Fullerton Haunted Walking Tour

So this sounded interesting!  Plus my friend Suzanne was the tour guide - so - let's do it!

My friend Megan from work and I signed up for September 30th for the Tour which was perfect since it was a tiny group.  They get super big in October, but we got a slow night.

We start out at Fullerton Museum and listen to the North Orange County Paranormal Society dudes chat for a bit.  They show us evidence of paranormal activity, etc.

Notice the creepy doll

Now, let me tell you, I don't totally believe in this shit and I don't totally not believe.  I'm sort of in the middle.  I do believe there are all kinds of energies and entities and what not out there but so many people push it to the point of lame.  I get really really irritated with people who obviously do this kind of stuff for attention.  "Oh, I sense a presence!"  "Oh I can feel something"  "Oh I need to rest because feeling all my magical unicorn powers has exhausted me". 

Really?

Shut the hell up.

But there are folks out there who are super laid back about it and these guys were just that.  The explained that they do everything they can to prove stuff scientific.  They also don't freak out and do the "Oooooooo!!!" crap.  They just show you and explain what they saw/heard.  They showed us a few clips here at the museum that were interesting.  A blob of light in a room, some voices unexplained, etc.

Then we were introduced to a medium.  These people are usually so over dramatic I just want to scream.  She was a tad, but actually not nearly as bad as most of them.  What I did appreciate, was she explained how it's not about seeing a ghost or a figure or something huge.  It's usually just little oddities that you most likely would just write off.  Funny thing - this shit happens to me  ALL THE TIME!  I've had plenty unexplainable things happen.  I just never make a big deal out of it.  I think I'll write a separate blog later about all the weird stuff that's happened.  Could be fun!

Anyway - moving on.

So - we head out with Suzanne she starts filling us in on a lot of the history of Fullerton.  How it started.  How Charles C. Chapman was Fullerton's 1st mayor and by the way is related to Johnny Appleseed.  Megan and I giggled figuring we should know this stuff since we work at Chapman.

Suzanne carried with her an iPad and would show us old photos of the city which were super cool!  She pointed out the 1st building Charles Chapman built - The Chapman Building and how it was the tallest in the county for like 3 weeks.

Our 1st stop on the tour was Angelo Da Vinci.  I love this place!

It's super kitschy and has a rad charm to it.  Plus the food is yum!  Suzanne told us about the place used to be where the first Farmers Market was.  Then Steven Peck turned it into this.  He apparently passed away and his wife Cynthia took over running the place.  One day there was a large crash sound.  Only one family was in the restaurant and said no one was around - they all looked behind the bar and there were 3 bottles of Tequila sitting on the ground as if someone picked them up and placed them there.  They were Steven's favorite drink!  Ooooooo spooky!!!!

We headed in and upstairs which I actually had never been.  So cool!

This was arch apparently from the original market (sans the masks of course)

Then we headed up to the 3rd floor where the NOPS dudes were waiting.

1st of all it's rad up here!!  It's like a little fairy house or something.  Anyway - they showed us some more incidents that happened there in the restaurant.  There was a tragic child death on the grounds years ago.  The played for us some audio and there was this very distinct childs laughter.  Not going to lie - that one gave me goosebumps!

Later we trekked down to the basement.  So rad!

It maybe too dark but that's a giant mannequin leg just hanging form the ceiling.

Megan is glowing

Then we went off to Le Potager.  This had one of my favorite stories.  There was this well known woman - Lillian Yeager.  She was rad.  Like one of our first feminists it sounds like.  Anywhoo she moved into this place which is now

First of all the place is darling - I must bring my mother back here!

So we go in and the guy who owns it is there and tells us many stories of incidents that have happened in the store.  Lillian died in the house and it's said her spirit still remains.  My favorite tale was he said he always turns off some lamp, well the next day he came in and it was on.  There was a little tag leaning up against it.  Nothing like they'd ever seen before.  They picked up and wow - look!

The numbers are also the date she died.  What!  Either a rad party trick or spooky tale!  What do you think?  That was neat!  Then he told us about his store partner whom loved to buy Fullerton High School crap for her sons.  She went on ebay and found this awesome vintage pillow - well when you flip it over:

What!!!!  Look at that!  We then got to explore the whole place, wander around upstairs and see everything.  One of the rooms made me feel very disoriented by I swear it was how it was built.  The medium thinks I may have felt something.  Who knows.  The place is adorable, smells of old musk.  I love it!  I will def be bringing my mom back to check it out.  I giggled to myself and rolled my eyes when one of the guests was saying how the smell must be from the other world.  I was like kid - it's an old fucking house.  It smells like one.  Lord.  Earlier his mother had mentioned that she always smells things from the other side.  Especially skunk.  Even the medium raised her eyebrows.  Really lady?  Skunk?  It's probably a skunk!  Sigh.  Sometimes the fellow patrons are as entertaining as the tour.

Of we now went to the Fox Theatre.  I friggin love this place.  Now I've been in here before.  We actually got to rehearse here a while back.  So rad!

The place is in the process of a very long restoration process.  It's super old and super dusty/musky.  I actually had a hard time breathing.  Apparently that could be the spirits fucking with me.  Ooooooo!  It's so beautiful!  The NOPS boys were there again and sharing stories of incidents.  The medium chick also shared some things that happened when her and her medium friends were doing seances.  Well duh - if you do a seance you're going to anger the spirits!  Very cool stories.

After that we finished off in the courtyard where Cafe Hildago and Brownstone are.  Suzanne filled us in on some pretty freaky stories that happened in the courtyard.  Another that gave me goosebumps.  And that was the end of the tour!

We got a free drink voucher - um rad! - at Cafe Hildago.  So Megan and I opted to eat as well.  Everyone had bailed except the NOPS boys, Suzanne and Megan and I.  Megan and I chatted over delicious cerviche, calamari, quesadillas and sangrias.  Suzanne was bouncing back and forth chatting with us and the boys and some other gal.

Best tour guide eva!

Why this is blurry I don't know...

I wish we had actually popped over and talked to the boys more, but it was getting late.  As we left they asked if we've ever had anything happen.  I said "Oh all the time!"  "Why didn't you tell us!?"  they said.  "I don't want to be one of those people" I said laughing.  They still want to know so I said maybe I'll join one of the after tour bar sessions another time.  It would be fun to share all the weird freaking things that have happened to me and get their take on it.

All in all the evening was a blast!  I loved learning all the history, hearing all the spook stories and wandering around on a beautiful warm evening!  All the buildings we explored were so interesting and cool!  Suzanne is fantastic at what she does.  Full of information and keeps things moving!  Definitely check it out if you're looking for history, haunts or both!