HAUNTED MYRTLES PLANTATION & THE WHALEY HOUSE

HAUNTED MYRTLES PLANTATION & THE WHALEY HOUSE
Paul Dale Roberts, HPI’s Esoteric Detective
Sacramento Paranormal Investigations
Halo Paranormal Investigations
jazmaonline.boards.net/
Email: [email protected]
Sacramento Paranormal Haunted Hotline: 916 203 7503

MY BOOKS:
www.lulu.com/spotlight/httpswwwlulucomspotlightjazmapika1

MY BIO:
jazmaonline.boards.net/thread/2495/paul-dale-roberts-biography-revised

When I went to the Whaley House in San Diego, CA, I was expecting to get all kinds of evidence of paranormal activity. I had no anomalies in my photographs, no EVPs. Nada, nothing. I had a special tour of the Whaley House and was allowed to go into any room I wanted. I was very disappointed. According to many ghost hunting enthusiasts, the Whaley House is supposed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Another house that has the title as “America’s Most Haunted House” is the Myrtles Plantation. I have never been to the Myrtles Plantation, but my cousin Tony Alva has been there with his family. They did a bit of ghost hunting at the Plantation and experienced nothing. Tony said the place didn’t feel creepy at all, in fact it felt “homey”. It appears to me that when a ghost hunting TV show team investigates one of these so-called “most haunted locations”, the legend of these places builds to a high crescendo. Just because someone says a place is “most haunted”, doesn’t make it so. During my time as a paranormal investigator, I have been to 2500 investigations. Places that stick out in my mind as being most haunted, are places that are not even houses. Some of the most terrifying places I have investigated are: 1) the Tower of London, you get the feeling of dread, as soon as you step into the Tower. It reeks of death, a place of torture, executions, murder, etc. 2) The Bridge over River Kwai in Thailand. The place reeks of death, a place of torture, suicide, random murder and executions. I can go on and on, but I think you know where I am coming from. To me these places are the “most haunted”.

The Whaley House in San Diego, California is widely regarded as one of the most haunted houses in America. Its eerie history dates back to 1852 when James “Yankee Jim” Robinson was executed by hanging for grand larceny. Later, Thomas and Anna Whaley built their home on the very spot where Robinson met his demise. Since then, the Whaley House has been a hotspot for paranormal activity. Some other ghosts of the Whaley House are Mr. and Mrs. Whaley, a young girl and her family dog. The U.S. Commerce Department officially classified the Whaley House as haunted in the 1960s. With these specters in the Whaley House, there is not much to be scared of, unless you get goosebumps hearing Yankee Jim stomping around the house. I spent the whole day at the Whaley House and walked away with no evidence of the paranormal. So, I wonder is the Myrtle Plantation the same way? Let’s look at some of the history of Myrtles Plantation.

The Myrtles Plantation was built in 1796 by General David Bradford on 600 acres. General Bradford lived alone on this plantation for several years, until President John Adams pardoned him for his role in the Pennsylvania Whiskey Rebellion in 1799. After the pardon he moved his whole family into the plantation. When the General’s wife Elizabeth died in 1831, the plantation, the land and its slaves eventually went to Ruffin Gray Stirling and his wife Mary Catherine Cobb. They renovated the home, made it larger, imported some furniture from Europe and called the home “The Myrtles” in honor of the crape myrtles that grew in the area.

Some of the ghosts that haunt the Myrtle Plantation are:

Chloe: A very well-known ghost, possibly a former slaver and mistress of Clark Woodruff, slave owner. Legend has it that Chloe eavesdropped on Woodruff through his study door to ensure that she pleased him. She was caught eaves dropping and her punishment was that she got her ear cut off. She sought revenge and poisoned a cake she was asked to bake, resulting in the deaths of several family members (except for Woodruff himself). Chloe was subsequently hanged. Special Note: There has never been any validation that the ghost of Chloe actually haunts the plantation.

William Drew Winter: An attorney who resided at the plantation from 1865 to 1871, Winter met a tragic end. Shot by a stranger, he staggered into the house and died while attempting to climb the stairs. Visitors and hotel employees still report hearing his dying footsteps on the 17th step.

Woodruff Daughters and Sarah Matilda: The transparent apparitions of the Woodruff daughters (Cornelia Gale and Jane) and their mother, Sarah Matilda, have been spotted playing about the house, especially upstairs and on the grounds.

Other Ghostly Encounters: The grand piano inside the plantation has been heard playing haunting chords by itself. Allegedly, the ghosts of former slaves have been seen asking if there are any chores for them to do.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS:
After watching numerous youtube videos of various ghost hunting groups staying overnight at the Myrtle Plantation, I was not impressed with the evidence. Most just got “orbs” in their photos. Orbs can be almost anything. The haunted “Doll Room”, no evidence. A group out of Ohio called Ohio Spectre Stalkers spent the weekend at Myrtle Plantation and walked away with an EVP of a muffled sound and some photos of orbs. They call this “America’s Most Haunted House”? Really? I beg to differ. I’ve seen more paranormal activity in private homes. And I wonder, if the Whaley House and Myrtle Plantation are really haunted, or is it just hyped-up stories from popular ghost hunting TV shows. You tell me.