Ventura has got quite a few locations that are supposedly haunted or have some weird folklore surrounding them. Here are just a few of these places and a tidbit of the history behind their respective “spooky happenings.”
- Bella Maggiore Inn– The ghost of a woman named Sylvia Michaels is said to haunt this historic Inn built in the 1920’s. Some say Michaels was a prostitute while others say she was a struggling writer, either way the general consensus is that she commited suicide in room 17 of the inn. Throughout the inn, guests report objects moving by themselves, lights turning on and off, and hearing piano music when no one is playing. Moreover, those who stay in room 17, tell of hearing a woman sobbing in the middle of the night, sudden drops in temperature, and being awoken by intense nightmares.
(source: www.weirdca.com)
- The Majestic Theater– This reticent piece of 1920’s architecture has had visitors report sightings of multiple apparitions that are said to haunt the theater. These spirits include a woman in a white dress who dances on the stage and appears to have had her head cut off and a gangster wearing a pinstriped suit who is often seen smoking a cigarette outside of the men’s bathroom.
(source: www.hauntedplaces.org)
- San Buenaventura Mission- This relic of colonial California is rumored to have a the spirit of a dead monk that stalks around the grounds. Urban legend tells of a monk who was slain when the mission caught fire shortly after the structure came to be. The charred, malformed ghostly figure of the monk supposedly still haunts the monastery to this day. Visitors also report ghostly chanting that can be heard while walking the grounds.
(sources: www.vcstar.com and www.wierdca.com)
- The Father Serra Cross- The story behind the alleged haunted happenings at this spot is that, in colonial times, a Native American woman was assaulted and beaten to death by a Spanish soldier. The soldier buried her beneath the cross, thinking he’d disposed of her for good. But legend has it that after her untimely death, the woman’s spirit sought vengeance on the soldier and haunted him to the point of insanity, leading him to take his own life. It is said that the woman woefully wanders in the area surrounding the cross to this day.
(source: www.wierdca.com)
- Ventura High School- Right here at VHS, a common folktale surrounding a ghost named Toby is passed on through each generation of the theater department. There are many accounts of Toby’s true origins. Some say he was a janitor, some say he was a theater department alumni who worked here, some say he was a student. But at the end of every version of the story, Toby dies by falling off the catwalk above the stage. Toby is said to haunt the theater to this day. Most drama kids say that he’s a nice ghost that likes messing with students and staff on occasion. Reports range from small pranks to moderate spooks.
(source: Drama Teacher Ms. Stefoni Rossiter and various members of the VHS drama department)
- The Tavern (Santa Clara House)– Allegedly, the ghost of a young woman named Rosa haunts this eating establishment. The tale goes that Rosa got pregnant after she cheated on her husband with another man. The guilt of having an affair apparently caused her so much grief, that she hung herself in the attic of the restaurant. Guests at the restaurant report seeing Rosa’s spirit lingering near the upstairs bathroom and gazing outside windows at a second story.
(sources: https://downtownventura.org and www.wierdca.com)
