Stockton is no stranger to hauntings, find out for yourself
With the discovery of gold in California in 1848 and the ensuing gold rush that quadrupled the state’s population in the following decade, Stockton has been blessed, occasionally cursed, by scores of prospectors and business people who would become luminaries of the city.
Featuring one of the West Coast’s most venerable and historic downtowns, with scores of buildings dating back to the 1850s, it stands to reason that some of these buildings are haunted by the spirits of the city’s former over-achievers, and, truth be told, wily rascals.
“Stockton offers a cool mix of family-friendly events during Halloween season. But if you’re up for a little extra adventure, exploring Stockton‘s historic buildings and paranormal hotspots throughout the city gives you a whole new Halloween experience," Wes Rhea, head of the Visit Stockton organization, offer said. "Late October is the perfect time to check out Stockton and satisfy all your spooky cravings“!
With Halloween fast approaching, here is a short list of known properties with a history of haunting in the greater Stockton area. Let’s start with historic Downtown Stockton, which includes these super-natural properties:
Hotel Stockton, 133 E. Weber Avenue: Opened in 1910, the venerable structure is located just south of the Regal Stockton City Centre Cinema in Janet Lee Plaza. In its 113-year history it’s been a hotel, city hall, the county courthouse and public administration departments, and has had routine paranormal happenings. Reportedly the Wandering Ghost roams the fourth floor, said to be the spirit of a man who was killed in one of the rooms in the 1960s, the Ghostly Pianist is reported to tickle the ivories at night from the old ballroom on the sixth floor, and the White Suited Smoker is reportedly spotted smoking while standing in the back area by the stairs.
Fox California/Bob Hope Theatre, 242 East Main St.: The legendary theater opened in 1930 with the movie Up the River. According to Friends of the Fox Theatre and staff who show classic movies monthly, reports of otherworldly beings are frequent. Those include rapid temperature drops in parts of the theater, taps on the shoulder of guests, and theatre-goers who witness a ghostly man and woman dressed in Victorian finery, peering down from the balcony at the stage, or, you in the audience.
How about a Halloween special treat? To get your ghostly juices flowing, the Friends of the Fox present the movie classic, Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein, at the theatre on Sunday, October 22, at 2 PM (doors open at 1), including a tour of the haunted portions of the theater following the movie. Notes Marilyn Togninali, president of Friends, “the Fox California/Bob Hope Theatre continues to amaze everyone who enters for the first time with its beautiful rotunda, featuring hand laid mosaic and the majestic columns that surround it. The theatre was beautifully restored so that everyone entering will enjoy their surroundings and the history that it continues to share. Stockton is so lucky that this amazing historical building was preserved”. Before or after the movie, consider dining downtown - favorite restaurants within walking distance include Cancun, Xochimilco and Maria’s Café.
B&M Building, 125 Bridge Place: The second-oldest brick building in the city is also reportedly home to the ghost named Lydia. Visit Stockton employees who once worked on the third floor have shared first-hand accounts of a woman with hair bun and long brown dress, roaming the halls and gazing out windows. Reportedly, cold spots, faint music, and the scent of cigars have wafted throughout the floor.
Captain Charles Weber homestead, on the southwest portion of the Weber Point Event Center, 221 North Center Street: Captain Charles Weber homesteaded on the Stockton Deep Water Channel long before the discovery of gold at Sutters Mill on the American River. The city would become the supply, banking and demarcation center for the southern and central mines in the Mother Lode gold rush. Weber personally directed the cultural and economic development of his new community until his death in 1881. You can find the exact location of Weber’s home in the southwest corner of Weber Point. I challenge you to stand, gazing across his plot to the west without the ghost of Charles Weber looking over your shoulder.
Haunted sites outside downtown include the CSU Stanislaus Stockton Center, formerly the Stockton State Hospital and Insane Asylum. Built 1853, it was the state’s first hospital for the mentally ill, with a checkered early reputation. A superintendent was accused of forcing patients to build his house and under-reporting deaths during his oversight. Patients were shackled, some were sterilized against their will, and like many hospitals at the time, lobotomies were considered cutting-edge medical treatment. Ghosts of the former patients still reportedly roam the historic halls of the old buildings, and ghosts from the site’s cemetery also wander the grounds.
Eight Mile Road, dividing Stockton and Lodi between Oak Grove Regional Park and Elkhorn Golf Club: This busy country road already delivers spooky vibes late at night; a myriad of reports add it to our haunted list. Travelers have reported a young woman in a white dress walking on the side of the road - who may suddenly appear in your backseat! Others share the story of a young Native American girl walking the same stretch; claims of a loud scream heard in the middle of the night also emanate from this area.
For insight into additional Stockton haunted locations, see Visit Stockton, visitstockton.org; for Friends of the Fox; foxfriends.org. Several paranormal websites help identify haunted locations throughout the state, or the USA. Check out californiahauntedhouses.com and thescarefactor.com for insight into other reported haunted locations. Know other locations? Send them our way.
Where are your ghostly treks taking you? Contact Tim, tviall@msn.com. Spooky travels in California!
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Stockton is no stranger to hauntings, find out for yourself
