Researched, written, and compiled by author, Aubrey Graves
SANTA CRUZ: Acadia Street, Beach Street, Coast Road, Elm Street, Fair Street: (The Yogi Temple), Graham Hill Road, Grant Street, Oceanview Avenue, School Street, Spring Street, Soquel Avenue, Third Street: (The Golden Gate Villa), Toledo Street, Town Terrace, Walnut Avenue, 16th Avenue, 13th Avenue. BEN LOMOND: Highway 9: (Howden Castle), Locust Lane. BONNY DOON: Martin Road. CAPITOLA: 41st Avenue, Capitola Avenue. SOQUEL: Old San Jose Road, Soquel Drive. WATSONVILLE: Hawthorne Lane, Progress Drive, Rancho Brazil Lane
THE OLD MAN
Acadia Street, Santa Cruz, CA
Next to Neary Lagoon, sits a home that has been haunted for generations. The house on Acadia Avenue located on the West Side of Santa Cruz, was built around the 1950s. The foundation of the property was made purely out of limestone. (Certain kinds of rock such as limestone, quartz, and magnetite deposits are said to be hot spots for spirit dwellings. The electromagnetically-charged rocks can supposedly hold information of an event that happened in the past, sometimes creating a residual haunting; as well as giving a spirit energy to manifest.)
Not only is the home built on solid stone, Indian burial grounds are known to cover the proximity as well, creating on-going hauntings at the residence. My friend Garrett lived in the back unit of the house with his friend Eric where they started experiencing paranormal activity as soon as they moved in.
Ever since Garrett and Eric moved into the home, they occasionally were woken up at 3 AM. It wasn’t a noise that would wake the guys, but more like they got all kinds of eerie energy, making them feel wide awake within seconds.
In 2008, I in fact slept there, or tried to that night. It was so creepy, it took me awhile to fall asleep. I still felt like I was being watched and I hugged Garrett’s dog close to me. I finally fell asleep around 2 AM and woke up at precisely 3 AM. I heard Eric get up as well, and could hear him moving around as soon as I arose. Garrett was still up and laughed when he saw me charge through the door energetically when I had just gone to bed only a few hours before. “Told ya,” he said to me, “It’s 3 AM exactly.” Garrett then told me about one night when he was woken up at the normal time but that certain night, there was something that didn’t want him nearby at all. All of a sudden he started feeling lots of pressure on his chest as if someone was pushing down on it. He jumped up with fright, took off on foot and ran for more than a mile.
Unexplainable incidents would occur in the garage, where I had first felt a presence. Garrett stated that the electric garage door opener never worked. The motor was even unplugged because of it being broken. All of a sudden one night when the guys were sitting next to the garage, the motor went on all by itself, rumbling and still unplugged. The next morning the guys plugged it back in and tried messing with it to make it work. They didn’t succeed. A few months later the radio, which was also unplugged, turned on by itself.
I spoke with the landlord of the property. Her toddler also saw the ghosts, and one he saw frequently he called “the old man.” The landlord’s most amazing supernatural occurrence happened when her son brought her a tank top (her favorite one at that) she had ripped and lost long ago. When her son brought it up to her, it looked as if it had never been ripped and was neatly folded. When asked where he got the tank top; he replied “the old man gave it to me.”
THE SOLDIER
La Bahia Apartments
Beach Street, Santa Cruz, CA
The beach-front apartment complex was first built in 1926 as luxury suites for the Casa Del Rey Hotel. During WWII, the hotel was used as a naval hospital where over 18,000 injured soldiers were treated. Some of the soldiers never made it out of the facility.
It is said that the old complex is haunted by ghosts, who have been both felt, heard, and seen over the years.
I spoke to a tenant who has lived at La Bahia for over 10 years, and has had multiple ghostly encounters. What spooked him the most, was when he first saw a translucent full-body apparition soon after he moved in.
It was late one night, while he was working in his study that overlooks the courtyard. He said he felt as if someone was looking at him, so he looked out his window to see who it was. Standing there he said was a ghost that looked like a soldier from World War II. “He was looking right up at me,” he stated. He explained to me how he looked away for just a moment, and when he looked back, the soldier was gone.
THE OLD SEA CAPTAIN
The Edwards' House
Coast Road, Santa Cruz, CA
On the cliffs, overlooking Red, White and Blue Beach, stands a cottage known as “The Edwards’ House.” The home was built and owned by a sea captain in 1857, who is believed to be the spirit haunting the vicinity today. As soon as the Edwards family moved into this home during the 1950s, they noticed a black rain slicker and hat hanging by the back door that didn’t belong to any of them. They later started to see the ghost of a sea captain wearing that exact outfit.
The Edwards’ daughters were constantly awakened by something that would viciously shake their beds at night. Their brother didn’t believe them, so he traded beds with one of his sisters. The next morning the Edwards’ son reported feeling like the bed was shaking and moving so violently he first thought it was an earthquake.
The next horrifying disturbance was when a large, heavy navy picture hanging on the Edwards’ wall, was ripped off by an unseen force. The framed photo flew five feet and crashed down into the hardwood floor, embedding glass slivers into the wood.
Another uncanny experience occurred in 1975, when owner Kathy Edwards was almost hit by a large potted plant. It flew approximately twelve feet toward her in midair. Luckily, her daughter caught it before it caused Kathy any bodily harm.
One skeptical visitor was laughing about the place being haunted, and within seconds, a drawer near him opened and a baby shoe flew out and hit him on his forehead. Kathy Edwards saw him become a believer after that.
Many visitors took the story seriously, including psychic Silvia Browne (RIP) from Campbell, California. She and other psychics envisioned victims being killed and buried on the property.
One psychic said he saw a girl named Gwendolyn being murdered there around the turn of the century. Kathy confirmed that this event did in fact occur when she and her husband Ralph dug up a skeleton while putting in a barbeque pit one day. The human remains were examined by an expert, who said the skeleton was from a young woman, buried approximately 70 to 80 years ago.
Doors slamming and footsteps heard throughout the home is nothing compared to what the Edwards family has dealt with. Kathy’s perfume bottles were known to clatter around a lot, and many heard sounds of shattering crystal coming from the vicinity as well. Countless amounts of the Edwards’ household items were known to disappear and reappear in different locations. Some have even witnessed objects flying through the air. Lights turn on and off after the Edwards are in bed.
Many guests on the campground complain about the flickering lights that are seen throughout the night on occasion.
THE ELM STREET HAUNTING
Elm Street, Santa Cruz, CA
Article from the Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 8, 1903:
"Is the house at 67 Elm Street haunted? That is the question that is agitating the friends of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wells. The story they tell of the strange experiences in this house causes much discussion among those who heard it. The facts, as they relate them, are given as told to a Sentinel reporter, who called at the residence Saturday evening.
The house is nice looking in appearance, comfortable, and commodious for a small family. It is of two stories, approached by a high stairway. There are numerous windows throughout, which sunlight has an opportunity of streaming. It has far from supernatural appearance. One could walk by a thousand times without being attracted to anything out of the ordinary. But, nevertheless, the domicile is one of mystery, which is awaiting investigation of those who like to delve into the depths of the unseen, uncanny, or mysterious."
"A week ago Mr Wells took possession of the house. The first night he was attracted by strange sounds, but did not pay much attention to them, thinking the rattling of the window panes was caused by the wind. The following night the noise was repeated. He is far from being skeptical, but he could not help having a creepy feeling. However, he decided not to tell his wife, who joined him a few days later.
On Thursday night, while they were in the sitting room reading, the curtain suddenly flew up. Then their dog, apparently frightened by some object, dashed through two windows to reach the yard, setting up a howl that alarmed the neighborhood. At these strange occurrences, Mr Wells' skepticism began to be shaken. He was unable to account for the mysterious proceedings.
The next morning he found the doors he had locked and bolted the night before were open. He knew he had his senses of seeing and feeling; that he was in his normal condition and was not dreaming, but he could not offer any reasonable explanation to himself for the uncanny evidences of the supernatural.
But the climax came Friday night when Mr Wells was violently thrown from his bed, and his wife, likewise summarily ejected, falling on top of him. This was too much for their patience, and they determined to find another house, which they did on Saturday."
THE COURT OF MYSTERIES
The Yogi Temple
Fair Street, Santa Cruz, CA
The mystical and outlandish “Court of Mysteries” made from brick and decorated with abalone and symbols, such as stars, was built by the eccentric Kenneth Kitchen in the 1930s. His brother Raymond also bought property down the road and began building his own bizarre quarters. It is said that each brother would only build at night by the light of the moon and a lantern.
In 1953, Kenneth Kitchen mysteriously vanished and was never seen or heard from again. The property remained empty, unfinished and unkempt until it was bought by a pastor by the name of Father Karim in the 1960s, who converted it into St. Elias Orthodox and Shrine. In the early 1990s it was left unattended until recently, when a couple from San Francisco bought the place.
Locals who live near the temple claim it is haunted, seeing strange, dark apparitions moving around the property at night. Others have heard unexplainable sounds while passing the numinous sanctuary.
While the lot was on the market , a caretaker stayed on the premises. I spoke with the caretaker’s brother who thought the place was “very creepy, especially at night.” “So far I’ve only been here for about a week, and I’m almost convinced it’s haunted,” he told me. The man claimed to see things move out of the corner of his eye, as well as sensing he was being watched. He has also heard eerie noises coming from inside the temple.
PORTAL ON THE PROPERTY
Graham Hill Road, Santa Cruz, CA
Years back, my ex-husband and I resided on Graham Hill Road (about half a mile from town), and directly behind the old White Lady’s house! Any sensitive that set foot on the property could immediately pick up on an abundant amount of spiritual energy. Over the years I had several psychics visit the home and they all believe there is a massive vortex and/ or portal on the property.
There was only a couple times where I felt scared there, or creeped out. On one occasion my dog Arlo (RIP) and I watched as a stool that stood across the room from us slide about 3 inches on its own across the tile floor. A lot of unexplainable things happened there, but I unfortunately didn’t document much.
In 2013, while my one of my old psychic friends was visiting one morning, she saw the apparition of a teenage boy standing in my bedroom looking at us. She said that he was tall and thin, dressed in 80s attire.
“He was wearing a yellow hoodless sweatshirt, jeans and white tennis shoes. I’m pretty sure he died in a car accident in the 80s on Graham Hill Road,” the psychic shared.
“Does he want something from me?” I asked.
“No, I don’t think so,” she went on. “I think he just comes and visits you sometimes.”
THE DEATH MARCH
Grant Street, Santa Cruz, CA
“I lived on Grant Street in the late 60’s. I’ve been touched by what felt like a hand on my back while lying in bed.
Once after listening to my Archie’s cut-out record, I turned off my record player. Then I started to walk out of my bedroom and heard faint music coming from the player. I leaned in to listen to hear what was playing. I then recognized it. It was “The Death March.”
There’s much more; this was just the beginning.”
-J. Slaten. Source: Contributed story
THE GHOST IN THE TRUNK
Oceanview Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
THE MANHANDLEING SPIRIT
Spring Street, Santa Cruz, CA
“We used to live in Santa Cruz on Spring Street. Our house was truly haunted in only certain areas of the house. The guest bedroom had a spirit that would punch or kick. Several guests commented on this. My brother refused to stay over after one night there. We usually steered clear of that room for the trouble it was giving us.
A couple of years later my dad came to visit. He stayed there, and he left early the next morning saying it was not a good room to stay in as he felt like he had been punched. It was really odd because it did not feel dangerous or life threatening per se, but it certainly was present. We moved later.”
-Anonymous
THE HOUSE NEXT TO THE HOSPITAL
Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
“I used to live in the old house next to the original Santa Cruz Hospital. The house was very haunted. We had an antique store there it in the early 1970s. Many, many spirits presented themselves to us.”
In the anteroom on the bottom floor of the Victorian, small objects would be thrown around at night. On occasion, the owners would see the ghost of a man dressed in black that hovered above the ground.
A former deceased cat of theirs would come back through an upstairs window. “He would come into the room, I would pet him and he'd disappear. The people who had the shop before us warned us about strange things that happen there.”
-A. Gardener. Source: Contributed story
THE GOLDEN GATE VILLA
Third Street, Santa Cruz, CA
Nestled on Beach Hill, the extravagant Golden Gate Villa was built in 1891 for Major Frank McLaughlin and his new family. McLaughlin married a woman with a three-year-old daughter named Agnes, and soon after, he adopted her as his own. As time went on, his daughter grew into an attractive young lady, who was known to rarely date and still lived at home with her father at 34 years of age. After a while, rumors spread through the town that Frank had romantic feelings for Agnes.
On the second anniversary of Agnes’s mother’s death, McLaughlin had a horrific arrangement that he regretted soon after. On November 16, 1907, Agnes came home one day and loosened her corsets to lie down in bed. Major Frank McLaughlin entered her room, and without any hesitation, shot Agnes in the temple with a .44 caliber handgun. McLaughlin then took a fatal dose of cyanide, taking his own life, along with his adopted daughter’s. It is claimed that the Major’s motive was clearly because of his guilty passion for Agnes. It is confirmed that in McLaughlin’s last letter he wrote, “I love her so, and so I take her with me.”
After Agnes’s death, a large, jeweled, stained-glass window was made in her honor. A few strands of her hair were also placed in the glass.
Legend has it that Agnes still haunts the old Victorian quarters. “Accounts of a lavender-dressed spirit floating about the mansion persist …” Santa Cruz Sentinel, 1975.
The present owner stated that “Agnes’s ghost still wanders the house;” and a former owner felt like she was being watched, especially while she’d clean the home, according to a Metro Santa Cruz article on October 29, 2003.
Sometimes if you’re lucky you’ll catch a glimpse of Agnes’s spirit standing at her old bedroom window, or drifting throughout the mansion.
SPIRITS ON TOLEDO STREET
Toledo Street, Santa Cruz, CA
“Our house was built in 1920, and we have lived there for eleven years. My daughter and son-in-law built theirs about the same time next door. Her oldest daughter was the first to be aware of spirits in their house about four years ago. She heard them talking; and one was seen by her before anyone else had any experiences.
Our younger granddaughter later saw a little girl heading past the bathroom door to her bedroom.
I went into their house one day afterwards and called, 'Is anyone home?' From upstairs in my grandson's voice came the reply, 'It's me, Cooper.' But he wasn't home yet from school. There was no one visible anywhere. That is only the beginning of the occurrences.
We realize now that there were plenty of things that happened earlier that we dismissed. I often thought that I heard footsteps shuffling along our carpeted bedroom floor at night. Because my husband didn't hear them, I accepted that it was just 'house noises'.
I remember standing at the kitchen sink when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned, expecting it to be my husband and he wasn't in the room. Those kinds of things we just didn't think about again until it escalated.
We had a local (and well known) medium, Jennifer Giles, come in when our younger granddaughter started waking up panicked by the feeling that someone was pressing down on her chest making it hard to breathe. Jennifer determined there to be multiple spirits wandering through both of our houses. Eventually, after two more visits, we agreed to ask her to request of them that they not stay if they were there to scare and upset us.
We now feel that they are not gone, but behaving. We are fine with that.”
-S. Williams. Source: Contributed story
THE PARTY UPSTAIRS
Third Street, Santa Cruz, CA
It’s not surprising that one of the oldest and most beautiful Victorian homes in Santa Cruz County is haunted. Built in 1887, the elegant Victorian stands right across the street from the well-known Golden Gate Villa on Beach Hill, in Santa Cruz.
A former tenant spoke of having a number of paranormal experiences while living at the residence. At times he and his girlfriend would wake up in the middle of the night to hear what sounded like a big loud party on the upper floor. Hearing a bunch of unexplainable voices and laughter, music, footsteps, etc., the tenant would run upstairs to investigate. The residual sound of the party would immediately stop before he reached the top stair. No one was ever there of course … that he could see anyway.
“OLD SANTA CRUZ GHOST STORY”
Town Terrace, Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz Sentinel article, January 30, 1975:
THE WALNUT AVENUE INCUBUS
Walnut Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Incubus: A male demon, or spirit who prays on sleeping women to engage in sexual intercourse.
According to a Metroactive article in 1999, the ghost of a rapist is said to have once haunted a residence on Walnut Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz. Allegedly, before he died, the rapist lived in the home and would take advantage of the servant girls who resided there as well. A woman who lived in the house around the 1920s confirmed at least one of the rapes in the front room.
Unaware of the house’s uncanny past, five women moved into the home together around 1993. They had to figure out for themselves who else used to occupy the house. In addition the unpleasant residual energy that lingered, three of the women began to have very disturbing and unbelievable experiences in the old dwelling, experiences they would never forget.
One of the victims, Olivia, kept having reoccurring sex dreams and claimed to wake up tired, as if she had just experienced a long night of intercourse. Cynthia, another woman who lived in the home, was able to see the young entity, and claimed that over time it became more volatile. Their housemate, Anna, had also been haunted by the evil entity.
“Now this was a very tough girl. But the minute I asked her, she turned and looked at me and burst into tears. She told me that she'd been having these experiences that when she went to sleep, it felt as if somebody were stroking her hair and touching her body.”
“We burned some incense in the house and that got rid of him for a while. But then sometime after that, Catherine (another housemate) and I were sitting in kitchen, and no one else was home and we heard this voice say, ‘I want you.’ It was crystal clear, but at the same time almost like a fading echo. I mean, the hair on our arms stood straight up, and Catherine said, ‘Do you think he's back?’ We checked inside the house and outside, but nobody else was around,” Metroactive article, 1999.
Three days later, Olivia had another dream, “. . . there were all these people out in the backyard dressed in turn-of-the-century farm clothes, knocking on my bedroom window. In my dream I sat up in bed and looked out the window, and they told me, ‘You have to wake up because Michael is back.’”
The dilemma became extremely overwhelming and upsetting, especially after two of the women witnessed some dishes in the dish rack being rearranged on their own. They received advice and insight from a psychic who sensed that the rapist once lived in the home with his previous victims. This is when Olivia got into contact with the woman who previously resided there during the 1920s, who knew about a reported raping.
After figuring out who the unpleasant entity was and why he was there, Olivia claimed to speak to him for two weeks, addressing that they are not servants, and that he needs to respect them or leave. She said that the activity completely stopped after her confrontation and they believe that the vicious entity finally went somewhere else.
THE “POULTRYGEIST”
16th Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
“I stayed with family on 16th Avenue in Live Oak. The home used to be a chicken farm and there was CONSTANT activity there (we called it a 'Poultrygeist').
My daughter witnesses cups and glasses flying off the counter, pictures MOVING on the wall. They will put up a photo or picture and in the morning, it will have moved (the NAIL and all) to another part of the house. Orbs are in almost EVERY photo taken there.
I won't stay in that house again when I come to visit. I don’t feel it’s malevolent, but I don't like feeling watched. There are MANY `haunted areas' in Santa Cruz (I feel) has a lot to do with the Ohlone Indians, disturbing sacred areas and developing homes etc. in those areas with no regard to its history.”
-Anonymous. Source: Contributed story
THE LADY IN WHITE
13th Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
“… Both of my parents saw a white lady walking around in our house when I was growing up. My mom even called out my name once thinking she was me…”
-J Dunken. Source: Contributed story
THE GHOST OF ADAM BELL
Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz Sentinel article, August 17, 1965:
THE GHOST OF MRS. WEATHERLY
Howden Castle
Highway 9, Ben Lomond, CA
Built in 1926 by stone carver, Robert Howden, the three-level Scottish castle made out of stucco, with dozens of rooms, balconies, towers, and even a dungeon, takes you back in time. Howden continually worked on, and lived in his castle until he sold it unfinished in 1937, at eighty-one years of age.
It was put on the market and sold about four more times until 1946, when Ivy and George Weatherly purchased the property; coincidentally just after Ivy had a dream about living in a castle in the woods surrounded by water. They continued to add onto their castle until it was finished, showing it off to anyone interested.
After George Weatherly died in 1957, at seventy-two years of age; Ivy Lee stayed in her dream home and gave private tours frequently for a small fee.
In 1981, at ninety years of age, Mrs. Weatherly passed away while she was in the process of selling her estate, to move to a rest home. She was buried next to her late husband in the Santa Cruz Memorial Cemetery.
A couple years later, a local by the name of Scott lived in the small castle that overlooks the San Lorenzo River on Highway 9. “My dad did some work for the family that owned it and it was for rent, so we moved in,” Scott wrote. The people that lived there prior told Scott that the house was in fact haunted by the late Mrs. Weatherly, who was said to be, “a nice one.” “She passed away in her bedroom (known as the Weatherly Room) upstairs, which was my dad’s,” he shared with me.
“Mrs. Weatherly loved her castle, and I saw her one night...”
The former residents weren’t joking. As soon as Scott and his family moved into the home, they heard footsteps all through the house. “My dad heard her every night walking around the house and going up the stairs to the bedroom.”
On one occasion, Scott had an encounter with the ghost. “My dad went out one night and I was sleeping on the couch, Mrs. Weatherly woke me up.” He explained that all he saw was her face, which “was somewhat solid, but translucent; with a white glow around her.” She said in a sweet voice, “Scott. –Someone’s coming, Scott.”
“So I got up and two seconds pass, and somebody knocks on the front door. I go to the door and some people asked if they can check out the castle.”
I guess Mrs. Weatherly still greatly enjoys the idea of giving tours of her beloved castle, even after her death.
DEMON DOGS
Martin Road, Bonny Doon, CA
On September 23rd, 1979, 31-year-old Maureen Minton was murdered by her long-time "boyfriend" Ronald Huffman (39). Ronald brutally killed Maureen with one blow to the head with an ax behind their home on Martin Road in Bonny Doon, California. He fled with $32,000 in cash, bags of marijuana, and part of Minton's brain. He was caught and arrested in Pacifica, California a little over an hour later.
While growing marijuana up in the mountains where they lived, the couple would occasionally hear the howling of wild dogs around their property. Ron and Maureen came to believe that the wild canines were demon dogs from hell that were sent from Satan himself. Ron was later convinced that Maureen became possessed by the demon dogs and was plotting against him; this led Ron to believe that he had no choice but to kill her.
Years later in 1983, the Morgan family moved into the residence where the brutal murder took place. Soon after they were settled they began to experience unexplainable hair raising occurrences.
Side Notes:
-Huffman and Minton were known as the “Bonny Doon Bombers,” who allegedly carried out a number (approx. 70) of New World Liberation Front bombings in the ‘70s.
-In 1983, Ron was convicted of second-degree murder.
THE GHOST THAT WAS SEEN FREQUENTLY
Locust Lane, Ben Lomond, CA
An old home that's located deep in the woods of the Santa Cruz mountains in the town of Ben Lomond, is said to be haunted by the ghost of an unknown woman. The residents claim to see the translucent figure frequently, and sometimes even daily. I spoke to one of the tenants who believes the ghost died in his room that’s filled with an abundant amount of negative energy.
THE HANGMAN
41st Avenue, Capitola, CA
A small cottage near the railroad tracks on 41st Avenue in Capitola is haunted by a man who was believed to have committed suicide. I spoke to a former tenant who stated that he saw a dark shadow of a man hanging by a noose in the hallway of the house on several occasions.
GEORGE
Scotts Valley, CA
“My mom and her family lived in Scotts Valley for years, and they've had plenty of weird things happen.
They've heard horse hooves outside the bedroom window, but no one around had horses and they would never see any.
There's also a particular ghost that is somewhat known in the area, his name is ‘George’, or at least that's what they called him. I forget who it was, but someone in her family saw a man crawling on his hands and knees across a pond near the golf course they lived near. According to them, George was a farmhand on property that is now the golf course, which could also explain the ghostly horse hooves I suppose.
They'd also have random things like faucets and light switches turning on and off.”
-Anonymous. Source: Contributed story
THE OHLONE WOMAN
Old San Jose Road, Soquel, CA
Around 2010, an Indian woman (presumably an Ohlone) was once seen walking across a resident’s property in the middle of the night. Carrying a woven basket, she was “glowing white” and had a red aura around her.
THE GHOST OF JOHN DAUBENBISS
Soquel Drive, Soquel, CA
Many probably wonder what the story is behind the big, old Victorian on the hill overlooking the Soquel Village, so I’m here to tell you … The Georgian style home was built in 1867 and bought by California pioneer, John Daubenbiss who built and ran a sawmill, and the first flour mill in California. He and his wife Sarah moved into the home shortly after it was built and resided there until their deaths.
The couple had eleven children, and five of them unfortunately didn’t survive to adulthood. The Daubenbiss’ suffered the loss of their first child, 14-year-old John F. Daunbenbiss in 1862; -his cause of death is unknown. They lost an infant in 1869, and Joseph Daubenbiss (eighteen years), in 1873. That same year, they lost another son, 17-year-old James B. Daubenbiss who tragically drowned in the bay. I have yet to uncover who their fifth child was that left this earth much too soon.
The Daubenbiss house was used for parties, receptions, and even funerals. It was much lived and died in. John’s wife Sarah passed away in their house in 1891, at sixty-two years of age. Five years later, John Daubenbiss struck ill and also died in the home on February 10, 1896, at the age of seventy-nine. He was buried next to his wife and children at their family plot in the Soquel Cemetery down the road, which he had founded years before.
The house was then sold and bought, and sold, and bought again; and during that time, ghost stories began to arise. A former owner stated that she personally never saw a ghost there, but she definitely could feel a presence. That presence is believed to be the ghost of John Daubenbiss, who has been seen standing on the front upper balcony of his beloved home, still overlooking the town that he holds so dear.
Additional Information:
-Spirit orbs have been sighted around the outside of the Daubenbiss House.
-Disembodied voices and unexplainable sounds have been heard.
“THE GHOST OF BONNIE BRASHERS”
Hawthorne Lane, Watsonville, CA
Coming Soon!
“HE LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE PRESIDENT LINCOLN”
Progress Drive, Watsonville, CA
“Ok first of all I want everyone to know that this is a ''true'' story and ''not'' a made up story just for the sake of writing something down. I'll try to make it short and to the point. In 1999, or 2000, I was at the address of Progress Drive in Watsonville, CA and witnessed for the first time in my life my first experience with something from the afterlife or from the other side. (By the way my fiancé (now my wife) saw the following things with me at the very same time.)
One night around 1 am or so my fiancé and I were watching TV and talking amongst ourselves when all of sudden on our living room wall we saw a shadow of a tall lanky man dressed in old attire walk slowly across from one end of the wall to the other. He looked exactly like President Lincoln, long coat, top hat and all.
Other strange things at that address were the constant coldness (even in the hot summer) in the room next to the kitchen. The garbage disposal that turned on once by its very own, and the same with the garage door.
My fiancé was home alone on a ladder one day when she heard a voice say, ''be careful'' right before she almost lost her footing.
My mom once spent the night on the living room couch and in the middle of the dark night she heard someone slowly walk pass her while she stayed underneath the covers.”
-Anonymous. Source: Contributed story
MARY'S GHOST
The Annie Nugent House
Rancho Brazil Lane, Watsonville, CA
The 1898 Queen Anne Victorian farmhouse is the site where Mary Nugent, fiancé of a local attorney, was murdered in 1903, after being gunned down by distant relative, John Brady. Brady came to the house and entered the kitchen late one morning demanding money; and when Mary said she didn’t have any, he shot her in the abdomen with a shotgun.
Just minutes after Mary was shot, the assailant was gunned down by a posse and killed on location. Bullet holes in an upstairs bedroom closet where the murderer tried to hide can still be seen to this day.
When the house was being moved from East Lake Road in Watsonville to its current location on Rancho Brazil Lane, some residents felt uneasy due to the rumor of it being haunted. –And it really was (is), according to multiple former residents:
“My family and I lived there from 1966 to 1970. Strange things happened in that house, especially in the back staircase where the closet with the bullet holes is located. What I saw in the back staircase was more than I believe to be a sad spirit. After the house was moved, I spoke with the remodel contractor who told me that a couple of his worker's had an experience in the same area and refused to come back to the house.”
- R. Wright, former tenant
“I lived in the house when it was on East Lake. My bedroom was the room with the closet with the bullet holes. There were spirits in the house. - Sad spirits.
… Still too this day when I think of that house, I think of her crying. I just remember it was a very sad crying.”
- Anonymous, former tenant
“We saw her going down the front and back staircase. Everyone says it was woman who was killed there … My room was the front with the little balcony above the front door. My sisters and I loved that house, even with spirits.”
- E. Camporeale, former tenant
