The Whaley House Hauntings
Whaley House has been long known to be haunted. In fact, it is commonly referred to as the most haunted house in California, and is only one of two properties recognised by the United States government as being officially haunted. The haunting and strange happenings have been observed by many visitors, volunteers and guests. Very few of these can be easily discounted often witnessed by more than one visitor.
In the early 19th century the booming city of San Diego had started to encroach on the nearby Native American settlement. Due to disease and conflict, the Kumeyaay Indian population dropped quickly, of 16,000 Kumeyaay baptised in a ten-year period, 9,000 died. The cemetery from the nearby Catholic Church expanded. Whaley House would later be built on this Indian burial ground.
In 1853 Yankee Jim Robinson a colourful figure attempted to steal a boat, The Plutus, it was rumoured to be his first step in becoming a pirate. During the attempt, Yankee Jim was clubbed over the head with the butt of a sword and badly injured. Rumour has it that Yankee Jim was tried straight away even though he was probably still suffering from concussion. The judge was drunk during the trial and the court that was set up to convict him found his delirium convenient, and the semi-conscious Jim Robinson was hung on a makeshift scaffold on the spot where the future Whaley House was built. Because of Jim's height his feet could just touch the floor resulting in slow suffocation; it took him nearly an hour to die.
Whaley House is located at the intersection of San Diego Avenue and Harney Street, at the heart of historic "Old Town" San Diego. Whaley house was at the centre of early San Diego, it is now preserved as a museum. The visiting hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. A small fee is required for entrance to the house.
Whaley House was built between 1856 and 1856 by San Diego Pioneer Thomas Whaley. Thomas Whaley was a prominent man, and a great deal of old San Diego's high tone socializing took place here. Mr. Whaley rented the first floor living room as a court room for San Diego County Court House. Part of property was later used as a theatre by "The Tanner Troupe".
The last Whaley to live in the house was Corinne Lillian Whaley, youngest of Whaley's six children. She died at the age of 89 in 1953. Whaley himself died in December 14, 1890, at the age of 67. His wife Anna lived on until February 24, 1913. They are both buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in San Diego.
Whaley House fell into disrepair over the years. Its demolition was prevented, in 1956, by the formation of the Historical Shrine Foundation of San Diego County, which bought the land and the building. Eventually San Diego County was convinced to preserve the house as a historical museum. Over time, Whaley House was restored to its original splendour, as it remains to this day.
Read More:
Whaley House HauntingWhaley House - Thomas Whaley's Ghost
Whaley House Poltergeists
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