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Whaley House Museum
Rating Details »
Categories: Museums, Landmarks & Historical Buildings
Neighborhood: Old Town2476 San Diego Avenue
(between Conde St & Harney St)
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 297-7511
Ghost Hunting Tour
Monthly 90-minute paranormal investigation of San…
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- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
40 reviews for Whaley House Museum
The Whaley House. Hot damn. Holy shit, even. Remember this place? If you're a native San Diegan, or at least went to Elementary School anywhere in the county, you probably remember your class field trip here in either second, third, or fourth grade.
Sometimes it takes moving away from your city to finally get around to revisiting all the touristy areas of your former home. On one idle Tuesday recently, my Mom and I decided to get some grub and give the Whaley House another shot. The Whaley house was built a long, long time ago. It was the first two story house in San Diego and played host to a theater, a courtroom rented by the City of San Diego (which is still attached) and a general store.
And damn if things haven't changed. Maybe it was due to me being a young kid, but I remember the ghost aspect of this place being played up quite a bit. Maybe it was my teacher more than the docents doing the up playing, but still. I remember stories about Thomas Whaley being spotted standing atop the stairs before fading away and how Regis Philben once accepted a dare to stay the night, saw the ghost of Mrs. Whaley looking out the window and refused to go through with the rest of the dare.
The Whaley House is often cited as the most haunted house in the US and while no one can say for sure if the place truly is occupied by spirits, the history of the house would definitely lead you to believe so.
Before the house was erected a man by the name of Yankee Jim was convicted of grand larceny and hung on the property from the back of a horse drawn cart. Jim was a very tall man and the tips of his toes touched the ground while he swung back and forth, causing a very slow, painful and visually gruesome death. Mr. Whaley witnessed the death and still bought the land to build his mansion. After the house was built, he and his family reported hearing heavy footsteps - as if that of a large man - moving throughout the house. A few years later, Violet Whaley, Thomas' daughter committed suicide in the backyard. Little girls visiting the house in recent years have been seen waving to thin air - stating that a short man, Mr. Whaley, is standing a distance away, smiling at them. Window's have unlatched and flown open. Curtains have been spotted swaying in the breeze next to windows that are closed. Mrs. Whaley is often seen in the downstairs rooms or in the garden. The presence of an unknown woman is felt in the courtroom. The apparition of the family's fox terrier has been spotted running down the halls...etc.
The staff, though, or should I say "the new staff" don't talk about these pieces much. They're much more inclined to go on and on about how the old caretakers were morons. The last company to care for and present the house to the public withheld facts about the Whaley family that might have been seen as embarrassing and made renovations to the house that were not period accurate or accurate to the floorplan of the house. The new staff has restored the theater upstairs to how it would have looked at the time. They've done a great job with bringing the place back to reality and they're extremely knowledgeable about how the Whaley house and residents affected the city of San Diego.
So if you're into ghosts or just want to bone up on the history of San Diego, this is definitely a great place to do so. For a mere $6 admission fee, you'll learn things about the harsh, gold-fueled beginnings of the nation's 6th largest city that most of it's citizens have never heard of.
Unless of course, they weren't too busy ghost hunting in second grade to listen.
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My journey to the Whaley House dates back to 1988 or so. While I didn't experience anything supernatural (and didn't expect to - though it would have been nice - or so one would think!) - I was interested in the history of the Whaley House just as much as I was the hauntings of it. So in 1998, my wife and I went to the downtown San Diego Library and got a ton of information from there (actual copies of the original newspapers and such) - and threw together a website on Geocities (which ironically just got tanked yesterday). However, I did not want to have all that hard work go to waste - so I copied the whole page and put it on my other domain:
http://www.piratebooty...
My html skills from 11 years ago was minimal at best. Everything was self taught. (And to be truthful, I haven't learned much more than what you see there for coding! Because I eventually burned out on doing webpages).
Anyway, my site has a collection of the Whaley House history, as well as some of the reported hauntings that frequently (as much as "frequently" apparently happens there anyway) happen.
For anyone going there for "hauntings" only - you're bound to be disappointed. I can only imagine that if a haunting happens it's going to be EXTREMELY rare. The Whaley House sells itself as a Muesum, way before it sells itself as a Haunted House.
Anyway, feel to check out my website. Back in the day, before the Whaley House got its own website - it was a hub for the Whaley House fans. There's even an eGroup that I made for it - though it's pretty dead. (No pun intended!) :-)
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If there's something strange in your neighborhood
Where's it gonna be?
Not the Whaley House
If there's something weird and it don't look good
Where's it gonna be?
Not the Whaley House
I ain't seen no ghost
I ain't seen no ghost
If you're seeing things running through your head
Where's it gonna be?
Not the Whaley House
An invisible man sleeping in your bed
Oh, were's it gonna be?
Not the Whaley House
I ain't seen no ghost
I ain't seen no ghost
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Entertaining but nothing too weirdo or scary. It's nice to go to a museum with a different concept. No ghosts or spooks, just an interesting day at the museum.
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Didn't exactly have a paranormal experience or anything but it made for an entertaining tour.
We took a ton of photos and got excited over a couple thinking we had caught an elusive shot of one of the Whaley spirits---only to find out it was just my blurred finger tip on the corner of the photos. Sigh. I'm not much of a photographer, obviously.
Go over to the New Orleans Creole Cafe though for your heebie-jeebie-fix. On my first visit, I walked into the indoor dining room and the hair on my neck literally stood up! Freaky. We ended up eating outside on the patio instead because I was too chickensh*t to eat inside. Haven't experienced anything paranormal since then tho...
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I have an obsession...or two. That obsession is things pertaining to the paranormal. Another obsession is historical stuff (buildings, tours, etc.). This is a place where these to collide.
I've been wanting to visit this place for many years...Don't ask my why. Just because. So on our week long trip to San Diego, I suggested we hit up Old Towne.....mainly cause the Whaley House is there!
It has a very interesting history and the docents are very nice and informative.
Interesting stuff!
Yay!
Oh..you buy your tickets for the Whaley House Museum next door!
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The Whaley House Museum is a wonderful tourist attraction.
For the skeptics:
The Whaley House holds a lot of history to it. It was once a courthouse, a theater, a convenience store, and a home to the Whaley Family. The museum houses many old century artifacts which includes some personal belongings to the Whaley's. Based on this, you don't need to be a believer in the spiritual world to appreciate this museum.
For the ghost enthusiasts:
The Whaley House boast the title, "the most haunted house in America". Apparently, there are some ghostly activities experienced by many people throughout the house.
In fact, during my tour, I overheard a woman say someone poked the back of her shoulder but when she turned around, no one was there.
I, myself, did not experience such ghostly encounters. But so what?
Haunted or not, it's a fun tour. The staff are well informed and very friendly and inviting. If you're visiting San Diego, why not try out this museum? You never know, with the ridiculous amount of picture taken during the tour, you may capture one of those elusive spirits.
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So so bummed! MY bf and I were really looking forward to getting the crap scared out of us, or at the very least, kind of creeped out. This place was such a rip.
We paid six dollars in hopes of getting some kind of tour, only to enter the house, and have the girl at the front say that this was a "self-guided tour". We were handed three laminated sheets of paper, and essentially told to knock ourselves out. 5 minutes later, we've seen the whole house, read the material, and are ready to leave. If they want to hang on to their title of one of the most haunted places in America, they're going to have to try a little harder.
Skip this! If you're really dying to get some creepy house tour action, visit the Winchester mystery house instead.
Oh well, at least we got to see some "spooky construction" being done by SDSU in the backyard of the house. None of them were wearing hardhats. Thats the extent of creepy this place has to offer.
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This is supposed to be the most haunted house in America. if you're going solely in the hopes of experiencing paranormal activity you will be disappointed.
I've visited and experienced no such encounters as I had read much about.
What was amazing about this place is how much all the items are in tact. You get a good feel of what past America was like and more specifically how the people in San Diego once lived.
Definitely a must see if you're visiting the city.
Snap pictures, you never know what might show up :o)
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I've been here so many times. I think it's fun. Yes, it's supposed to be creepy, but I think it's just interesting reliving the history!
Of course, there are stories: the girl who died in the kitchen from some unknown and violent death, and Yankee Jim who had to strangle for 45 minutes and whose ghost haunts the house, and how the house was built on hanging grounds, and Violet (I believe) who committed suicide in the house, and etc. etc.
It is a creepy history. And the dolls that are on display all over the house are creepy as well, I have to say. But it is so neat at the same time! This house was practically considered a mansion back in the day! It has functions of the everyday house: bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, parlor, living room. And it also has a court room, theater, and general store! I consider that pretty cool.
You have to stop by whenever your passing through Old Town. There are some good Mexican restaurants nearby as well. =)
This place is a tourist trap. My apartment is more supernatural than this place. However, it's only $6 to get in which isn't a huge amount to waste, so if ghost-hunting is your thing, then go by all means.
The staff was exceptionally friendly. They had some interesting stories to tell of some of the more-crazy nondead visitors of the house. They were much more entertaining than the house itself. If you go to this place, make sure you start up conversations with the staff so you might actually get your money's worth.
It's a must see if you go to Old Town, SD. It's knows as the most haunted house in America...
Good experience, although I didn't see anything. We took a bunch of pictures, stayed for a good while and nothing. But My brother in law went 3/4 years ago and took pictures from a disposable camera, and when he developed them, you can clearly see Thomas Whaley sitting down on the chair with a hat on. It's incredible!
Also we spoke to the workers and if you sit and chat with them, they tell you what they've experienced in the house... Spooky!
FYI- One of the workers mention that by the end of the month (not sure if it's a weekend type of thing) they have like this tour where you get to touch the displays... I'm not sure but yea..
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Approached by a young Asian lady in 1850s attire as I stepped toward the entrance of the Whaley House, I didn't resist the urge to ask if she was real! I even kept the scary music and noises I hear on "America's Most Haunted" flowing through my head uninterrupted throughout my visit! I just wanted to have some fun today - and having some fascination with the strange and unusual, this was the ideal site!
The Whaley House is couched in the the center of the Old Town business district - a can't miss site as you head down the main drag. It's a most worthwhile place to visit, especially if you'd like to see how life was lived in the mid 1800s. Having a paranormal experience would be a bonus - that's why it gets four stars. When I get my paranormal visit it will receive a five-star rating!
The tour is very affordable for both adults and children and a few bucks well spent. It has a very nice shop next door with all kinds of neat books and souvenirs. My pictures added to this site include a picture of the grave of "Yankee" Jim who is said to regularly haunt the place (he's buried at haunted El Campo Santo Cemetery up the street) and a picture of the staircase that seems to show the image of a man's face by the entrance to the theater. I did nothing special with my camera to set up the photo.
Recommend: HIGHLY
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Im giving this place 5 stars because im afraid if i give it anything less, the ghosts are going to get ME!!
I meannnn, I aintt no punk or nothinggg namsayin namsayin namsayin.. but there is justtt somethinggg creepy about this place that makes a buff bronco /beefcake like myself wanna get the fax outta there asap!
Overall, this place gives me the Heebie-Jeebies forreal forreal.
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Ghostbusters...
If there's somethin' strange in your neighborhood
Who ya gonna call (ghostbusters)
If it's somethin' weird an it won't look good
Who ya gonna call (ghostbusters)
I ain't afraid a no ghost
I ain't afraid a no ghost
If you're seein' things runnin' thru your head
Who can you call (ghostbusters)
An' invisible man sleepin' in your bed
Oh who ya gonna call (ghostbusters)
I ain't afraid a no ghost
I ain't afraid a no ghost
Who ya gonna call (ghostbusters)
If you're all alone pick up the phone
An call (ghostbusters)
*Cebo's favorite song*
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''One, two, Mr. Whaley's coming for you. Three, four, I hope I live so I can Yelp some more. Five, six, gonna take some pics. Seven, eight, I wonder what I'll rate this place. Nine, ten, I know I will be back again"
We got to the Whaley house around one in the afternoon on a Saturday, bought our tickets from the gift shop and headed into the house ready to see some ghosts, ghouls, or evil spirits.
Well guess what? We saw or heard nothing at all. I was not expecting to see the walls bleeding or heads spinning around in circles and spitting out green vomit but I was hoping to at least hear a strange noise, see a shadow, or at least get a cold chill in one of the rooms.
The only thing I saw was tons of tourist taking a million random pictures in every spot of the house. Every once in a while someone would scream out that they had an orb in their picture and everyone in the room would run over to look at that person's camera (I may have looked at said pictures once or twice).
I still had a great time at the Whaley house even though I did not meet Mr. Whaley in person. The house has many interesting stories dating back way over a hundred years. There is an old court house and even a general store still located in the downstairs portion of the house. The people who work at the house have many stories of supernatural events that they have witnessed since they have been employed there. The employees know a great deal about the history of the house and of old town San Diego and they encourage guests to ask lots of questions. Admission to this historic San Diego landmark is only six dollars per adult which makes it an affordable activity. This is a place that everyone should check out at least once in their lives. I know I will be back to the Whaley house sometime in the future. The next time I visit this place I really hope that I get to see a ghost.
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I visited the Whaley House Museum earlier this week. My friend and I love exploring places that are rumored to be inhabited by the paranormal, so we went there after a breakfast at Perry's Cafe.
The Whaley House Museum is the former home of Thomas and Anna Whaley and their children: Anna Amelia, Francis Hinton, Violet Eloise, Thomas Jr., George, and Corinne Lillian. It is also built on or near the spot where James W. Robinson, a.k.a. "Yankee Jim," was hanged as punishment for stealing a rowboat. Too tall for the gallows, Yankee Jim dangled with his toes brushing the ground. It took him between fifteen minutes and an hour to die.
Upon entering the Whaley House (buy your tickets next door, in the gift shop to the right), you are given three information sheets to read. If you are a history buff, take a seat in the court room and read all three. If you're just there for the ghosts, read the sheet about the hauntings, and take the informational guide to the house with you for reference as you go.
Pictures are encouraged. Cell phone use is not permitted except for still camera shots, and your phone must be silenced. Video footage is not permitted (although it's pretty easy to sneak, shh).
Don't forget to visit Anna Whaley's rose garden in the back yard (also, Violet committed suicide in a building in the back yard, most likely a privy, or outhouse).
My friend and I did not experience any paranormal activity while exploring the Whaley House. We did have two interesting pictures, though.
Even if you don't experience any paranormal activity, the Whaley House Museum is a wonderful place to learn about San Diego history and to see some great artifacts found around the site. The house contains many furniture pieces actually used by the Whaley family, as well as personal items like clothing and jewelry. Don't pass up the chance to visit this valuable piece of San Diego's history.
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it's not possible for me to give a century and a half year old building with such great history anything less than five stars. if you've watched the travel channel at all in the last few years you've probably at least somewhat familiarized yourself with america's 'most haunted' house; the whaley house :) i've been twice in the last couple years and it seems nowadays the staff people are trained to really play into the haunted hype by encouraging photography and laying it on pretty thick with the ghost stories before the self guided tour to add that extra sense of mystery. as for me, it's not that i don't buy it, i just never see, feel, or experience anything related to the supernatural...ever. it's kind of depressing, but i don't dwell on it.
the house served many purposes...it was like a magical all in one house! there is a courtroom, an area that served as a general store which the original owner mr. thomas whaley ran. there was even a built in community theater :)
the unsettling death stories of 'yankee jim' who was hung on the grounds of the house for stealing a row boat, and the one about the whaley's daughter violet, who committed suicide in one of the rooms, are both tragic and really add to the eeriness of the old house...but like i said, i didn't see, feel or experience anything other than a buncha living tourists trying their hardest to make contact with the spirits of this house.
the whaley house is good stuff, and it's important that it continue to be preserved...meaning you should go visit! and lemme know if you see any little ghosties so i can be jealous :P
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I'm giving it 5 stars cause it's my favorite creepy San Diego location. The first time I saw the house, it overwhelmed me with a bad feeling, and I crossed the street to not walk on the same block. After I found out what the building was, being the paranormal freak I am, had to take a tour. We went on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn't too busy. I walked around the house, read the info on it. I had seen several small segments on TV regarding the house being haunted. I have never had any experiences at this house, but have spent time photographing it at night.
One halloween I even ventured here at 2 am to take pictures in the rose garden (my most brave moment). Sat in the quiet garden by myself waiting to catch ghosts. I've never caught anything paranormal on film, but the place definately has it's history and drama. Cool place to go and check out.
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i like the garden area outside best
very touristy
The specter of Anna Whaley has also been reported, usually in the downstairs rooms or in the garden. In 1964, Mrs. Whaley's floating, drifting spirit appeared to [television personality Regis] Philbin. "All of a sudden I noticed something on the wall," Philbin reported. "There was something filmy white, it looked like an apparition of some kind, I got so excited I couldn't restrain myself! I flipped on the [flash]light and nothing was there but a portrait of Anna Whaley, the long-dead mistress of the house."
spooky lol
Oh yes, I remember being in 4th grade and doing the one week in Old Town school trip.
And I remember how I actually believed (being the naive little 9-year-old that I was - and still am) that people slid down the hill in Presidio Park on giant ice cubes. Today I realized (yes, I'm really that naive... J/K) that they weren't the last pieces of melted ice on the green grass...
I digress. Supposedly you can smell when you get to the 9th step of the stairs. Negative. Didn't smell anything.
In the courtroom, you supposedly can see the chains swinging from where the little Whaley girl and her friend used to play. Nope, didn't see that either.
Although I have yet to believe this house is really haunted, the house itself is very intriguing. If I were bold enough, I'd crawl under the roped off areas and stomp my feet all over the rug and put my handprints everywhere! The last time I went to the Whaley House, there was a room that was completely sealed off by glass. Next time I'll crash through that glass and dance around the room like crazy.
Will that stir up some ghosts?
Come here to experience a different era and bring a reverent and respectful attitude.
Buy your tour tickets at the small gift store next door. It's a self-guided tour, so you're able to meander around the house at your leisure.
The rooms seem larger than they were, partially in part to the high ceilings and simple furnishings. The 'guides' will give you a few pages of info on the home and time period, including the claimed hauntings.
My husband and I did not experience anything out of the ordinary nor did we have any expectations. We took the night tour, although I would recommend the day tour, as you can't see everything in the rooms, as there aren't bright lights in every room.
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If you went to elementary school in SD, they make you come here in the 4th grade.
I swore I saw a ghost in the window.
Regis Philben (sp) slept here overnight.
His ass was freaked out.
But, this is a timeless SD place.
You gotta check it out once in your life.
after Taco Tuesday at Fred's next door, on the walk back to the car as me and my friends passed the Whaley House, I felt a sudden rush through my body...As if a spirit flew right through me at 100 MPH...TRUE STORY
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I love this place. I have never seen a ghost, but I like to sit in that upstairs theatre and give myself the creeps. I do this for a while, then get too scared to move and actually get up and walk back downstairs. It's fun!!
The least fun I had here was when I took my Mom who was visiting. She thinks she is a ghost hunter. When a docent came up and asked us if we had questions, I cringed. I knew what was coming. She started asking about EVP and all this wacky bullshit. I pretended not to know her. It worked until she told the docent she was the secretary of the Southern Indiana Ghost Hunter's Association and as the docent looked at her confused (probably trying to stifle insane laughter) she yelled to me, "Tell her, I am ain't I!" and then she turned back to the docent and said, "That's my daughter"....then I suddenly, and like never before, found the power to get right up and leave the upstairs theatre without fear and walk far away from the woman who somehow pushed me from her uterus and into the world, only to do THIS to me.
If you go just before the cut off for the ticket price (they raise the price of tickets in the evening hours) you pay the lower price, but can stay in the house as long as you want and wait for the dark, the spooky spooky dark.
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I took my best friend who was visiting from out of town. We had seen this house listed in numerous top ten listings in books of America's Most Haunted. The history of the house is neat, it use to be a courthouse and outside is the original "hanging tree" which is creepy. The inside is beautiful, but small - small enough that I am not sure that it is worth $10 for a self guided tour.
I had no ghostly encounters and asked several of the staff if they have ever had an "experience" and they all said... no. Ah well, history is history and it is still kind of a neat place to visit.
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The most haunted location I've ever come across.
I've been to the Whaley House well over 50 times now and that's because the place is filled to the brim with supernatural activity.
The only downside is that the price is way too high for a walk through of a house. When I first went there, it was $2 and last time it was something around $10.
If you have any interest in spirits or supernatural activity, this is by far the best place to start. There are over five spirits that roam through the halls and I have well over a dozen stories of experiences I've had in that house. From seeing a young girl in the back yard smelling the flowers, to a dog on the front porch. Unfortunately this isn't Casper the friendly ghost and the spirits seem extrememly upset... so be warned.
Here is a bit of useful information: You don't have to pay to go into the back yard and there is usually a good deal of supernatural activity going on back there. Keep your nose peeled for the scent of Mr. Whaley's Cigar and Mrs. Whaley's Floral Perfume. The majority of the activity is upstairs in the bedrooms and on the staircase. I haven't experienced anything downstairs with the exception of Halloween where there were at least 10 orbs in the courtroom.
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I aint afraid of no ghost ! Or a family of ghosts in an old spooky mansion.
I'm more afraid of tourists asking me what they should eat and where they should go that would really give them a lasting impression of San Diego.
I always tell them to go to Lips Restaurant for fine dining, after dinner drinks at Rich's then movies from F St.
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I've been to the Whaley House about five times the first time was when i was about seven I was on a second grade class field trip to Old Town! It was pretty creepy. one thing i do remember is the entire house smelled like lilacs! The History behind the house and the people that once lived there or still do live there(depending on how you look at it) is interesting.
The last time I went there was about a year ago after i spent the whole day in Old Town slamming margaritas! it's still creepy!
really if you are into the paranormal you'll surely find The Whaley House interesting! If not your going to find an old house that smells funny...
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In honor of Halloween, it only seems appropriate to write about the Whaley House in Old Town, San Diego.
Going here around this time of year seems to have become my tradition. Each year we go - not just for the thrill of being in a "confirmed haunted house," but also to feel a little bit of history. It has become a highlight of our San Diego visits. The Whaley House features what was the first commercial theatre in San Diego and the first courthouse. Additionally, there are still the historic furnishings and daily necessities of the time the home was lived in.
This year was different. Apparently between a feature on the Travel Channel as the number one "haunted house" in America and an episode of the ridiculous (yet strangely entertaining) "Most Haunted," the docents of the Whaley House are beginning to believe their own press. The gift shop/ticket sales office was filled with t-shirts, water bottles and other items printed with the slogan, "Got Ghosts?"
OK - that was cute. However, $6 per person later, we entered the house to the sound of screaming teenage girls. We thought maybe it was some tourists trying to scare themselves, but we were wrong. They were part of the new Whaley experience.
Next we entered the courtroom. There was a new, large display of suspicious pictures of "ghosts" taken by visitors. Never mind that most of the pictures are simply blurs of light that were taken in front of the plexiglass barriers in front of the bedrooms.
We also noticed another new aspect: a kitchen stocked with fake food. "Oh good," we noted sarcastically, "Now they're going Disney."
As we took our self-guided tour of the home, we traipsed upon the teenage girls again in the theatre. There they sat on the raked stage in period costume, attempting to act macabre. We commented on the clocks draped in black.
"The house is in mourning," one of the girls intoned.
"Mourning?" I asked.
"Yessss...." she quietly hissed.
I probably rolled my eyes. Undaunted, I asked why the house was in mourning. Finally she dropped the act and said it was because of the fires. OK - I could buy that. Still, the experience was now officially ruined for me.
We left feeling disappointed. We always loved just being able to enjoy the house, its stories and its raw history. This time we felt watched, toyed with and finally patronized.
I guarantee if the docents are up to their current tricks next year, I won't be back.
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Going into haunted houses, people have to know what a "haunted house" is. It's not like the movies, where a ghost pops out. Most are just old houses, with some people encountering spirits/ghosts. That's what makes houses haunted.
Besides the $6 admission fee, this place is a great place to see living history. House is over 100 years old, and I'm damned the stairs can still support people. Very cramped place, but maybe back then, people just had smaller houses. A lot of my friends I went inside with were disappointed. They didn't see anything, and regret paying. To me, it's a museum. Ghosts are a bonus.
One strange thing that happened was when we were in the backyard, one of the doorknobs rattled. Either it was an overactive imagination or real. something did make a noise.
Whaley House is great. Great history, and the ghosts could drop in. Don't go expecting to see a ghost, in broad daylight. Save it for nighttime. Adds a nice touch to Old Town.
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I did not have a supernatural experience during my visit. First visited as a child on a school field trip. Haven't visited any time recently. Neat musuem, always interesting to see what types of people visit here.
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Five dollar daytime admission for a self guided tour of this infamous haunted house of San Diego. Apparently the Whaley House is the Travel Channel's number one most haunted house in the United States. You can take a look at a photo collection of "ghosts" taken there and read the legends of the sightings.
Regardless of if it's haunted or not, this museum is a great look into San Diego's past. I had a nice time looking through all the artifacts and reading about the history of San Diego's oldest building.
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***hands down my most favorite place in san diego!***
i started going to the whaley house when i was about 9. i always believed that something was not "right", even before i understood the concept of ghosts (not the casper type). i did have an experience with a spirit in the room between the courtroom and the main hallway on one visit. i was always up on the info. there and the docents always told me interesting stories and even got out some hidden photos to show me. the admission price has gone up over the years, but just remember you are helping to preserve san diego history with your $.
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Unfortunately I didn't have any ghost experiences like other people have when I visited here for the first time. Maybe I have to go a few more times so they can get to know me or something. Anyway, it was still cool. I like old houses and this one is full of history. Plus it was great that you can take yourself on the tour and they give you those sheets to follow with info about each room.
depending on the intensity of your imagination, the Whaley House can be a very spooky place!!
although i did not experience any of the encounters described in the handout given upon entry (heavy footsteps, strange sounds and voices, or human apparitions in the downstairs rooms) i did find that the gazebo outdoors had a very old and unsettling air to it (in a spooky kind of way) and the dolls propped up in the children's bedrooms gave me the creeps!! =)
however, while checking out the guest bedroom to the left of the backdoor, i happened to glance at the floor near the left side of the bed and it mightve just been my imagination, but i think i saw something teeny and black (the Whaley family's terrier?!) scurry across the floor!! =O
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Helpful docents, cheerful gift shop help, and a mildly interesting place to just browse around in your own time--which can be very limited, since the house isn't all that big. I was especially interested in the in-house theater. As for ghosts, I certainly didn't experience anything, but I went there in broad daylight; besides which, I wouldn't have been able to discern heavy spectral stomping above the noise of tourists trooping up and down the old creaky stairs.
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The admission may be high, but it is worth it to preserve this lovely piece of California history. The docents are extremely friendly and they humored my friends and I when we inquired about recent ghost sightings.
This house has been confirmed as haunted, which is just an added bonus to this historical site. Not only was this a home, it also served as the courthouse and was the first 2-story brick structure in San Diego (am I sounding nerdy yet??)
The courthouse section of the home was extremely interesting, containing museum cases filled with historical artifacts and, of course, photo albums of people's ghost pics that were taken at this location(some were dodgy looking, some were quite impressive).
The home itself is also quite interesting, from the clothing and furniture they had displayed in the rooms, to the cheez whiz facts they had posted up (like they rarely took baths back then for fear of getting ill, and when they did, they did it in their underclothes. Lovely.)
Okay, I admit it, I thought I did have a wee experience. While going up the stairs I smelled a strong waft of cigar smoke. I hate cigar smoke (actually I hate any smoke) and got irked that someone would be smoking so close to the building so I walked back down and went outside and no one was there. Went to the front and nada. Later on before leaving I read that other guests had reported cigar smoke even though there were no cigar smokers in the area. Hmmm, could it be the ghost of Thomas Whaley out for a puff or someone lurking in the bushes trying to sneak a smoke? I don't know, but it did give me goosebumps.
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If you're interested in spirits, the other dimensions, etc, You MUST go to this house!!! I took some pictures, but saw nothing really standing out. It was when I changed my cell-phone over to 'video' mode and started asking if anyone was there. I heard nothing while recording, but when I played the clip I heard a young girls voice(somewhat English accent & whispering) saying, "There's nobody here", then a "Help Me" of another females voice. Really interesting!! There was nobody else upstairs with me. Also, standing in front of the stage upstairs I had a very uneasy feeling, very tight chest, and had to sit down due to getting dizzy. Also, very piercing headache pain ... Did'nt go away until I went downstairs. Went back upstairs and it happened all over again. The docents told me the older daughter shot herself in the heart. Maybe I was picking up on that. Kept getting a pulling sensation to go to the back room upstairs. If nothing happens to you when you go, it's still a very nice old style house with great antiques. Great staff, very knowledgable and ask them for their experiences. Don't go there as a freak-show, or goofing off, it is truly a house with active spirits...
I'm going back there someday!!!!
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I LOVE going here! I'm a person that's very interested in ghosts..I watch all those specials on the travel and history channel as well as ghost hunters..and every time I go here I take lots of pictures in hopes of "catching" something on camera. I've had luck the past two times I've been there..both times I caught something..people tried telling me it was just a reflection of the glass but when I took these two pictures, they both showed a woman in a flowy dress..and there was no woman in a flowy dress standing around or anywhere near me on the top floor. I was wearing shorts..so I dont understand how shorts can be turned into a flowy dress..and anyone that was around me was wearing shorts or capris..all the docents were downstairs..so I know I really did catch something. Only downside to this place is the cost..if you go b4 5, its $6 to enter and take the self-guided tour. If you dont want to pay that huge price, then take a tour of the backyard for free..I've heard of stuff happening back there as well. So all in all, I definitely recommend that when you go to Old Town, you visit the Whaley House!
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