1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Haunted Road, a production of I Heart Radio 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:07,840 Speaker 1: and Grim and Mild from Aaron Minky. Listener discretion is advised. 3 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: Almost thirty years ago, my soon to be stepfather was 4 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: trying his best to be a relatable parental figure, as 5 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: many do in such situations. Hearing I had an interest 6 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: in the supernatural, he declared that he knew of a building, 7 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: a haunted castle, near by his home in El Dorado, California, 8 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: and he'd like to show it to me. Being a 9 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: reasonably snarky teenager dealing with the trauma of her parents 10 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: divorce and now her mother's insistence on moving all of 11 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,239 Speaker 1: us three hours away from our childhood home because of 12 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: this man, I remember being a bit apprehensive about doing 13 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 1: anything cordial with him, but the lure of a haunted 14 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: castle in the middle of California's Gold Country proved to 15 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: be too much. I begrudgingly joined him. On the twenty 16 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: minute drive up Highway four nine on a hot, dusty 17 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: summer day. We passed golden rolling hills and remnants of 18 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: old barns and gold Rush era buildings until we reached 19 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:13,120 Speaker 1: the small town of Ion, and within seconds of our arrival, 20 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: I saw a glimpse of a large red castle with 21 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 1: a massive bell tower that looked so incredibly out of place, 22 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: I gasped. We made our way up the driveway and 23 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: got as close as we could to this old Romanesque 24 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:27,960 Speaker 1: style red castle, and I don't think I had ever 25 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 1: seen anything like it in person in my life. And 26 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 1: I also somehow new, just by staring at it, the 27 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 1: terrible things had happened there. We got out of the 28 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: car and looked past the fence that stopped us from 29 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: getting any further, and I asked my stepfather what was 30 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: this place? He replied, it's Preston Castle. I nudged further, 31 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: inquiring what it had been before. He said it was 32 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: a school for troubled boys. As I peered through the fence, 33 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: trying to get a clear look in some of the 34 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: windows and pondering what it would have been like to 35 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: be a young boy dropped in front of this looming structure, 36 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 1: not knowing what could possibly be inside, my stepfather added, 37 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: I spent a year here when I was a team. 38 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: I asked him what it was like, and with almost 39 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 1: a lump in his throat and a quiet whisper, he said, 40 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: I don't talk about it. And headed back to the car. 41 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: Jim Little Page, my stepfather died in and whatever happened 42 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: to him within the walls of the Preston School of Industry, 43 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: he took with him to his grave. I'm Amy Brunei, 44 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 1: and this is Haunted Road. Preston School of Industry, or 45 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: the Castle as it's been known, was built between eighteen 46 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: ninety and eighteen ninety four in i own, California. In 47 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,959 Speaker 1: eighteen nine, two acre parcel of land where the cast 48 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: still stands was purchased from the Ion Coal and Iron 49 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: Company for thirty dollars per acre, with one hundred acres donated. 50 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 1: Inmates from San Quentin and fulsome prisons helped make the 51 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 1: bricks that make up the castle, which were then transported 52 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: by rail to the School of Industry. The cornerstone was 53 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: laid on December nine, with people in attendance what an 54 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:28,359 Speaker 1: early Christmas present. The one twenty room Romanesque Revival was 55 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: a reform school for young male offenders. The hope was 56 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: to rehabilitate, not just incarceerate. The complex was highly self sufficient. 57 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: The large acreage of the purchase allowed the boys to 58 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: grow their own food, raise livestock, and learn farming trades. 59 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: The forty six thousand square foot mansion had forty three fireplaces, 60 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: two hundred fifty seven windows, overlooking the tawny Amador County foothills, 61 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: a tower festooned on each side by intimidating gargoyles, hallways 62 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: bedecked with ornate Wayne's coating, and as a stone exterior 63 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: in the Romanesque Revival architectural style, hence that now iconic 64 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: red color of the castle. On the first floor, there 65 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: was a reception space, the director's room, a walk in 66 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: vault attached to an office, reception and waiting areas, a 67 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 1: dining room, bathrooms, office for the physician, and a pharmacy. 68 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: The second floor was home to a dorm for the 69 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: wards in twelve apartments for staff. There was also a 70 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: library and reading room. On this floor, various closets and 71 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 1: storage spaces, and bathrooms. On a mezzanine level, there were 72 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: two bathrooms with a few tubs. The third floor, unfinished, 73 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: had twelve rooms, the fourth, also unfinished, had six. In 74 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: the basement, there was a playroom, separate laundry for wards 75 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: and staff, shower room, and the infamous dip pool, kitchen 76 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 1: and pantry. Multiple bathrooms, furnace and fuel storage, storeroom and bakery. Basically, 77 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: Preston was massive in its heyday. The sol boasted one 78 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: thousand total acres, with seven hundred fifty dedicated to farming 79 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: for eight hundred wards. There was a staff of two hundred. 80 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 1: The entire campus included fifty buildings. Two weeks after the 81 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: school was completed, the first wards moved in. It became 82 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: immediately apparent that while this arrangement could provide structure and 83 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: security for wards, they were under the firm control of 84 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:27,039 Speaker 1: the superintendent and were expected to adhere to strict rules 85 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: and routines, and if they transgressed, they were given severe punishment. 86 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: The worst offenders were held in Company B, which consisted 87 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 1: only of a row of beds and a single toilet. 88 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 1: Upon arrival to the castle, new wards were taken immediately 89 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:46,720 Speaker 1: to the infamous Pool of Lie to cleanse their bodies, 90 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 1: specifically their heads. They were herded through a side door, 91 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 1: shorn of their hair stripped, and led to a pool 92 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 1: of harsh chemicals with only a poll for support. They 93 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: were made to walk with their heads underwater about x 94 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: feet to the pool's far end to rid their bodies 95 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 1: of potential pests meant to target likes. The pool likely 96 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 1: also exacerbated open wounds on the heads of many young wards, 97 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 1: which must have been excruciating. Eventually, the state shuttered this 98 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 1: dipping pool practice due to its inhumanity. Sadly, many of 99 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: the incoming wards were afflicted with tuberculosis and or various 100 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 1: addictions to alcohol, heroin, and opium. In an effort to 101 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: rehabilitate them, their days were divided between school and learning 102 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: a trade. There was a print shop, bakery, and cobbler 103 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 1: shop where the boys could learn skills for self preservation 104 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: in the real world. The boys ages seven through eighteen, 105 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: had a tennis court and a rose garden. They also 106 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: had a seven thousand book library with a veranda overlooking 107 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: the town. The more docile and agreeable boys were even 108 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: able to live in cottages surrounding the castle and learned 109 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 1: traits that were more lucrative and socially acceptable. But of course, 110 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: ideal is and reform didn't always rule the day. A 111 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 1: Sacramento b article from eight nine seven, just two years 112 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: after the school opened, detailed accusations of abuse by a superintendent, E. S. O'Brien. 113 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: The first paragraph noted whippings that left their back stripping 114 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: with blood. At least one of them claimed that salt 115 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: had been rubbed into his wounds to add to the 116 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: torture he was already suffering. The reports of ill treatment 117 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: were so pervasive throughout Ionn that a group of citizens 118 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: threatened to storm the castle in order to see for 119 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 1: themselves just how poorly the boys were treated. On numerous occasions, 120 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 1: O'Brien held boys with one hand while beating them in 121 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: the face with his other. He extended paddlings by ten 122 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: to forty strokes, sometimes beating boys until they couldn't walk 123 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: without assistance. A younger boy named Roderick received a beating 124 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: that left him black and blue from the small of 125 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 1: his back to the middle of his thighs. For several days. Afterwards, 126 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: the boy walked around literally dragging one it after the other, 127 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 1: and it said that afterward he had to be sent 128 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: to the hospital. The secretary at the time, H. R. Bernard, 129 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: recounted in an affidavit witnessing doctor O'Brien beat a ward 130 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: in the head and face with the cane. The cane 131 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: soon broke in his hands, but O'Brien continued his blows 132 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 1: with the part left in his hand, which was also 133 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: broken a moment later from the force of the blows 134 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 1: when the doctor grabbed a poll about four ft long 135 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: and proceeded to belabor the yelling lad over the body. 136 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: The force of the blows was terrific. The same article 137 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: alleged destructive and uncontrollable behavior of Wards, not limited to 138 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: setting the building on fire at least three times. Escape 139 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: attempts were frequent and occurred nearly every week. Superintendent E. S. 140 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: O'Brien told the wards in or prior to that he 141 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 1: had given orders to the guards that in the case 142 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: of an escape attempt, they were to shoot, and shoot 143 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: to kill. The property wasn't fenced with barbed wire, so 144 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: wards had one last to turn it. When it was 145 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: discovered that a ward had escaped, a horn would blow 146 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: an i own, which alerted citizens to the situation. A 147 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: hunt would follow, and if someone discovered and returned to Ward, 148 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: they received a ten dollar reward. The kids who escaped 149 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,679 Speaker 1: received corporal punishment in the form of beatings, whippings, and 150 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: solitary confinement. Country singer Merle Haggard made two escape attempts 151 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 1: during his time at Preston. He had memories of beatings 152 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: with a two by four and attacktoo of p s 153 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: I on his wrist, so he never forgot the abuse. 154 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 1: Horrific stories of abuse and neglect became known Over the years. 155 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:39,679 Speaker 1: Wards died of severe illnesses like tuberculosis. Other Wards were 156 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 1: killed by guards. During the Great Depression, parents sometimes dropped 157 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: kids off at the castle, where the Wards of the 158 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: state received three males a day, housing and a chance 159 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,679 Speaker 1: for a stable life. All of this put into perspective 160 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: why Preston Castle would be harboring ghosts and energy today. 161 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 1: There were an incredible number of tragedies involving Wards on 162 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: the grounds. The first we see was of Grant Walker 163 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 1: on June seventeenth, eighteen ninety five. At first, it seems 164 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: like he may have died from typhoid fever. However, historian 165 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 1: Jamie Rubio dug further and found a conflicting death register 166 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 1: that suggests Walker may have died from severe internal burns 167 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: after ingesting something toxic. On October seventeenth, nineteen eleven, Herman 168 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:26,440 Speaker 1: Hubert and fellow Ward and friend John Karaine made an 169 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:30,679 Speaker 1: escape just as the dinner bell rang well. They tried anyway, 170 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 1: night guard J. D. French pursued the two escapees and 171 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: fired his weapon, which killed Hubert. French claimed he tried 172 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: to fire a warning shot, but Karaine maintained that French 173 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 1: shot herman in cold blood. On June sixth, nineteen fourteen, 174 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,199 Speaker 1: a company of boys went to the pond after dinner 175 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 1: for a swim. Those who weren't strong swimmers were supposed 176 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: to stay in the shallow water, but ta Himavan, confident 177 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 1: about his doggy paddle, dove in wards. Robert Raines and 178 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: Albert Rubideaux tried to say Van after he resurfaced clearly 179 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:06,679 Speaker 1: in a struggle. However, they were unable to retrieve him. 180 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 1: It wasn't until the next morning that they were able 181 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: to retrieve his lifeless body that had sunk to the 182 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 1: bottom of the pond. He is buried at the Preston Cemetery. 183 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:20,199 Speaker 1: Frank Carterrella had epilepsy and experienced seizures because of it. 184 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: Instead of receiving treatment, Frank was kept in his cell. 185 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: It's heartbreaking to think about. On Valentine's Day nineteen seventeen, 186 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 1: Frank died by suicide after making a noose from his 187 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: shredded night shirt. In July nineteen eighteen, Samuel Gloin's arrived 188 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 1: at Preston. He had been convicted of burglary. Samuel made 189 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 1: three escape attempts, although the punishment after the first two 190 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: must have been terrible. The third proved fatal. While trying 191 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 1: to escape a third time, John Kelly of Preston Guard 192 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:55,440 Speaker 1: accidentally shot Samuel in the back. Samuel died from the wound. 193 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,319 Speaker 1: He was twenty years old and only two months from 194 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: being released from Preston. Ward Frank Algiers was admitted after 195 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: having experienced a really bad motorcycle accident. After admission, he 196 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 1: went straight to the infirmary, where he died just a 197 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: week later on May nineteen two. On July ninety four, 198 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: Ray Baker was shot by Guard Thomas Dooley. Baker was 199 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: trying to escape when Dully intervened. The ward tried to 200 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 1: strangle the guard, who was able to retrieve his gun 201 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: and shoot Wards. Edgar Howe and Leland Price got into 202 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: a fight during a Saturday night football game in December 203 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:38,080 Speaker 1: nineteen four. In a confusing decision made to chastise the boys, 204 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: how In Price were locked together in Preston's basement. The 205 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:44,079 Speaker 1: two Wards must have picked the fight back up or 206 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 1: a very unfortunate coincidence occurred because Price's skull was fractured 207 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: after hitting the ground and he fell into a coma. 208 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: Leland Price died the next morning. On December four, nine 209 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: Awards were digging a ditch on the property for sewage 210 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: un ex actedly, the ditch caved in and trapped six boys. 211 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: Four were extracted, but two remained buried. William Report and 212 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 1: Henry Herstein both died after being buried alive. Probably the 213 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:15,199 Speaker 1: most notable and publicized death that took place at Preston 214 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 1: was the murder of the head housekeeper on February twenty third, 215 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:22,560 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty. Her body was found in the then defunct 216 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 1: pool room, beaten with evidence of a massive struggle. She 217 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,199 Speaker 1: had been strangled with accord, but the cause of her 218 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 1: death was a fatal blow to the head resulting in 219 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: a skull fracture. A rape had been attempted but not enacted. 220 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 1: The housekeeper was incredibly well loved and liked by the 221 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: Wards and her fellow employees alike, so much so the 222 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: Wards threatened vigilante justice if her killer was found. The 223 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 1: superintendent at the time made it very clear that everyone 224 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: was a suspect, even staff and that they would be 225 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: investigating thoroughly. After six hundred fifty seven wards were questioned, 226 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 1: a case was formed against a ward named Eugene Monroe. 227 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,680 Speaker 1: He was at Preston after being convicted of burglary, but 228 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,439 Speaker 1: had been the prime suspect in a murder case prior 229 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: to that, a murder and rape case involving the strangulation 230 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: of a high school student. Using the same type of 231 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 1: court in the case of the housekeeper and tied in 232 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: the same fashion. Monroe was given a lie detector test 233 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: and failed, and inconsistencies in his story, plus the fact 234 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: he had been caught trying to incinerate his clothing, was 235 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: enough to charge him. Eugene was tried three times. The 236 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 1: first two resulted in a hung jury and the third 237 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: reached an acquittal. In nineteen fifty one, Eugene was convicted 238 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: of the rape and murder of a woman in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 239 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 1: who was pregnant at the time of her death. He 240 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 1: was given a life sentence. It is said that Preston's 241 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: dark past heavily ways on the old building, and that 242 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 1: the spirit of the housekeeper, plus so many of these 243 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:55,240 Speaker 1: wards that never made it out alive still very much 244 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: reside within its walls. There are eighteen boys buried in 245 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: a small sem ma terry on the property. Many died 246 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: of natural causes, and there are certainly more deaths that 247 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 1: took place there, but the ones buried on site most 248 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: likely had no surviving family or their loved ones were 249 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: financially unable to bury them elsewhere. In nineteen sixty, the 250 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: Preston School of Industry closed. The state planned to demolish 251 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 1: the building, and a group of local women fought for 252 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: eight years to keep it standing. Finally, the state relinquished 253 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: and said while they wouldn't tear it down, they would 254 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: do nothing to keep it standing. So there it sat 255 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: until two thousand one, when the State of California leased 256 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 1: the property to the Preston Castle Foundation. In fourteen, the 257 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: foundation was granted ownership of the castle and nearly thirteen 258 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: acres of property. Fundraising and repairs have been the goal 259 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 1: ever since, and estimates are as high as fifteen to 260 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: thirty million dollars to reverse the years of abuse and 261 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: neglect of the building. Up next, we'll talk to Connie Brenner, 262 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: a lead paranormal investigator at Pressston Castle and a member 263 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: of the Preston Castle Foundation's board will find out what 264 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: kind of activity they experienced there, in addition to how 265 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: you can visit the castle and assist in their conservation efforts. 266 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 1: So I'm sitting here now with Connie Brenner, who is 267 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 1: a lead investigator at Preston Castle and also a member 268 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: of the board. She's now been involved kind of on 269 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: a professional level with the castle for about two and 270 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: a half years, but her history with the castle goes 271 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 1: on even before that. So I think you've probably got 272 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 1: some great info for us, Connie, as far as what 273 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: the history at Preston, what has happened haunting wise there 274 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: due to what happened there when it was in operation. Yes, yes, 275 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: absolutely so. Can you just kind of how me how 276 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 1: you came about being involved with Preston. I started out 277 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,359 Speaker 1: as just a guest one night a friend of mine 278 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:12,719 Speaker 1: was involved with the castle, and she's like, Okay, you know, 279 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 1: you totally got to come up here and check this 280 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:16,919 Speaker 1: place out because we had just kind of gotten started 281 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:20,400 Speaker 1: in the whole paranormal field. I went up there for 282 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: a public investigation and I had never really had any 283 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: crazy experiences, and like right off the bat that night, 284 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 1: I mean I think. I don't know, I saw like 285 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 1: the holy grail of you know, in doing the paranormal stuff, 286 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:39,400 Speaker 1: where I actually saw a full body apparition. We were 287 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 1: in the doctor's office and I was facing the doorway 288 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 1: into the hall, and I saw what looked like a 289 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:53,120 Speaker 1: man in a white jacket walked right past the door. 290 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 1: And there was another group located in the castle, but 291 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: they were pretty far and like not even really close 292 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: to that area. And so one of the girls that 293 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 1: had had her back to that doorway, I asked her, 294 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:11,120 Speaker 1: you know, did somebody just walk by? And she went 295 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:15,120 Speaker 1: out there and looked, and she says, there's nobody. I mean, 296 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: it was pretty quick that she went and looked. It 297 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:19,640 Speaker 1: just you know, it took me a second to realize that, 298 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, I just saw, you know, an apparition 299 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: walked right past the door. So I bet you were 300 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 1: hooked at that point. I mean, that's all it takes. You. 301 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 1: Either at that point you're completely terrified and never want 302 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 1: to do it again, or your interest is peaked. It 303 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: was definitely peaked. And you know, I also got touched 304 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:43,160 Speaker 1: that night. We have an infirmary area in the castle, 305 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: and I was touched you know, there was nothing that 306 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:52,360 Speaker 1: could have bumped into me. It wasn't my clothing, and 307 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: so whoever's there was definitely getting my attention. Yeah, I mean, 308 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:00,640 Speaker 1: it's interesting that you say they were wearing a lab 309 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 1: coat like they were maybe a doctor or someone that 310 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 1: you know, obviously tended to the I guess they called 311 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:11,719 Speaker 1: them inmates there or whatever they called them. I wouldn't 312 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 1: say patients even, but who do you think that could 313 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:17,719 Speaker 1: possibly be. I think it was a doctor, you know, 314 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:21,160 Speaker 1: I see to me now that I know a whole 315 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: lot more. But definitely seemed like a residual type haunting 316 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 1: because it wasn't like it stopped and waved, you know, 317 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: through the doorway. It was almost as if he was 318 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:37,880 Speaker 1: just going about his business, you know, maybe checking in 319 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 1: on the patients that were there. They actually called them wards. 320 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:47,200 Speaker 1: Apparently he was also seen by another guest earlier that 321 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 1: evening in the same area. He was definitely making his rounds. Then, 322 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: I mean, it's interesting. I'm hoping that no one you 323 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 1: know in your group was running around in the lab 324 00:19:56,080 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 1: coade or anything. So and it's interesting because he was 325 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 1: see through, but I could also see that in in 326 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:06,040 Speaker 1: a weird sort of I don't even know how to 327 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 1: describe it, but like he had like he had dark hair, 328 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: you know, if it was a guy that was a 329 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: part of the investigation that night. You know, usually usually 330 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:18,360 Speaker 1: if you're going to wear some sort of a jacket, 331 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:23,160 Speaker 1: it has logos or something on it. But this definitely 332 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 1: did not. No, No, definitely not. That's interesting just because 333 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: I think about Preston Castle's history and I wanted to 334 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: ask you about that a little bit, because obviously it's 335 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 1: a very historic place. The history there is very dark. 336 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: And I mentioned kind of in the beginning of the show. 337 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: My stepfather actually spent time there when he was a teen, 338 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 1: and he would never speak of it. And he was 339 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: a pretty he was an open book. He passed away, 340 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: but his time at Preston he never spoke of, not 341 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: even to my mom. He said it was a horrible experience, basically, 342 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: is the most we could get out of him. And so, 343 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:05,120 Speaker 1: how do you obviously, for historical purposes, we want Preston 344 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:07,640 Speaker 1: Castle to stick around. People work really hard to make 345 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 1: sure that it's still standing and it's it's got the 346 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:13,719 Speaker 1: foundation and everything. How do you all reconcile kind of 347 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 1: the history and what you do we go in. We 348 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: are extremely respectful of the spirits that could be there. 349 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:28,400 Speaker 1: You know, we have to think about how young that 350 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:31,880 Speaker 1: the kids were that were there. You know, we think 351 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 1: that there could have been kids as young as seven, 352 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: and so, you know, we try really hard to be 353 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 1: somewhat I don't know, maybe nurturing towards the children that 354 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:49,640 Speaker 1: were there, because it wasn't all fun and games there. 355 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: This It was run military style, right, yeah, And I'm 356 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: sure there were plenty of success stories that came out 357 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: of there as well. But just having that kind of 358 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: first hand knowledge, but then also just kind of reading 359 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: through the history, I do that too, where I kind 360 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:07,399 Speaker 1: of look back on it and I think, you know, 361 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:09,879 Speaker 1: what was it like to be dropped off there as 362 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 1: a young boy and just not even know what was 363 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 1: coming to you? And and you know, some people were 364 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 1: sent there because they genuinely had um issues that needed 365 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: to be taken care of, and then others were sent 366 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 1: there just because their parents couldn't take care of them anymore, 367 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:29,200 Speaker 1: you know, especially during the depression. And so I think 368 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:31,639 Speaker 1: that's great that you guys approach it in that way 369 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 1: of being kind of nurturing and you know, humanizing them, 370 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: which I think is huge. This is their home. We 371 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: are guests in their home, and we tell all of 372 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 1: our guests this is not a place to come in 373 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 1: and demand and treat the boys, even if there's staff 374 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: around there. We really come in there with kind of 375 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:57,640 Speaker 1: love and respect for entities or spirits that are there. 376 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 1: So that's definitely our approach when it comes to that, 377 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 1: and I think it works because they're still around. You know, 378 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: they're there. And since COVID and you know the fact 379 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:12,680 Speaker 1: that we had to be shut down for a year, 380 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,159 Speaker 1: things have really ramped up. We're getting a ton of 381 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 1: activity now, I'm sure. And actually that's something that we've 382 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: noticed in our investigations, especially in some of these larger 383 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:26,560 Speaker 1: places that you know, the only real visitors they get 384 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:29,680 Speaker 1: are historians or you know, people visiting in the museum sense. 385 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 1: But then also panormal investigators are the ones that really interact. 386 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 1: And I think in some cases the spirits really missed that. 387 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 1: And you know, when we come back in, you know, 388 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: when Adam and I investigator, if I'm out investigating, it's 389 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:47,439 Speaker 1: interesting how eager they are to speak again, Like I 390 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 1: can't imagine, I don't I don't claim to know what 391 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: time is like for them. I don't claim to know 392 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 1: how any of that works, but it does seem like 393 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:59,639 Speaker 1: they're more eager to interact at the moment. Oh yeah, 394 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 1: I mean, and we have different stuff like going in there, 395 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: we have our hot spots in all that other stuff, 396 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 1: but it's changed and we're getting more activity in areas 397 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:13,880 Speaker 1: that we never used to, which makes it really interesting 398 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:17,439 Speaker 1: and exciting, you know, force because we're like, okay, you know, 399 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:22,119 Speaker 1: we get to kind of show people different areas and 400 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:24,160 Speaker 1: all that other stuff. I mean, you know, we try 401 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: to actually let them kind of discover it themselves. We 402 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 1: try not to give them too much information, you know, 403 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:33,360 Speaker 1: but we're able to validate that after they talk with 404 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,680 Speaker 1: us when and if they haven't experience. Yeah, I mean 405 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 1: that's great. I know, like it was open during the 406 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:43,159 Speaker 1: Spanish flu pandemic, and I was reading through the history 407 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:45,639 Speaker 1: because we felt like that a pandemic might be kind 408 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: of triggering for some of these older locations that had 409 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 1: kind of been through it. And remarkably, I guess a 410 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 1: lot of people had the flu and pressed them but 411 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:58,119 Speaker 1: they didn't lose anyone, which was kind of unheard of 412 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: for that amount of people coming down with the flu 413 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:03,719 Speaker 1: back then. So just an interesting fact I found when 414 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: I was digging through the history. Yeah, yeah, I mean 415 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 1: it's crazy to think, you know, something like that that 416 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: they didn't lose people like I guess you could say 417 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 1: we are now. So yeah, it's it's very interesting how 418 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,959 Speaker 1: that all happens. So what is the state of the 419 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:26,439 Speaker 1: castle right now? Obviously a post pandemic, you guys are 420 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,879 Speaker 1: probably bringing people back in, But how are things going? 421 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 1: I haven't been, unfortunately in a few years. I used 422 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 1: to go quite often just because it was about twenty 423 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: five minutes away from my family home, which now my 424 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: sister and her husband owned, But it was originally built 425 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: by my stepfather, and so I can't remember the last 426 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:46,400 Speaker 1: time I was there. I think it must have been 427 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: about seven or eight years ago. So how how are 428 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:54,399 Speaker 1: things going there now? Things are great? Actually, you know, 429 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:59,199 Speaker 1: we've done so much as far as you know, the 430 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,479 Speaker 1: construction of the castle or the reconstruction of the castle, 431 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 1: We've been able to um do a lot of repairs. 432 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,479 Speaker 1: I mean, there's so much prepare that needs to be 433 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:12,880 Speaker 1: done to that place. I doubt I will ever see 434 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 1: it completed in my lifetime, and maybe not even my sons, 435 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 1: who's like, you know, he's seventeen or almost seventeen, and 436 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: there's just so much and you know, it's extremely expensive 437 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:27,639 Speaker 1: to do all the repairs on this castle, but you know, 438 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,199 Speaker 1: we just keep kind of plugging away at it a 439 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:32,879 Speaker 1: little bit at a time. Our parking lot is no 440 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 1: longer a gravel parking lot. We actually have asphalt now, 441 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: and which is great, you know, trying to repair some 442 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,960 Speaker 1: of the windows. And there are areas in the castle. 443 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:46,239 Speaker 1: I don't know if you remember, but where there was 444 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:51,360 Speaker 1: no floor from like the basement to like the fifth floor. 445 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: You know, that is still unfortunately in that type of condition. 446 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: I do remember that. I do remember that it's still 447 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,440 Speaker 1: you know, empty in there. You can still see all 448 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 1: the way up, but there are areas that are the 449 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: floor has been replaced. Unfortunately, they're not open to the 450 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:14,199 Speaker 1: public yet, but the public still has three floors to 451 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 1: do their investigations or tours, which you know, the castle 452 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,880 Speaker 1: is huge, it's shaped like a giant tea. Yeah, there's 453 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:24,920 Speaker 1: no shortage of space in there. I remember roaming those 454 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: halls and I do remember actually because we were doing 455 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,159 Speaker 1: a public investigation there many years ago, and I do 456 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 1: remember I think there was some sort of fire code. 457 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 1: We got shut down by the by the fire department 458 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: or something because not this was before the event happened, 459 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,159 Speaker 1: because they were waiting to get sprinklers, installers something. And 460 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:49,680 Speaker 1: that's just indicative of like what you face when you're 461 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 1: trying to get these historic places up and running, and 462 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:56,880 Speaker 1: not necessarily running, but just keeping them open so people 463 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:00,639 Speaker 1: don't forget that places like this existed. And so you know, 464 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 1: how important do you think the haunting aspect is in 465 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:06,440 Speaker 1: keeping Preston open? Because I find that some of these 466 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 1: historic places, I don't know that they all fully grasp 467 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:12,960 Speaker 1: how important their ghosts can be for them as far 468 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:17,440 Speaker 1: as funding and raising interest. Um, it's huge. Honestly. We 469 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 1: have so many different events that we do up there 470 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 1: at the castle, even like the day tours. During the 471 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 1: day tours, people ask, you know all the time about 472 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 1: is this place haunted? Or if they know that we 473 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 1: do paranormal investigations there, they want the information on how 474 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 1: to get involved in that. I have people wanting to 475 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 1: be actually on the paranormal team, and it's huge. I 476 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 1: think that if we didn't do our paranormal investigations, it 477 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 1: would definitely play a loss in the interest in coming 478 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 1: up there. I mean, and I'm not undermining the day 479 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: tours because the day to words are phenomenal, but the 480 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: place takes on a whole different feel when it gets 481 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 1: dark versus the daytime. Have you ever had any of 482 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 1: your daytime tour attendees have experiences that they didn't expect? 483 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 1: You know, I don't know, but I would not be 484 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 1: surprised because even myself, when I've been there during the day, 485 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 1: I've had my hair tugged, I've had whispers in my ear. 486 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:31,040 Speaker 1: You know, I've seen things. So I would not doubt 487 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 1: that the guests during the day don't have their own 488 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: paranormal experience there. Yeah, what would you say? The majority 489 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: of the activity is like there we have, and it 490 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 1: seems lately we've been getting a lot of disembodied voices 491 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 1: where we're all in one room and it sounds like 492 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 1: there's conversations going on. I remember my actual first night 493 00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 1: of running the paranorm investigation and I heard, we all heard. 494 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 1: We were in the infirmary and everybody in the group 495 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 1: heard talking, and I thought somebody had broken into the grounds. 496 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:15,280 Speaker 1: And we're out walking the grounds, the castle and I 497 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 1: panicked because this is my first night and you know, 498 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: somebody broke in, and I truly panicked. But after a 499 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,960 Speaker 1: couple of the dose ents went outside to take a look, 500 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 1: there was nobody there. And so I mean, not only 501 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 1: did we hear voices, but we heard footsteps two at 502 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: the same time, So we get a lot of that. 503 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 1: You will hear voices all throughout the castle day and 504 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:46,479 Speaker 1: night in my experience. Now, what would you say is 505 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 1: the most commonly reported activity in the castle? Probably the 506 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 1: most common is the disembodied voices, and that seems to 507 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: be what we're getting most of all right now, we 508 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:05,320 Speaker 1: have seen some white mists lately, and you know, it's 509 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:07,600 Speaker 1: it's pretty hot in the castle right now, so there's 510 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:13,040 Speaker 1: really nothing weather related that would necessarily cause that, you know, 511 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,760 Speaker 1: like the cold or you know, somebody's breath or anything 512 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 1: like that. Also, we've got a couple of shadow figures 513 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:24,440 Speaker 1: that we've been seeing also in a couple of the rooms. 514 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: One of our dose since she just recently saw her 515 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:32,920 Speaker 1: first shadow figure and she's never seen what I mean, 516 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:36,360 Speaker 1: she's been doing this and she's been to like she's 517 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 1: been to so many different places that you would see 518 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,680 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff, But this was her first time 519 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 1: seeing the shadow man. Oh gosh, I know this miss 520 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 1: that you're describing, is it taking the shape of like 521 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 1: figures or is it just kind of a missed hanging 522 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:55,000 Speaker 1: in the castle itself. I haven't seen it where it's 523 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 1: taking actual, you know, the shape of a figure. Some 524 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 1: of it seems to be kind of just forming and 525 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:09,800 Speaker 1: then like floating around UM but staying together in like not. 526 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 1: I don't not even know how to describe it. Again, 527 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:15,880 Speaker 1: not the form of a figure, but just not spread 528 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: out as what you would see like fogs or anything 529 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,160 Speaker 1: like that. Right. I do remember when I was there 530 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 1: with ghost hunters, there was reports of a mist hanging 531 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 1: in there was like a really tall and open area. 532 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 1: I feel like it was where the wards used to 533 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:35,560 Speaker 1: be and they used to be beds in there. But 534 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:37,239 Speaker 1: I do remember it seemed like it was almost an 535 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:39,880 Speaker 1: attic or something that's spent so long. I do remember 536 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 1: there was an owl in there that was attacking me. 537 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 1: I do remember an owl swooping down me. So, you know, 538 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:51,960 Speaker 1: when when I'm talking to UM the guests that come, 539 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 1: I tell them that we have our own ecosystem in there, 540 00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 1: and so the owls um, We've had fall box, We've 541 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 1: had you know, other critters in there in the bats, 542 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:07,040 Speaker 1: the bats. We have a lot of bats. Yeah, so 543 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:09,600 Speaker 1: I've been attacked by many a bat. I think that 544 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 1: still stands at the only owl. It scared the crap 545 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:15,600 Speaker 1: out of me because I was just standing there and 546 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:18,920 Speaker 1: this thing swooped down across the room and I could 547 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:24,440 Speaker 1: feel the breeze of it like going over my head. So, um, 548 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:27,120 Speaker 1: it was probably in Company B because we had an 549 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:30,320 Speaker 1: owl in there for quite a while. Most of the 550 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 1: time they stay up in the tower, you know, but 551 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: you can hear them, of course when their chicks hatch. 552 00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 1: They are screaming all night. Oh I'm sure. Well, yeah, 553 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:41,880 Speaker 1: so that it was Company B then yeah. I do 554 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:45,400 Speaker 1: remember specifically looking for this missed hanging in the room. 555 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:47,479 Speaker 1: I did not witness it, but it's just such an 556 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 1: interesting phenomena that you don't care about that often kind 557 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:55,240 Speaker 1: of along those lines, what do you think would cause 558 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:57,640 Speaker 1: something like that or why do you think that would 559 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:00,480 Speaker 1: be happening at the castle, You know, it's it's really 560 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 1: hard to say. I do feel like things are trying 561 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:09,760 Speaker 1: to manifest there, and that's just their way of coming 562 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:12,880 Speaker 1: through in the form of a miss, whether it's the 563 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:17,479 Speaker 1: energy that the guests and us are providing for them 564 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:23,520 Speaker 1: or just whatever equipment that we have going at that time. 565 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,480 Speaker 1: It's I don't know, it's really hard to say. You know, 566 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:28,759 Speaker 1: the MISS thing is is a little new for me 567 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:32,359 Speaker 1: as far as that goes there, and I mean, I've 568 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:37,279 Speaker 1: heard about it, but i've actually just recently, just since 569 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:41,600 Speaker 1: we've opened up this year, is when I've seen the 570 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:44,840 Speaker 1: miss and as well as some of the other docents. 571 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:48,080 Speaker 1: That's what they're retorting. How is Preston Castle kind of 572 00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:52,120 Speaker 1: received in I own? Is the town really interested in 573 00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:55,000 Speaker 1: skiing it kind of succeed you know? How do they 574 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:58,840 Speaker 1: feel about the ghostly history being so prevalent. Do you 575 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:01,759 Speaker 1: guys ever get any pushback or are people mostly very 576 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:04,920 Speaker 1: welcoming of it? I think the town is pretty welcoming that. 577 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:08,239 Speaker 1: I mean, if anybody's been there. The castle sits on 578 00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:10,959 Speaker 1: top of a hill that overlooks the entire town, which 579 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 1: is super super tiny, but you will see, you know, 580 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:16,759 Speaker 1: if you go to the different restaurants or shops in 581 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:19,560 Speaker 1: the town, you can see some picture of the castle, 582 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:23,880 Speaker 1: whether it's part of their logo or whatever. But the castle, 583 00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:27,959 Speaker 1: the way that it sits looking over this town, it's 584 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:32,280 Speaker 1: not something that you can miss. Um, it's hard to say. 585 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:37,600 Speaker 1: It seems like they're pretty open to it. There's, of course, 586 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:40,719 Speaker 1: with anything, you're going to have people that say, no, no, 587 00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:44,160 Speaker 1: it's not haunted, there's nothing there, and then your fair 588 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:46,600 Speaker 1: share of people that are like, oh my god, I've 589 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:51,200 Speaker 1: been there, and yes it's totally haunted. So um, you know, 590 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:55,440 Speaker 1: it's it's probably a mixture. How often do you have 591 00:35:55,520 --> 00:35:59,200 Speaker 1: people kind of visit the castle who actually spent time 592 00:35:59,239 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 1: there or work there. I believe we have one volunteer 593 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 1: that actually worked it, or maybe he was a war there. 594 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:12,600 Speaker 1: I can't remember, but we do have quite a few 595 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:15,319 Speaker 1: people that will come through. We had an event not 596 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:17,719 Speaker 1: that long ago, or I should say it feels like 597 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:21,239 Speaker 1: over a year ago now that he was visiting. I 598 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:25,400 Speaker 1: think he said he was visiting from Oregon or he 599 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:29,359 Speaker 1: had been out of state and he came back. I 600 00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:31,760 Speaker 1: was talking to him and he was telling me about 601 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:36,080 Speaker 1: spending time in one of the units called Tamarack, and 602 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:39,520 Speaker 1: that is the solitary confinement unit. It like he was 603 00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:42,600 Speaker 1: really shook up just talking to me about it. He 604 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:45,120 Speaker 1: said that he had actually never been in or was 605 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:48,799 Speaker 1: never part of the main building of the castle, but 606 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:53,520 Speaker 1: he said his experience in Tamarack was just it was 607 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:57,240 Speaker 1: not good, but he had come up there. I guess, 608 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:00,720 Speaker 1: I don't know, like just to resolve things with himself. 609 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:04,719 Speaker 1: I'm not sure, But yeah, we do. We do have 610 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:08,839 Speaker 1: people coming up there and talking about how either they 611 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:12,399 Speaker 1: spent time or that they had family members that either 612 00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:15,239 Speaker 1: spent time or work there. When people bring things like 613 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:17,799 Speaker 1: that up, or when they kind of talk about what 614 00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:20,480 Speaker 1: it was like there, or even just kind of what 615 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:22,880 Speaker 1: the routine was and things, does that ever seem to 616 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:27,920 Speaker 1: instigate activity. I don't know. I don't know. You know, 617 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:30,520 Speaker 1: when I was talking to this particular guy, we were outside. 618 00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:32,640 Speaker 1: I don't even know if he had gone inside. I 619 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:34,680 Speaker 1: think it was just more of him sitting on the 620 00:37:34,719 --> 00:37:37,640 Speaker 1: grounds or standing on the grounds talking to me. But 621 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:43,040 Speaker 1: I don't see why it wouldn't people coming through there, 622 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:47,360 Speaker 1: it could definitely spark some of the activity. Have you 623 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:51,560 Speaker 1: ever gotten anything identifiable or as far as who could 624 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:55,040 Speaker 1: be haunting Preston or are there any ghosts that you 625 00:37:55,120 --> 00:37:58,520 Speaker 1: think you know who they are specifically? You know, I 626 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:03,640 Speaker 1: don't think we've gotten any specific ghosts or people that 627 00:38:03,719 --> 00:38:07,320 Speaker 1: had been there. It's really hard to say. We suspect, 628 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:11,320 Speaker 1: but I don't think, you know, we've never really gotten 629 00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:15,680 Speaker 1: solid confirmation of any names or anything like that while 630 00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:19,080 Speaker 1: we've been investigating. And it seems like, you know, a 631 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:23,120 Speaker 1: lot of the activity you describe is pretty residual in nature, 632 00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:26,839 Speaker 1: meaning that it's almost like a recording playing over and 633 00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:30,200 Speaker 1: over for people listening, like the energy of someone just 634 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:33,759 Speaker 1: kind of going about their routine. Is there anything there 635 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:37,960 Speaker 1: that you would say is maybe more intelligent or like 636 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:42,839 Speaker 1: seeking some sort of help or needing something. I definitely 637 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:46,759 Speaker 1: sense that there is one particular one that we've all 638 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:50,400 Speaker 1: kind of had some sort of interaction with down in 639 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:53,479 Speaker 1: the basement area or the intake room, which is where 640 00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:56,800 Speaker 1: the boys came in. And I've seen him as a shadow, 641 00:38:57,040 --> 00:39:01,400 Speaker 1: I've felt him as oh gosh, like he's followed me 642 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:05,480 Speaker 1: through the basement before, and it's definitely a male presence. 643 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:09,560 Speaker 1: And sometimes we've, like I said, we've seen him kind 644 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:13,240 Speaker 1: of walking back and forth, but more of a shadow figure. 645 00:39:13,640 --> 00:39:17,200 Speaker 1: And that one, in particular, I think is intelligent and 646 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:21,320 Speaker 1: definitely interactive. Okay, so the intake room was that the 647 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:23,359 Speaker 1: room that had the pool. Didn't they have some sort 648 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 1: of pool that they kind of washed them. I think 649 00:39:26,960 --> 00:39:30,080 Speaker 1: they stopped using it eventually because it was harmful, but 650 00:39:30,120 --> 00:39:32,560 Speaker 1: it was that where that was. Yeah, So they enter 651 00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:36,240 Speaker 1: in through the intake and then immediately they were taken 652 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:40,960 Speaker 1: into what we call the de lousing pool, which um is, 653 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:46,120 Speaker 1: I think is barbaric personally, they were you know, thrown 654 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:49,040 Speaker 1: into this pool whether they knew how to swim or 655 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:51,719 Speaker 1: or not, with chemicals and all the other stuff. And 656 00:39:51,760 --> 00:39:54,439 Speaker 1: not to mention that the staff kitchen was like right 657 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:58,279 Speaker 1: across from that, which kind of grosses me out to 658 00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:01,480 Speaker 1: think that you know, those chemical and there could have 659 00:40:01,520 --> 00:40:05,640 Speaker 1: been kind of floating around. But yes, that's where we 660 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:10,400 Speaker 1: feel a presence for sure, and we've seen you know, 661 00:40:10,560 --> 00:40:14,920 Speaker 1: a shadow down there and it's definitely male. Okay. Aside 662 00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:17,520 Speaker 1: from that area, are there any other like major hot 663 00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:19,640 Speaker 1: spots in the castle where you feel like there's just 664 00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:22,160 Speaker 1: i know, the infirmary because that's where you saw the 665 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:25,080 Speaker 1: doctor or where the doctor was seen, right. Is there 666 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:27,759 Speaker 1: anywhere else that you feel like it's almost like guaranteed 667 00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:31,759 Speaker 1: activity if you go into a space. So, yeah, the infirmary, 668 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:35,680 Speaker 1: the basement, the basements. Definitely a hot spot because we 669 00:40:35,719 --> 00:40:40,080 Speaker 1: have like a chapel school area that we've gotten, you know, 670 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:44,440 Speaker 1: some activity in. We just had an investigation this last 671 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:48,000 Speaker 1: Saturday and they were getting activity up in Company B. 672 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:53,319 Speaker 1: That isn't you know typically um I would say a 673 00:40:53,320 --> 00:40:57,000 Speaker 1: hot spot, but once in a while we do get that. 674 00:40:57,080 --> 00:41:00,560 Speaker 1: And also on the second floor. Lately we've and getting 675 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:05,719 Speaker 1: some activity down the hall. We actually us as docents, 676 00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:08,880 Speaker 1: got some activity in the visitor center, which is kind 677 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:12,200 Speaker 1: of what we call home base where we had We 678 00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:14,920 Speaker 1: were sitting there, there was three of us and we 679 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:17,279 Speaker 1: probably people were sitting there for a good forty five 680 00:41:17,320 --> 00:41:20,360 Speaker 1: minutes to an hour and there's like this little sink 681 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:23,080 Speaker 1: area and all of a sudden, we heard this big 682 00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:26,239 Speaker 1: bang and we went over there and it appeared that 683 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:31,200 Speaker 1: a knife fell off one of the shelves and hit 684 00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:36,239 Speaker 1: I mean like nothing, there was nothing there that could 685 00:41:36,280 --> 00:41:40,279 Speaker 1: have knocked it down or anything. And the fact that 686 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:42,640 Speaker 1: we were just sitting there for so long and nothing 687 00:41:42,719 --> 00:41:45,360 Speaker 1: had happened, and then boom, you know, this knife falls 688 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:48,600 Speaker 1: out to the shelf. So I don't know, that's pretty wild. 689 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:51,480 Speaker 1: Is there any activity that people experienced there that you 690 00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:55,040 Speaker 1: think has like violent or aggressive tendencies, like any scratches 691 00:41:55,239 --> 00:41:58,919 Speaker 1: or pushing or anything like that. No, I don't think so. 692 00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:04,600 Speaker 1: We've had one instance of a scratch not that long ago. 693 00:42:05,200 --> 00:42:09,200 Speaker 1: She you know, is an intuitive and she didn't feel 694 00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:12,439 Speaker 1: threatened by the scratch. I think she felt more that 695 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:14,920 Speaker 1: they were trying to get her attention and that was 696 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:18,120 Speaker 1: down again in that basement area, and it might have 697 00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:22,359 Speaker 1: been that male presence that we all feel down in there. 698 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:28,560 Speaker 1: And as far as pushing, maybe people have reported occasionally 699 00:42:28,640 --> 00:42:33,520 Speaker 1: a push, but I personally don't feel that there's anything 700 00:42:34,840 --> 00:42:38,920 Speaker 1: bad there or evil or violent or anything like that. 701 00:42:39,239 --> 00:42:43,719 Speaker 1: I think that it's more that they're just besides the 702 00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:46,600 Speaker 1: residual that we have there, they're just trying to get 703 00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:49,520 Speaker 1: our attention, right, I mean, I think that sometimes aggressive 704 00:42:49,520 --> 00:42:53,359 Speaker 1: activity is just that and it's mistaken for something more, 705 00:42:53,640 --> 00:42:56,920 Speaker 1: you know, sinister. But sometimes they think that some entities 706 00:42:56,960 --> 00:43:00,440 Speaker 1: just really want to get your attention and when they allies, 707 00:43:00,520 --> 00:43:03,600 Speaker 1: they can touch you or imagine being that desperate, like 708 00:43:03,600 --> 00:43:06,120 Speaker 1: you're trying to get some sort of message across, and 709 00:43:06,600 --> 00:43:09,480 Speaker 1: you desperately reach out to someone, And sometimes I think 710 00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:13,880 Speaker 1: that is kind of misconstrued as negative type activity well, 711 00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:16,680 Speaker 1: you know, I have a lot of respect for everything 712 00:43:16,680 --> 00:43:19,359 Speaker 1: you guys are doing at Preston. I know this last 713 00:43:19,440 --> 00:43:23,160 Speaker 1: year has been incredibly hard for historic locations, but it 714 00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:25,799 Speaker 1: sounds like you guys are back up and running and 715 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:29,000 Speaker 1: have a lot happening soon. So if people want to visit, 716 00:43:29,680 --> 00:43:32,520 Speaker 1: what can they do and what do you have coming 717 00:43:32,600 --> 00:43:35,680 Speaker 1: up that people might be interested in. Definitely check out 718 00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:40,640 Speaker 1: our website which is Preston Castle dot org. And we 719 00:43:40,760 --> 00:43:44,880 Speaker 1: have a huge event coming up which is our Halloween Haunt. 720 00:43:45,040 --> 00:43:49,520 Speaker 1: It's one of our biggest events of the year and 721 00:43:49,920 --> 00:43:54,560 Speaker 1: that will be all through October on Friday and Saturday 722 00:43:54,640 --> 00:43:59,520 Speaker 1: nights starting October and they can go to the website 723 00:43:59,560 --> 00:44:04,160 Speaker 1: to perk as tickets, but they are selling fast. We 724 00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:08,279 Speaker 1: sell out fast on this. You don't want to miss it. 725 00:44:08,280 --> 00:44:13,040 Speaker 1: It's three floors of the castle and it's just it's 726 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:16,040 Speaker 1: amazing and we change it up every year and so 727 00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:20,480 Speaker 1: the people that have come through in years past absolutely 728 00:44:20,520 --> 00:44:23,600 Speaker 1: love it. Well, that's great and obviously all the money 729 00:44:23,680 --> 00:44:26,400 Speaker 1: raise goes to a great cause and that's fabulous. Hopefully 730 00:44:26,400 --> 00:44:28,120 Speaker 1: I'll be able to get back out there soon. I 731 00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:31,040 Speaker 1: will be visiting families soon, so I will have to 732 00:44:31,120 --> 00:44:35,440 Speaker 1: pop by the castle and say hi. Absolutely all right, well, 733 00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:38,080 Speaker 1: thank you so much for taking the time. I appreciate it, 734 00:44:38,239 --> 00:44:41,640 Speaker 1: and hopefully I will see you soon. All right, thank you, Amy. 735 00:44:45,080 --> 00:44:49,239 Speaker 1: I have to admit, after researching Preston so intensely and 736 00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:52,120 Speaker 1: hearing the stories that came out of that building, I 737 00:44:52,200 --> 00:44:55,840 Speaker 1: wondered why we're all so intent on preserving it. But 738 00:44:56,080 --> 00:44:59,560 Speaker 1: there is something special about that red castle, so out 739 00:44:59,560 --> 00:45:04,560 Speaker 1: of play in the California Foothills. Architecturally alone, its significance 740 00:45:04,600 --> 00:45:08,279 Speaker 1: cannot be denied. And yes, there were tragedies, but there 741 00:45:08,280 --> 00:45:11,359 Speaker 1: were also many who left there, changed and reformed, who 742 00:45:11,440 --> 00:45:14,560 Speaker 1: might not have had the lives they did without some intervention. 743 00:45:15,320 --> 00:45:18,759 Speaker 1: I also feel like repurposing the space into something more 744 00:45:18,840 --> 00:45:22,160 Speaker 1: positive can be a forever reminder of the growth and 745 00:45:22,200 --> 00:45:25,759 Speaker 1: evolution we and all of society is capable of. It 746 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:28,360 Speaker 1: can also serve as a reminder of a place we 747 00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:31,279 Speaker 1: don't want to go back to. So I urge you 748 00:45:31,360 --> 00:45:36,080 Speaker 1: to explore the California Foothills, particularly Amador and El Dorado Counties, 749 00:45:36,480 --> 00:45:39,279 Speaker 1: often overlooked areas closer to Nevada than they are to 750 00:45:39,320 --> 00:45:42,399 Speaker 1: San Francisco or Los Angeles, and they're filled with gold 751 00:45:42,480 --> 00:45:46,000 Speaker 1: Rush history and ghosts and as you do, make the 752 00:45:46,040 --> 00:45:48,640 Speaker 1: stop and I own to see the castle. If you 753 00:45:48,719 --> 00:45:51,239 Speaker 1: can book a tour or a ghost hunt and let 754 00:45:51,239 --> 00:45:55,520 Speaker 1: them know you know a former local me. I'm Any 755 00:45:55,560 --> 00:46:05,200 Speaker 1: Brunei and this was Haunted Road. M Haunted Road is 756 00:46:05,239 --> 00:46:07,720 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio and Grimm and Mild 757 00:46:07,840 --> 00:46:11,359 Speaker 1: from Aaron Mankey. The podcast is written and hosted by 758 00:46:11,360 --> 00:46:16,759 Speaker 1: Amy Bruney. Executive producers include Aaron Mankey, Alex Williams, and 759 00:46:16,960 --> 00:46:20,640 Speaker 1: Matt Frederick. The show is produced by rima Ill Kali 760 00:46:20,800 --> 00:46:25,480 Speaker 1: and Trevor Young. Taylor Haggerdorn is the show's researcher. For 761 00:46:25,560 --> 00:46:28,439 Speaker 1: more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit the I Heart 762 00:46:28,520 --> 00:46:32,200 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.