San Luis Obispo County

California, United States

The earliest ghost story in San Luis Obispo, might be the earliest in California. Discover 13 local hauntings across SLO CAL.

751 Palm St
San Luis Obispo, CA

At night after the church was empty, an organ student would go to practice on the Mission organ, which is in an interior balcony at the back of the church, leading out of the bell loft. The organist faces away from the congregation, but there’s a mirror to check what’s going on behind her...

1880 Main St
Cambria, CA

A charming Carpenter Gothic cottage from early Cambria, neatly painted blue, has been surrounded by a motel, with a modern lobby and porte cochère attached somewhat ungainly to its front. Whether the ghost disapproves of the architecture, she certainly seems to disapprove of selected guests, who with no explanation check out quickly after checking in...

1103 Spring St
Paso Robles, CA

In 1940, this monumental Queen Anne structure burnt to the ground, all but the ballroom. It was rebuilt on a much less monumental scale in 1945, with more rooms added after 1999, including room 1007. The oddity of the new hotel includes calls to the front desk—and even to 911—from room 1007, when no one’s there. Once when the maintenance head was sent, he saw the phone light up...

775 Mission St
San Miguel, CA

In 1848 at the Mission San Miguel, eleven people were horribly murdered. In 2003 Wally Ohles told the Tribune of two eyewitness accounts told to him: someone who saw a man emerge out of the south wall of the church in a peacoat and...

19215 CA-46
Shandon, CA

In 1955, iconic American film star James Dean died east of Paso Robles at the turnoff for Rancho Cholame, where Cal Poly student Donald Turnupseed made a left turn into his Porsche Spyder with a Ford Tudor. “The curse of the James Dean death car” was hyped by a following owner of the wreck, George Barris. The Porsche engine had been repurposed...