whaley House isn't the only building in Old Town San Diego reputed to be haunted. When you visit Old Town, be sure to drop by Casa de Estudillo where strange faces appear in mirrors and El Fandango Restaurant where the cloudy apparition of a female sometimes dines.
So what are you waiting for? Visit San Diego and let its inhabitants - both past and present - show you their beloved city!
This guide to spooky San Diego was brought to you by R. Quileza.