While everything else that has been written has been called stories or lies i know for a fact this is real because it happened to me. This happened last year while i was doing all the other ghost exploration type things.
San Jacinto Cemetery gives you the chills as soon as you turn left on Santa Fe Rd. It’s only lit in some places (mostly in the middle) and the eyes can play tricks on you as you stare at the rows of dark silhouetted trees and headstones. Needless to say when Neo lived in Hemet it was a street he often avoided.
He always felt there was a spirit there; standing by a tree and one night we decided to drive past the cemetery to see if he could feel the ghost again. We turned onto the street and didn’t pick up a strong sense until we passed that tree.
For unknown reasons he felt the urge to turn into the cemetery for the very first time. We drove on the road parallel to the tree and the tree just so happened to be on the passenger side so I had a clear view of it. My window was rolled down and I instantly felt strange whenever I looked over in that direction.
Neo felt the presence of a lady, the same lady he always felt there and they both acknowledged each other. The presence decided to come closer toward the vehicle and Neo was staring right past me at the lady. It was dead silent that night but we heard a “swoosh swoosh” sound, like a woman’s skirt from the late 19th century, early 20th century walking or dragging, whatever it was, towards us.
Neo quickly turned his head to the left and looked outside his window. He just kept staring in that direction and the hairs on my right arm began to rise as I felt something near the side of my face. At the same time Neo had picked up on an evil presence full of hate and anger that was protective of its space; and it did not want us there.
“It almost felt like as if a charging bull was coming toward us. Like it was stomping its hooves and gearing up for an attack, ‘get out of here, get out of here’ and it was weird” Neo described. He decided to look toward me and he could tell I was unsettled and did not feel comfortable where we were. The feeling was so strong I screamed “Oh my god let’s go!” and when he looked towards me he noticed that the presence of the woman was standing at the vehicle. She was standing there looking through the windshield and was staring at me because I had startled her.
We left the cemetery and I felt that there was something behind us in the backseat. Neo felt she was there too but kept reassuring me it was just my imagination. He tried to comfort me and tried to teach me how to block her out so she couldn’t get in my head and mess with me-but I just couldn’t. Later he told me I allowed my mind to open up to the spirit which attached me to the spirit.
So he drove me home and the whole way I felt there were eyes on the back of my head. It wasn’t something harmful (he claimed) and it didn’t want to bother us that much. It was something that just wanted comfort, to attach to something is all. He dropped me off, started on his way home and for the first 10 or 15 minutes or so he felt that she was still with him because she knew he felt her. Then he blocked her out and made her leave.
As he made it leave it decided to come back to me. As I was getting ready for bed, standing in my doorway, I saw a woman bend over near my pillow as if she was going to watch me sleep and then turned and looked at me before she disappeared. The woman looked like she was out of those old fashion movies from the 20’s that’s sepia colored and jittery with age.
She was of Caucasian descent, possibly French, dark wavy hair going well past her shoulders. Her brown eyes were large and hollow, with slight circles underneath them and she was wearing a white night gown type dress. It was quick but I SAW her. The same eerie feeling I felt when my window was down I felt as soon as she appeared. When she disappeared the overwhelming feeling had abated some but was still there.
I, of course, thought it was my imagination because when Neo had described what the woman’s hair color, ethnicity, and age range were I had a certain image in my head. All of his descriptions matched my “hallucination”. I had assumed her hair was up because of the time period. So if I was imagining her, her hair should be up, not down. There had to be some explanation. I called Neo the next day and asked if the ladies hair was up or down when he saw her. He said down…my heart stopped.
For the next few days whenever I would go through my doorway I felt I was walking through something. I hated going to bed, kept putting the TV on so it wasn’t dark and give her the chance to play mind games. Neo tried to help calm me down and give me a few choice words to get rid of the ghost. He told me to say that she was not welcome, that she needed to leave, and three days later she finally did.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Saturday, October 24, 2009
The El Cortez
After the incident at Villa Montezuma we drove downtown to clear our minds about what just had happened. I bring up the El Cortez story and Neo tells me it again emphasizing his disdain for the place and how much he hates it as we drive toward the Coronado Bridge. Most of the night he had been getting headaches whenever we encountered something paranormal and then we stopped at a red light.
He complains about his head again and I look outside my passenger window and non-chalantly say “Oh wow, there goes the El Cortez”. We both were shocked that we ended up there, it’s like something had guided us there or he drove there subconsciously. He did not want to be there or open up to any spirits so we quickly got onto the freeway. Maybe the little boy in Neo wanted final answers.
*****
-Neo’s Story-
“Growing up I went to the El Cortez which I believe was in the early 90’s during the renovations. I went with my sister to visit her husband’s family member who was working on the El Cortez during its renovation. I remember being in an open area which I later found out to be the ball room. I was around 7 years old wandering and looking around, but for some reason I felt I wasn’t alone.
I remember the hairs standing up on the back of my neck as I noticed a presence of a little boy around the same age as me wanting to play. It seemed like an anxious presence, excited to see someone his own age. At the same time I felt that there was another spirit, a woman that was older; around late 20’s to early 30’s but I couldn’t seem to tell if there were a relation between the two. Being young I paid no attention to what I was feeling. I was probably afraid to see something I didn’t want to.
So we went about our visit and soon left and I didn’t put much more thought into it after that. About four years later I was talking to my sister and brother in-law and somehow we began to talk about the El Cortez as we passed it on the freeway. To my astonishment they began speaking of stories they had heard of it being haunted. But to me it was like I already knew.”
Neo believes the young boy is around 6 and the woman may be his mother. It’s possible they died in the 80’s and have stuck around for unknown reasons. Neo believes it may have been a suicide on the woman’s part. People who live in the apartment buildings are said to have stories as well but most are unreliable.
The El Cortez was opened Thanksgiving Day in 1927 and hosted stars, celebrities, and even presidents but by 1981 the grand hotel was no more. It fell into disrepair and anytime before 2000 you could find news of how haunted the El Cortez was. Thanks to renovations in the early 90’s until 2002 the real estate companies covered up the fact that several bodies were found on several of the top floors after it had been a crack house, drug haven and homeless retreat. Now the former hotel is a condo complex and even though you can have events there such as weddings and runway shows you’d have to be someone special to investigate if it’s haunted.
He complains about his head again and I look outside my passenger window and non-chalantly say “Oh wow, there goes the El Cortez”. We both were shocked that we ended up there, it’s like something had guided us there or he drove there subconsciously. He did not want to be there or open up to any spirits so we quickly got onto the freeway. Maybe the little boy in Neo wanted final answers.
*****
-Neo’s Story-
“Growing up I went to the El Cortez which I believe was in the early 90’s during the renovations. I went with my sister to visit her husband’s family member who was working on the El Cortez during its renovation. I remember being in an open area which I later found out to be the ball room. I was around 7 years old wandering and looking around, but for some reason I felt I wasn’t alone.
I remember the hairs standing up on the back of my neck as I noticed a presence of a little boy around the same age as me wanting to play. It seemed like an anxious presence, excited to see someone his own age. At the same time I felt that there was another spirit, a woman that was older; around late 20’s to early 30’s but I couldn’t seem to tell if there were a relation between the two. Being young I paid no attention to what I was feeling. I was probably afraid to see something I didn’t want to.
So we went about our visit and soon left and I didn’t put much more thought into it after that. About four years later I was talking to my sister and brother in-law and somehow we began to talk about the El Cortez as we passed it on the freeway. To my astonishment they began speaking of stories they had heard of it being haunted. But to me it was like I already knew.”
Neo believes the young boy is around 6 and the woman may be his mother. It’s possible they died in the 80’s and have stuck around for unknown reasons. Neo believes it may have been a suicide on the woman’s part. People who live in the apartment buildings are said to have stories as well but most are unreliable.
The El Cortez was opened Thanksgiving Day in 1927 and hosted stars, celebrities, and even presidents but by 1981 the grand hotel was no more. It fell into disrepair and anytime before 2000 you could find news of how haunted the El Cortez was. Thanks to renovations in the early 90’s until 2002 the real estate companies covered up the fact that several bodies were found on several of the top floors after it had been a crack house, drug haven and homeless retreat. Now the former hotel is a condo complex and even though you can have events there such as weddings and runway shows you’d have to be someone special to investigate if it’s haunted.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Elfin Forest & Questhaven
The Elfin Forest was rumored to be inhabited by Gypsies and their social kin at the turn of the 19th century and well into to the 20th century, legend has it that when other natives of the land and citizens of local communities came in and drove off the Gypsies, slaughtering those who stood in their way, the Gypsies cursed the land of and around Elfin Forest.
Apparently it was this curse that has caused many of the urban legends and paranormal activity that has been reported throughout the years. Coincidentally, there are also accounts of native Northern Diegueno Indians who once inhabited this land, dating back 9,000 years.
There are legends of abandoned insane asylums, gigantic owls that come down and swarm on helpless humans, and a witch that marks you the first time you enter the forest and if you return will kill you without hesitation. Even though all these are clearly fables there is something in that forest that you can feel just driving on the crooked roads as the deformed and gnarled trees reach out for you from the side of the road. You get the feeling something’s watching you somewhere in the darkness, and they may not be alive.
You start on Harmony Grove Rd which leads into Elfin Forest Rd and that’s where things got creepy for us. The highway goes from an obscure road near home depot and travels all the way to San Marcos.
The sun was painting a golden picture on the Elfin Forest Rd. when Neo and I drove down it. It was dusk, during late summer and the leaves were beginning to change. We were on the hunt for the Questhaven Insane Asylum. Rumor has it that one day the crazy people got out of their cells and murdered their torturous attendees and burned the place down.
The internet says Questhaven is a church for born again Christians or some sort. So we drive and drive until we see a board with Questhaven on it and drive down a dirt road with trees encasing us and blocking out the golden light.I was instantly uncomfortable. I felt someone was watching us from the right hand side of the road. I tried to work past my fear but the further we went down the road that seemed to lead to no where, the more freaked out I felt.
Neo said he felt a presence of a Caucasian male in his early 50’s watching us; possibly a former owner of the property. We drove pass him again when we were leaving the road that really did lead to no where and we decided to come back later that night.
11 o’clock it was almost pitch black on the road. With only headlights to keep us from driving off the cliff we drove until Neo felt like he drove through something. It seemed like a presence that was lingering around and shook him up pretty bad. He said even though it wasn’t negative it saw him and he felt it. Maybe someone died on the road and it haunting that one spot replaying getting hit by a car like it did many years ago.
We drove down the dark dirt road again and noticed that the male presence that was there earlier was gone. It seems he only appears at dusk. We then drove down the road more but Neo felt if we kept going something bad was going to happen. A fog had began to roll in and there was nothing but dark trees and foliage to both of our sides. The deeper we got the less we could see and it felt that at any moment something could pop out and scare us off the road.
Neo pulled over and sat there for a while, he hadn’t told me what he felt but he said in a whisper to me, “I think we should turn around”. I said why and he told me about the bad vibe. I didn’t argue with him and we headed back to where we came, the ominous feeling lessing the farther we got away. The mountains were glowing in the moonlight and certain creases in its fold seemed to be smirking at us calling us scarredy cats.
A few weeks later we drove the road again at 1 o’clock in the morning. We made it through the area that was covered in fog and after being turned around a lot found Questhaven. Low on gas and not knowing where we were kind of freaked us out but when we saw the Questhaven gate and the large security light came on we instantly felt settled.
Neo felt the presence of a living security guard watching us just beyond the light and when we made a u-turn I saw the vehicle. We parked there a bit and took some pictures but it didn’t seem like there was anything spooky going on.
Apparently it was this curse that has caused many of the urban legends and paranormal activity that has been reported throughout the years. Coincidentally, there are also accounts of native Northern Diegueno Indians who once inhabited this land, dating back 9,000 years.
There are legends of abandoned insane asylums, gigantic owls that come down and swarm on helpless humans, and a witch that marks you the first time you enter the forest and if you return will kill you without hesitation. Even though all these are clearly fables there is something in that forest that you can feel just driving on the crooked roads as the deformed and gnarled trees reach out for you from the side of the road. You get the feeling something’s watching you somewhere in the darkness, and they may not be alive.
You start on Harmony Grove Rd which leads into Elfin Forest Rd and that’s where things got creepy for us. The highway goes from an obscure road near home depot and travels all the way to San Marcos.
The sun was painting a golden picture on the Elfin Forest Rd. when Neo and I drove down it. It was dusk, during late summer and the leaves were beginning to change. We were on the hunt for the Questhaven Insane Asylum. Rumor has it that one day the crazy people got out of their cells and murdered their torturous attendees and burned the place down.
The internet says Questhaven is a church for born again Christians or some sort. So we drive and drive until we see a board with Questhaven on it and drive down a dirt road with trees encasing us and blocking out the golden light.I was instantly uncomfortable. I felt someone was watching us from the right hand side of the road. I tried to work past my fear but the further we went down the road that seemed to lead to no where, the more freaked out I felt.
Neo said he felt a presence of a Caucasian male in his early 50’s watching us; possibly a former owner of the property. We drove pass him again when we were leaving the road that really did lead to no where and we decided to come back later that night.
11 o’clock it was almost pitch black on the road. With only headlights to keep us from driving off the cliff we drove until Neo felt like he drove through something. It seemed like a presence that was lingering around and shook him up pretty bad. He said even though it wasn’t negative it saw him and he felt it. Maybe someone died on the road and it haunting that one spot replaying getting hit by a car like it did many years ago.
We drove down the dark dirt road again and noticed that the male presence that was there earlier was gone. It seems he only appears at dusk. We then drove down the road more but Neo felt if we kept going something bad was going to happen. A fog had began to roll in and there was nothing but dark trees and foliage to both of our sides. The deeper we got the less we could see and it felt that at any moment something could pop out and scare us off the road.
Neo pulled over and sat there for a while, he hadn’t told me what he felt but he said in a whisper to me, “I think we should turn around”. I said why and he told me about the bad vibe. I didn’t argue with him and we headed back to where we came, the ominous feeling lessing the farther we got away. The mountains were glowing in the moonlight and certain creases in its fold seemed to be smirking at us calling us scarredy cats.
A few weeks later we drove the road again at 1 o’clock in the morning. We made it through the area that was covered in fog and after being turned around a lot found Questhaven. Low on gas and not knowing where we were kind of freaked us out but when we saw the Questhaven gate and the large security light came on we instantly felt settled.
Neo felt the presence of a living security guard watching us just beyond the light and when we made a u-turn I saw the vehicle. We parked there a bit and took some pictures but it didn’t seem like there was anything spooky going on.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Coronado Bridge
We drove across the Coronado Bridge with the stars in the sky and the city lights reflecting off the large bay. I urged Neo to open up to the hundreds of people that took their lives by jumping from that bridge but he would not let the spirits in. On the way back though, he finally agreed and saw something that freaked him out a little.
He didn’t say anything to me until we had cleared the bridge and were on the freeway going in a complete opposite direction. I asked him if he saw anything and he said he saw a woman standing on rail as she grabbed onto a light pole. She looked like she was about to jump. Neo said she had long dark hair and a brown coat. He could feel her sadness and hopelessness. I tried to find any news reports about a woman committing suicide by jumping from the bridge while wearing a large brown coat to no avail. My grandfather had told me he had a fellow veteran friend that had jumped from the bridge with her baby in her arms in the middle of the day. The baby survived-she didn’t.
But when I asked for a more detailed description the stories didn’t quite add up. So many lives have been lost on that bridge but it’s all cleaned up on the internet. You have to get lucky to find a story, and I’ll keep looking, but she could be anyone of hundreds. Maybe if we find out who she was we can help her get where she needs to be.
He didn’t say anything to me until we had cleared the bridge and were on the freeway going in a complete opposite direction. I asked him if he saw anything and he said he saw a woman standing on rail as she grabbed onto a light pole. She looked like she was about to jump. Neo said she had long dark hair and a brown coat. He could feel her sadness and hopelessness. I tried to find any news reports about a woman committing suicide by jumping from the bridge while wearing a large brown coat to no avail. My grandfather had told me he had a fellow veteran friend that had jumped from the bridge with her baby in her arms in the middle of the day. The baby survived-she didn’t.
But when I asked for a more detailed description the stories didn’t quite add up. So many lives have been lost on that bridge but it’s all cleaned up on the internet. You have to get lucky to find a story, and I’ll keep looking, but she could be anyone of hundreds. Maybe if we find out who she was we can help her get where she needs to be.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
William Heath Davis House
The William Heath Davis House is the oldest surviving structure in Downtown San Diego (New Town). He never actually lived in the house that now bears his name, but it is the same age and style of his house that was located at State and F streets.
As far as apparitions go a lady has been seen on the second floor landing of the home ready to give tours to awaiting groups, the gold ropes used to keep visitors out of certain rooms have become unlatched with no one around, there is a picture that shows some odd mist in the background that was not present when the picture was taken and the old style gas lamps in the building have been turned on with invisible hands.
The house is now a museum and one of the oldest places in the downtown district.
One night I walked pass the place with a friend and the entire curve of the corner that the house sits on I felt there was a presence walking to my left a little bit behind me. It was like when you go to a haunted house where people are in costumes and invade your space until you freak out and scream. No matter how fast I made my friend walk to keep up pace with me we could never go fast enough. It was always in step with us until we cleared the house. At the time I had no idea that the house was rumored to be haunted so I was caught completely off guard.
When Neo and I walked by he felt a possible faint presence there but you feel creeped out and like your being watched when you walk by. Neo said it was like the owner didn’t realize they were dead; they’re just watching over their land. Nothing was really grabby or attracted to what we were doing that time.
As far as apparitions go a lady has been seen on the second floor landing of the home ready to give tours to awaiting groups, the gold ropes used to keep visitors out of certain rooms have become unlatched with no one around, there is a picture that shows some odd mist in the background that was not present when the picture was taken and the old style gas lamps in the building have been turned on with invisible hands.
The house is now a museum and one of the oldest places in the downtown district.
One night I walked pass the place with a friend and the entire curve of the corner that the house sits on I felt there was a presence walking to my left a little bit behind me. It was like when you go to a haunted house where people are in costumes and invade your space until you freak out and scream. No matter how fast I made my friend walk to keep up pace with me we could never go fast enough. It was always in step with us until we cleared the house. At the time I had no idea that the house was rumored to be haunted so I was caught completely off guard.
When Neo and I walked by he felt a possible faint presence there but you feel creeped out and like your being watched when you walk by. Neo said it was like the owner didn’t realize they were dead; they’re just watching over their land. Nothing was really grabby or attracted to what we were doing that time.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Heritage Park
When the expansion of downtown San Diego after WWII threatened the buildings that now reside in Heritage Park with demolition seven buildings were acquired and relocated to Heritage Park over a period of 25 years. The former homes are: Bushyhead House (1887), McConaughy House (1887), Sherman-Gilbert House (1887), Christian House (1889), Temple Beth Israel (1889), Burton House (1893) and Senlis Cottage (1896). All seven buildings are unique in their structure and color scheme. It’s a creepy beauty in the day time and night.
If at night you walk down the asphalt streets with the houses on all sides of you, you’ll get this eerie feeling that eyes are on you. You may hear invisible footsteps in the well manicured grass that’s just out of sight in the shadows or see a shadow in the form of a person peeking curiously from behind a tree at you.
When we went we felt a presence that wasn’t too strong probably the people who lived there prior watching over the neighborhood. The housings were pretty dark and the presence wasn’t anything evil.
If at night you walk down the asphalt streets with the houses on all sides of you, you’ll get this eerie feeling that eyes are on you. You may hear invisible footsteps in the well manicured grass that’s just out of sight in the shadows or see a shadow in the form of a person peeking curiously from behind a tree at you.
When we went we felt a presence that wasn’t too strong probably the people who lived there prior watching over the neighborhood. The housings were pretty dark and the presence wasn’t anything evil.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Villa Montezuma (Jesse Sheppard's House)
Jesse Sheppard’s house was built in 1887 and Neo and I decided to pay the beautiful, colorful, castle like structure a visit one dark and spooky night. Sheppard was a musician known for channeling spirits and would play Mozart on one hand and Chopin on the other. That night we drove to the front of the Sheppard house and didn’t really feel much of a presence, just a lady.
Then Neo decided to drive to the back of the house where you could see the rear tower. As soon as the dark silhouetted tower came into sight he felt this dark and evil presence that was extremely angry.
I felt the negative vibe as well since my side of the car was facing the tower. I was overwhelmed with fear and couldn’t look out the window. I think my window was down and I could feel an icy breeze tickle my cheek.
He didn’t stop the car, he drove further down the street and did a u-turn and came back around to see if the presence was really there. He did this against my will. I wanted to get away from the place. I was getting bad vibes. I didn’t want to look at the area, I kept her eyes closed and looked away from the house. He drove by again anyway and once again he felt the same presence exactly how he felt it the last time.
We started driving away from the house and I slowly started losing my breath. I felt like hands were slowly wrapping around my neck, getting tighter no matter how much I clawed at my throat the invisible hands kept clinching tighter and tighter.
My heart was beating out of my chest and I felt I was slowly being suffocated, losing focus and about to black out. I started crying, I was overcome with emotion. It wasn’t just fear that was running through my veins; I felt my heart drop into my stomach, I was utterly devastated.
I started hyperventilating and grabbing more frantically at my neck at invisible hands or rope, whatever was stealing my breath from me. I couldn’t feel my hands scrapping at my throat anymore. My neck was numb and the lights were starting to fade. It felt evil, so evil. Just when I thought I might lose consciousness the hands slowly loosened, feeling came back to my neck, and I was becoming more aware of my surroundings.
We were on the freeway rapidly putting distance between ourselves and the Villa. The presence had made itself known and it was going to mess with me as long as we stayed near it. So to clear my mind we drove downtown.
Months after this experience I was doing research for my story about the Villa Montezuma and I found out that Jesse Shepard had a servant that hung himself in the south tower after his wife died. Was the servant’s spirit making me feel his pain, had I angered him, did I remind him of someone? I may never know the answer but I do not like going by that house at night.
Then Neo decided to drive to the back of the house where you could see the rear tower. As soon as the dark silhouetted tower came into sight he felt this dark and evil presence that was extremely angry.
I felt the negative vibe as well since my side of the car was facing the tower. I was overwhelmed with fear and couldn’t look out the window. I think my window was down and I could feel an icy breeze tickle my cheek.
He didn’t stop the car, he drove further down the street and did a u-turn and came back around to see if the presence was really there. He did this against my will. I wanted to get away from the place. I was getting bad vibes. I didn’t want to look at the area, I kept her eyes closed and looked away from the house. He drove by again anyway and once again he felt the same presence exactly how he felt it the last time.
We started driving away from the house and I slowly started losing my breath. I felt like hands were slowly wrapping around my neck, getting tighter no matter how much I clawed at my throat the invisible hands kept clinching tighter and tighter.
My heart was beating out of my chest and I felt I was slowly being suffocated, losing focus and about to black out. I started crying, I was overcome with emotion. It wasn’t just fear that was running through my veins; I felt my heart drop into my stomach, I was utterly devastated.
I started hyperventilating and grabbing more frantically at my neck at invisible hands or rope, whatever was stealing my breath from me. I couldn’t feel my hands scrapping at my throat anymore. My neck was numb and the lights were starting to fade. It felt evil, so evil. Just when I thought I might lose consciousness the hands slowly loosened, feeling came back to my neck, and I was becoming more aware of my surroundings.
We were on the freeway rapidly putting distance between ourselves and the Villa. The presence had made itself known and it was going to mess with me as long as we stayed near it. So to clear my mind we drove downtown.
Months after this experience I was doing research for my story about the Villa Montezuma and I found out that Jesse Shepard had a servant that hung himself in the south tower after his wife died. Was the servant’s spirit making me feel his pain, had I angered him, did I remind him of someone? I may never know the answer but I do not like going by that house at night.
A unique modern castle-like home, Villa Montezuma is extreme in its appearance and in the ghosts that haunt it. Jesse Shepard (the owner) was a spiritualist musician and writer when the house was built in 1887 and would hold séances channeling Chopin on one hand and Mozart on the other. But when you open up to good spirits you sometimes get the bad as well. Jesse Shepard himself is said to haunt the villa as well as a woman and his former servant who, tormented with grief, hung himself in the tower after his wife passed away. Visitors have heard piano music coming from the locked séance room and a sad, mournful apparition is seen peering through the window of the cupola.
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