In this episode, Matt takes a trip to Sanger, California, and its surrounding area to talk about ghost stories associated with a few small town cemeteries. Along the way, he ponders the monuments we leave behind for the dead, explains why glowing tombstones are often reported in “haunted” cemeteries, and then drives on an allegedly (but not really) horribly twisty road said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman in white.
Tag Archives: california history
94. Pinedale, California
The Pinedale neighborhood of Fresno, California was once the location of a facility used to stage Japanese-Americans on their way to the WWII-era internment camps. In this episode, Matt talks about how history can be stored but also warped in ghost stories and how some aspects of our past hold lessons for the present. Also, there’s an old Spanish lady who throws sand in people’s eyes.
89. Ghosts of the Playa Vista Project
The Playa Vista or Bellona Wetlands area is said to be haunted. Despite the location containing a well-known and widely reported Native American cemetery, the ghosts are actually somewhat unexpected and weirdly delightful. In this episode, Matt talks about ghosts, real estate development, archaeology, and Howard Hughes.
88. Three Haunted California Theaters
It seems that every theater that hosts live performances is home to at least one ghost story. But what about movie theaters? What about old movie theaters that became live performance venues? What can the ghosts that haunt these places tell us about how we connect our present with the past? In this episode, Matt talks about three theaters in his home state that are said to be haunted by a variety of ghosts.
58. Gnomes and Ghosts
No, Matt is not going to turn this into a podcast on gnomes and other fairy folk…but there are more connections between fairies, gnomes, and ghosts than one might think. In this episode, Matt talks about a scary gnome that might be a demon, as well as a man who died and came back as a ghost that appears to resemble a gnome or brownie.
57. Mission La Purisima Concepcion, California
The ghost stories about the La Purisima Mission, what they include and what they surprisingly don’t, tell us a lot about how Californians think about their state’s past.
54. Rispin Mansion
Perched on a tree-covered riverbank in the coastal town of Capitola, California there is a once-glorious mansion. Built by Henry Rispin, this “haunted house” has been abandoned for decades and now lurks in the shade just outside of easy view. In this episode, Matt discusses the history of the mansion, the ghosts who are said to haunt it, and its role in Santa Cruz County folklore.
Supplemental: The Monterey Waterfront
In another special supplemental episode, recorded near the beginning of the year, Matt returns to Monterey in search of the ghost of the Chinese Fisherman featured in Episode 15. Along the way, he talks about how our views of history can be both reflected and distorted by the landscape as we walk through it.
38. The Winchester Mystery House
The story of the Winchester Mystery House is well known and often retold – the frightened widow who continued to build on to her already massive and sprawling home out of a fear that if she stopped, evil spirits would kill her. The truth of Sarah Winchester is, however, very different. In this episode, Matt discusses what is known about the origins of the Winchester Mystery House and why it is often worthwhile to dig deeper into popular legends.
33. Haunted Lakes in the Desert
her is said to be the site of a showdown between the toughest immigrant ever to arrive in California and a literal Demon from hell…but don’t worry, the tough guy wins.
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