MomSkoop
California is famous for sunshine, beaches, and Hollywood glamour, but beneath that bright exterior lurks a darker side. Scattered across the state are grand mansions with tragic pasts, mysterious deaths, and restless spirits that refuse to leave.
These homes tell stories of heartbreak, madness, and unexplained events that continue to frighten visitors today. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the chilling histories behind these haunted estates will make you think twice about what might be lurking in the shadows.
1. Winchester Mystery House (San Jose)
Sarah Winchester believed vengeful spirits haunted her after her family’s rifle fortune brought death to thousands. Convinced by a medium that continuous construction would confuse the ghosts, she built nonstop for 38 years. The result is a bizarre mansion with staircases leading to ceilings, doors opening to walls, and secret passages everywhere.
Workers hammered away 24 hours a day until Sarah died in 1922. Visitors report hearing phantom footsteps, doorknobs turning by themselves, and cold spots throughout the house. Some claim to see Sarah’s ghost still wandering the halls, forever trying to outsmart the spirits she feared.
2. Rispin Mansion (Capitola)
In 1910, Judge Henry Rispin constructed a stunning Victorian mansion—but darkness soon followed. After his wife’s reported suicide within its walls, strange events began—and they haven’t stopped. Over the years, every owner has shared tales of eerie encounters.
Guests have heard a woman crying in empty rooms and witnessed objects moving without explanation. Shadows appear in hallways where no one stands. The judge’s wife supposedly roams the property, forever trapped in her final moments. Even skeptics admit the atmosphere feels heavy and unwelcoming in certain areas of this coastal estate.
3. Whittier Mansion (San Francisco)
Built in 1896 for wealthy businessman William Whittier, this red sandstone beauty hides dark secrets behind its elegant facade. The Whittier family experienced unexplained tragedies, including sudden deaths and mysterious illnesses that plagued multiple generations. Staff members refused to work alone in certain rooms.
Current employees report seeing a man in Victorian clothing vanishing into walls. Lights flicker without electrical problems, and disembodied voices echo through empty hallways. One room remains perpetually cold regardless of heating efforts. The mansion now serves as a private club, but members still whisper about the ghostly gentleman who never checked out.
4. Chambers Mansion (San Francisco)
Richard Chambers spared no expense when constructing this lavish home in 1887, but his nephew’s murder inside the mansion cursed it forever. The brutal killing went unsolved, leaving behind an angry spirit seeking justice. Subsequent owners fled after experiencing terrifying paranormal activity.
A ghostly figure appears in the library where the murder occurred, sometimes throwing books across the room. Visitors hear arguments and struggle sounds when no one else is present. The nephew’s apparition has been photographed multiple times, always wearing the same bloodstained clothing. Many believe he remains trapped, unable to rest until his killer is revealed.
5. Greeystone Mansion (Beverly Hills)
Happiness never lasted long in the 55-room palace Edward Doheny built for Ned in 1928. Just months after moving in, Ned and his secretary were found dead, and the so-called murder-suicide left friends and family questioning everything.
Groundskeepers report seeing Ned’s ghost near the room where he died, looking confused and distressed. Strange sounds come from the empty mansion at night, including gunshots that echo through the halls. The secretary’s spirit supposedly wanders the grounds, forever searching for answers. Film crews using the location often capture unexplained shadows and voices on equipment.
6. Los Feliz Murder Mansion (Los Angeles)
Dr. Harold Perelson murdered his wife with a hammer in 1959, attacked his daughter, then killed himself in this Spanish Revival home. The surviving children fled and never returned. Everything remained frozen in time, including Christmas decorations and bloodstains.
The property sat abandoned for decades, becoming legendary among ghost hunters. Neighbors reported screams coming from the empty house and seeing figures in windows. When finally sold in 2016, workers refused to enter certain rooms alone. The new owners gutted the interior, but some claim the violent energy lingers. Passersby still feel an overwhelming sense of dread when walking past this cursed address.
7. Vanderlip Mansion (Rancho Palos Verdes)
Once a glittering oceanfront estate, Vanderlip’s 1930s mansion fell into despair after he lost his fortune. Squatters moved in, fires raged through the rooms, and the eerie disturbances only intensified.
Urban explorers report being pushed by invisible hands and hearing children laughing in empty rooms. Apparitions of a man in old-fashioned clothing appear on the terraces overlooking the ocean. Some visitors experience sudden panic attacks and flee without explanation. Though the ruins are now fenced off, trespassers continue seeking thrills, often regretting their decision when supernatural encounters turn terrifying.
8. Beckett Residence (Los Angeles)
This sleek modern home became infamous after a brutal murder shocked the neighborhood in the 1940s. The wealthy owner was found stabbed to death, and the crime was never solved. Despite its contemporary redesign, the violent past refuses to fade away.
Residents have reported feeling watched constantly, especially in the master bedroom where the murder occurred. Electronics malfunction without explanation, and security cameras capture shadow figures moving through rooms. One family moved out after just three months, claiming they heard agonized screams every night. The current owners remain tight-lipped about their experiences, but neighbors notice lights turning on and off when no one is home.
9. Wolfe Manor (Clovis)
Built in 1922 as a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients, this massive estate witnessed countless deaths during the disease’s deadly reign. Patients died in agony within these walls, and their suffering seems permanently absorbed into the building. The property later became a private residence, but darkness followed.
Paranormal investigators document some of California’s most intense supernatural activity here. Full-body apparitions appear regularly, including nurses in vintage uniforms. Visitors hear coughing, crying, and medical equipment sounds from empty rooms. Doors slam violently, and people report being scratched by unseen forces. The current owner embraces the haunting, occasionally allowing ghost tours through this terrifying time capsule of suffering.
10. Tabor House (Los Angeles)
A wealthy family built this imposing Victorian in 1890, but their prosperity couldn’t protect them from tragedy. Multiple family members died under mysterious circumstances, including children who supposedly fell from upper windows. Servants whispered about curses and evil lurking in the shadows.
Modern residents experience relentless paranormal activity, particularly involving children’s spirits. Toys move on their own, and childish laughter echoes through hallways at night. A little girl in a white dress appears at windows, staring at passersby with hollow eyes. Adults report feeling small hands tugging at their clothing. One owner hired multiple priests for exorcisms, but the spirits returned within weeks, stronger than before.
11. The William Westerfeld House (San Francisco)
Even before Kenneth Anger arrived in the 1960s, this 1889 Victorian mansion had an unsettling history. When the occultist filmmaker moved in, bizarre rituals and whispered disappearances only cemented its reputation as a place of darkness.
Visitors describe overwhelming feelings of being watched and sudden temperature drops in specific rooms. Shadows move independently of any light source, and whispered chanting is heard when the house sits empty. Some claim to see robed figures in windows late at night. The mansion’s connection to occult practices seems to have opened doors that remain stubbornly open to this day.
12. Phillips Mansion (Pomona)
Louis Phillips built this grand estate in 1875, establishing one of Pomona’s most prominent families. However, beneath the surface of wealth and respectability, tragedy struck repeatedly. Family members died young from illnesses and accidents that seemed too frequent to be coincidental. Servants spoke of bad luck following the Phillips name.
The mansion now operates as a restaurant, but staff and diners regularly encounter supernatural phenomena. A woman in Victorian dress glides through the dining room before vanishing. Glasses shatter without being touched, and silverware flies off tables. Employees refuse to enter the basement alone after multiple people reported being grabbed by invisible hands. The Phillips family may be gone, but their presence lingers uncomfortably strong.