Best 'Haunted' Places In Sacramento
Vampires, zombies, psychics and the walking dead may dominate the world of entertainment these days, but Sacramento has its own share of spookiness as well. Local history is rife with tales of ghosts and other unexplained phenomena. Some lore dates back to the 1800s, but stories of modern-day hauntings continue. These are a few of the most interesting spots in the Sacramento region for ethereal experiences.
Dyer Lane
Elverta, CA 95626
Dyer Lane has a history of deadly accidents, suicides and murder. A high school student was killed on the desolate street and the Ku Klux Klan is believed to have met there during the 1930s. Recently, two kittens were hanged from a noose strung from a tree, and to this day, people swear that ghostly figures appear and disappear before their eyes. A gaunt, disheveled man in fatigues has been seen, as well as the tortured figure of a police officer who died there under mysterious circumstances.
Perrault House
5848 14th Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95820
During the 1950s and 1960s, this small Oak Park house, named for the original owner Hector Perrault, was fraught with ghostly activity. Many people observed heavy items floating off the ground, light bulbs shattering, bottles exploding and terrified neighborhood cats avoiding going even close to the house. One of the more unusual occurrences involved the home furnishings. Inexplicably, fires would suddenly blaze on a piece of furniture, and then would die down shortly after.
Related: Sacramento's Most Haunted Places
Woodland Opera House
340 2nd St.
Woodland, CA 95695
(530) 666-9617
www.woodlandoperahouse.org
In the late 1800s, a fire started on Dead Cat Alley behind the theater and destroyed the entire block. A fireman was killed as the theater burned and his ghost stayed in the shell of the building, even after it was rebuilt. Locals and visiting psychic investigators claim to see Porter to this day, stomping angrily around in the theater in frustration that the arson fire was never solved. Loud noises and voices are heard and sudden, inexplicable temperature changes have been experienced. Not content to affect only items from his own era, the ghost flips switches on amplifiers and mixing boards as well.
Antelope and Roseville Roads
Citrus Heights, CA 95610
Home of a temporary internment camp for Japanese during World War II, the area is frequently visited by ghosts and unexplained paranormal phenomena. Residents see things levitate or move, electronics go on and off or change channels, chandeliers start swinging, doors open and close and the strong scent of perfume comes from out of nowhere. A number of people over the years have reported being physically touched by spirits and experiencing a powerful sense of someone hanging over them.
Victorian Home on Franklin Blvd.
Franklin Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95823
More than 80 years ago, a man brought home a child he had fathered with another woman. His wife was cruel to the child, and continued to vent her anger by haunting the people in the house ever since. Her specter has appeared when children are in the house, and photographs of the interior show objects that were not actually there. When attempts are made to sell the home, cracks and huge dark stains appear on the walls, red fluid oozes out around doorways, smoke pours from heat registers, pipes burst and screams can be heard from the empty basement. These symptoms would disappear as soon as the owners would stop trying to sell it.
Valerie Heimerich is a freelance writer out of Sacramento. She typically covers animals and community issues. She has volunteered and worked for many organizations helping animals and people.
Her work can be found at Examiner.com.