The Haunting of Alcatraz Island: Spirits Behind the Bars

Photo: Wikipedia

San Francisco Bay, California — Few places in America have a reputation as chilling and mysterious as Alcatraz Island. Known as "The Rock," this isolated former prison is more than just a symbol of America's most hardened criminals — it's a place steeped in sorrow, isolation, and ghostly whispers from the past.

Originally used as a military fort, Alcatraz became a federal prison in 1934 and quickly gained notoriety for its strict rules and escape-proof location. It held some of the most infamous inmates in U.S. history — including Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz." But not all who entered left. Some died by suicide. Others in failed escape attempts. And some — if stories are to be believed — never left at all.

Visitors, staff, and even skeptics have reported eerie experiences while touring the abandoned prison. Cold spots, strange voices, footsteps in empty halls, and the sound of sobbing or clinking chains have all been noted, particularly in Cell Block D — also known as "the Hole" — where prisoners were kept in total darkness for days at a time.

One of the most famous ghost tales involves cell 14D. A prisoner reportedly screamed all night about a creature with glowing eyes. By morning, he was dead — strangled in a locked cell. Guards joked it was the Grim Reaper. Others weren’t so sure.

Al Capone, once a proud and arrogant gangster, reportedly feared he was being haunted by someone he had wronged. He begged guards to protect him from a ghost he said followed him everywhere, even while he played banjo in the prison shower.

Even the Native Americans who briefly occupied the island during a protest in the 1960s claimed the land was cursed, long before it became a penitentiary. They reported evil spirits and a darkness that made many of them refuse to stay overnight.

Today, Alcatraz is a popular tourist attraction run by the National Park Service, but its haunted reputation draws more than just history buffs. Paranormal investigators from around the world have explored the crumbling cells, hoping to capture evidence of what might still linger behind those iron bars.

With its chilling energy, brutal past, and endless ghost stories, Alcatraz remains one of America's most haunted locations. It’s a place where silence speaks volumes — and the spirits may never stop pacing their cells.

Visitor Info

• Location: Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, CA
• Managed by: National Park Service
• Tours: Ferry tours depart daily from Pier 33, San Francisco
• Phone: (415) 561-4900
• Website: https://www.nps.gov/alca/

The Haunting of the Winchester Mystery House

San Jose, Santa Clara County, California

Photo: Wikipedia

The Winchester Mystery House isn’t just a mansion—it’s a living, breathing riddle wrapped in ghost stories and bathed in tragedy. Located in the heart of San Jose, this sprawling Queen Anne-style Victorian mansion is one of the most bizarre and spine-chilling structures in the United States. A true American landmark, it has captivated paranormal investigators, historians, psychics, and curious visitors for over a century.

The story begins with a woman named Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester, the widow of William Wirt Winchester—heir to the Winchester Repeating Arms fortune. After the tragic deaths of her infant daughter and husband, Sarah was consumed by grief. A medium allegedly told her she was cursed by the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles, and that the only way to appease them was to build… endlessly. She was warned that if the hammer ever stopped, so would her life.

So in 1886, Sarah bought an unfinished farmhouse in San Jose and began building—around the clock. The mansion grew to more than 160 rooms over 38 years of continuous construction. There were no blueprints. No master plan. Sarah was said to receive design instructions directly from the spirits each night during séances held in the home’s infamous “Seance Room.”

The result is an architectural maze that defies logic and invites the supernatural. Staircases lead to ceilings. Doors open into walls. Hallways twist and turn back on themselves. There are secret passages, upside-down pillars, windows inside floors, skylights in the middle of rooms, and stairs with uneven risers meant to confuse evil spirits.

But it’s not just the building that’s strange—many believe the house is genuinely haunted. Visitors and staff have reported ghostly apparitions, disembodied footsteps, cold spots, flickering lights, and doorknobs that turn on their own. Sarah’s spirit herself is rumored to still roam the halls, along with countless others who died because of her husband’s infamous invention.

Even skeptics are unnerved by the house’s heavy, restless energy. Some feel watched. Others claim to hear whispers or see flickers of movement out of the corner of their eye. One former employee quit on the spot after seeing a man in Victorian clothes walk through a wall. The Seance Room—hidden behind a secret passage and accessible only through a series of strange doorways—remains one of the most spiritually charged rooms in the home.

Sarah Winchester died in her sleep in 1922, and the hammer finally fell silent. But the house remained just as she left it—a confusing, haunted labyrinth filled with spiritual secrets and lingering sadness. To this day, people believe Sarah was both a grieving widow and a mystic medium, building a home not for comfort—but as a vessel for redemption… and survival.

The Winchester Mystery House continues to draw thousands of visitors annually. Paranormal investigators, tourists, skeptics, and thrill-seekers all walk its haunted halls, hoping to catch a glimpse of the spirit world that supposedly guided its construction.

Address: 525 S Winchester Blvd, San Jose, CA 95128

Phone: (408) 247-2101

Website: www.winchestermysteryhouse.com

Tours: Daily tours are available, including the Mansion Tour, Explore More Tour, and nighttime candlelight experiences.

Haunted Level: Off the charts. Don’t go alone.

If you love architectural oddities, historical tragedies, and good old-fashioned hauntings, this house delivers it all. Just beware—you may leave with more questions than answers… and not all spirits like to stay behind.

The Haunting of Presidio Chapel

Presidio Chapel – Monterey County, Monterey, California

Photograph © Alex Vassar & Shane Meyers

The historic Presidio Chapel, also known as the San Carlos Cathedral, stands as a timeless testament to its construction in the year 1770, proudly serving its religious community for more than two centuries. As the pages of time turn, numerous accounts have surfaced, adding a layer of intrigue to this venerable structure.

Among the tales woven into the fabric of the Presidio Chapel's long history is the haunting apparition of a priest. Witnesses have attested to glimpses of this ethereal figure, further contributing to the mystique that surrounds the chapel. Intriguingly, there have been reports of a seemingly supernatural candle meandering up and down the aisles and gracefully hovering in front of the altar, evoking a sense of awe and wonder.

Adding to the mystifying ambiance, there are instances where the chapel bells chime unexpectedly in the silence of the night, their resonance echoing through the ages. What makes these occurrences particularly perplexing is the claim that no living priest is responsible for their tolling during those mysterious nocturnal hours.

Venturing beyond the chapel walls, the adjacent old rectory building harbors its own share of enigmatic events. One woman recounts an uncanny experience where she sensed an unseen presence gently placing a hand on her shoulder within the confines of the rectory. Such personal encounters lend an air of intimacy to the otherwise stoic structure.

Further tales emerge from the church employees themselves, recounting peculiar incidents that transpire within the sacred grounds. One diligent worker, toiling away during the late hours, found himself plunged into darkness as his desk light inexplicably extinguished. Undeterred, he hastily reignited the illumination, only to witness its abrupt demise once again, casting shadows that dance in tandem with the chapel's enigmatic history.

The spectrum of strange occurrences widens as the echoes of bodiless footsteps reverberate through the hallowed halls, rocking chairs sway autonomously, and staircases emit creaks as if carrying the invisible weight of unseen pilgrims. Curtains, untouched by any earthly breeze, flutter mysteriously, and peculiar rattling sounds permeate the air, leaving those who bear witness to these phenomena with a sense of both awe and trepidation.

In essence, the Presidio Chapel, with its rich history and spectral tales, invites all who cross its threshold to ponder the mysterious and unexplained, transcending time as it continues to stand as a silent witness to the passage of centuries.

Address:
550 Church Street
Monterey, California
(831)373-4345

The Haunting of the Queen Anne Hotel

Queen Anne Hotel – San Francisco County, San Francisco, California

Photograph ©Here Comes the Guide

The Queen Anne Hotel started out in 1889 as a finishing school for girls. After 1896, the school closed its doors and then the building changed hands several times.

In 1980 the building was purchased again and the new owner restored and renamed her, the Queen Anne Hotel.

The buildings renovations brought an entity out of hiding. The spirit is thought to be Mary Lake, former head mistress of the girls’ finishing school.

Mary loved her job as head mistress and was devastated when the school closed down. Now, in death, she happily takes care of her new hotel guests.

Mary has been known to unpack visitor’s bags and hang their clothing up for them. She tidies up rooms while guests are out and has even been known to tuck the covers around her guests while they were sleeping!

Mary’s apparition has been seen by some as a misty shape and psychics who have visited the hotel have sensed her benevolent company.


Address:
1590 Sutter at Octavia
San Francisco, California 94109
(415) 441-2828
Website

The Haunting of the Villa Montezuma

Villa Montezuma – San Diego County, San Diego, California

Photograph ©San Diego Historical Society

The Villa Montezuma was built in 1887 by Jesse Shepard. Jesse was an opera singer, a musician, a composer and an author. It was also Jesse’s ideas that went into building this exquisite nineteen-hundreds, Queen Anne style, crown jewel.

Jesse Shepard, in addition to his many other talents, was also a spiritualist and was known to hold séances in a particular room in the house. Unfortunately, this type of behavior was frowned upon by San Diego’s high society and Jesse eventually decided to return to his homeland of Europe.

After Jesse’s departure, the Villa Montezuma changed hands many times and the structure, after several years, was in need of serious restoration. Then, in 1970, it became the property of the city and after much effort and funding; it was restored to its former Victorian beauty.

There are two apparitions haunting the Villa today. The first of these is, of course, Jesse Shepard. Jesse’s spirit is felt strongly by visitors in the séance room. Guests have even heard piano music coming from behind a locked door in the house.

The second apparition is that of a former servant of Jesses’, who was so hard struck by the death of his wife, that he hung himself in the manors tower. This mans apparition has been seen starring, sorrowfully out one of the mansion windows.

Address:
1925 K Street
San Diego, California 92102
(619) 239-2211
Website

The Haunting of Madrona Manor

Madrona Manor –Sonoma County, Healdsburg, California

Photograph ©DuVine Adventures

Madrona Manor was built in 1880 by John Alexander Paxtron, for his wife, Hannah, and their two boys, Blitz and Charles.

After John’s death, seven years later, his wife Hannah is said to have kept his dead corpse in a glass coffin, inside of the mansion until her death in 1902. It was then that the boys, Blitz and Charles inherited the handsome estate. Later on, Charles committed suicide in the manor after his bride left him for another.

The manor house changed hands many times after that until it was purchased by the Muir couple in the 1980’s.

Mr. and Mrs. Muir dedicated themselves to refurbishing the old home and turning into a bed and breakfast.

During the renovations, several workers complained to the Muir couple about the strange sense that they were being watched by some unseen presence. These complaints went on even after the inn was opened, by several of the employees.

The guests of the Madrona Manor have has some complaints of their own. One of these patrons was awakened by a tea cup, turning on top of its saucer, with no help from the living! Others have found their possessions in some of the oddest places, moved and hidden by some unseen entity.

Another guest was in room 101 and awoke during the night to the apparition of a woman dressed in black, standing next to her bed! The ghost floated over to a chair by the window and then vanished into thin air!

One guest, after finishing her dinner, saw the apparition of an older woman. The ghost opened up a French door and made her way into the dining room where the living guest was still seated! The ghost came right to the side of this guest and spoke to her! The apparition told this poor startled guest, “I’m glad you can see me. I feel so bad that no one else can. This was my house once and I like what’s been done to it! I’d like to tell someone that. Now, you can tell them.”


Address:
1001 Westside Road
Healdsburg, California 95448
(707) 433-4231

Haunted Castles in America

There are several haunted castles in America. Most everyone is attracted to castles. These immense structures are typically constructed in such a way that they naturally appeal to anyone who lays eyes on them. In addition to this, they usually stem from a long, rich history that is filled with intrigue and mystery. This is especially true when it comes to the haunted castles that are located throughout the United States of America. In this guide, you will be introduced to several of the many haunted castles in America.

The Preston Castle

The Preston Castle is located in the city of Ione, in California. In the year of 1890, the construction on this majestic building started. It was created to reflect the architectural style which is commonly referred to as "Romanesque Revival". Originally, this was referred to as the "Preston School of Industry". At the time in which the building was created, the community saw a need to have a place where juvenile offenders to the law could be placed, with the purpose and intent of rehabilitation. Construction completed in the year of 1894. It was at this time that the first young offenders entered the doors of the immense structure for the first time.

When it comes to schools that aim to reform, the Preston Castle is one of the most well known in all of America. It was considered to be the very first of its type at the time. As a matter of fact, when it opened, electricity was not even present. This luxury came a year later through the means of a massive water wheel that was used to produce minimal, but substantive lighting to the residents of the facility. As time progressed, the faculty and staff who operated the structure determined that it was time to move from the castle itself as it had started to deteriorate tremendously. This occurred around the year of 1960.

Throughout the years, several different types of hauntings have been said to have occurred at this castle. In one instance, there is a special type of cemetery that was created in an effort to hold those who passed away while living in the Preston Castle. While this cemetery is said to only house approximately twenty three individual graves, many claim that there are spirits lingering in this area of the grounds. Individuals who have visited this area often sense areas of intense coldness. In addition to this, several have felt strong, uncomfortable emotions on the grounds.

There are several strange and unusual events that seem to occur in this haunted castle in America. Events such as strange noises, unusual smells, voices, intense emotional states, and even full body apparitions have been spotted in this haunted American castle. While it appears that most hauntings seem to be residual based, it is also believed that many of the spirits that linger on the grounds and within the walls of the structure are intelligent, making this one of the scariest places on Earth - especially at night!

Thornwood Castle

The Thornwood Castle is located in Washington, in the city of Lakewood. Today, this structure serves as a popular "Bed and Breakfast", particularly for couples looking for a romantic getaway. Original construction of the immense home began in the year of 1908 and continued until completion in the year of 1911. Most of the unique architecture emerged from England, as the owner, Chester Thorne, wanted to ensure that the home was built to withstand weatherization and time. As time progressed in the history of this home, many who came to know it - both inside and out - have determined that this seems to be a gateway to the spiritual world.

Most individuals who visit this haunted American castle state that there is a sense of peace and calm that seems to generate out of the walls themselves - as if the building is a fortress of spirit and positive life energy. No matter where you go in the structure - there does not seem to be any sort of evil presence that lurks in the castle. Many claimed that they have experienced intelligent hauntings that seem to want to communicate with the living, for one reason or another. Then, there seem to be even angelic presences as accounted by many witnesses that appear to want to protect the building, as well as all those that enter the property and the building itself. If you are seeking to emerge yourself into a place of spiritual life, the haunted Thornwood Castle in Washington is sure to be a place that you will want to be!

The Beardslee Castle

The Beardslee Castle is located in New York in the city of Little Falls. This has been considered to be one of the most haunted castles in America for some time now. Today, you can visit this unique structure easily as it is a restaurant that is open to the public. If you go to the hill that is located in what is referred to as "Mohawk Valley", you will discover this castle, standing in all of its majesty. Constructed in the year of 1860 by the infamous Augustus Beardslee, this building has a long history that contributes to the belief that spirits reside in and around the brick and mortar used to construct it.

There are two very popular hauntings that seem to occur in this haunted American castle. The first is a lady that is dressed in all white. Naturally, she is even called the "lady in white". Then, there is the story of a man who seems to be consumed by shadows lingering in and around the structure on a consistent basis. The identities of these two individuals are not known, but many who have studied the history of the structure are under the impression that these are actual Beardslee family members that linger on even after death in the physical body. Naturally, there are your typical noises, shadows, moving objects, and electrical interference in this particular haunted castle as well!

Conclusion

This is just a sample of the many haunted castles in America today. If you have a fascination with castles, history, and paranormal stories and legends, visiting one of these haunted places to go would be in your best interest! There are several other haunted castles in America today apart from the ones mentioned here, however, these seem to be the most popular among those who are in search of haunted castles that have a long tale when it comes to actual history.

By Jodi Roberts

How To Hunt Ghosts - A No-nonsense Paranormal Guide To Get You Quickly Started On Your First Ghost Hunt Or To Help Improve Your Next One. Click Here to learn more!
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