It’s that time of year again. Everyone is searching for the perfect costume, hanging their faux spider webs, carving pumpkins, and satisfying their sweet tooth. Halloween is an exciting time, but originally, it was more than just fun and games.
“Halloween was the old Celtic New Year, when ghosts were said to walk the earth” said Richard Senate, a renowned paranormal expert in Ventura County. “It was a scary time and people locked their doors in fear ghosts would come in. Its now a fun time to mock death.”
Considered by its residents to be one of the most haunted cities in America, Ventura County is full of unexplained phenomena. With its long, twisted, history Ventura County is the ideal place to go back to the roots of Halloween and discover the supernatural side of the celebrated holiday.
According to Senate, the Olivas Adobe is the scariest place in Ventura County.
“The Olivas Adobe [is] where a ghost lady in a black dress has been seen walking on the balcony late at night, [she] could be Dominga Olivas who died during childbirth on Halloween Night 1890,” said Senate. ” There is also a ghost girl in a white nightdress seen in the second floor window.”
Surrounding the grounds of the compound lays a well-groomed rose garden, but within its walls, you enter a dark, deserted courtyard with a neglected two-story adobe on one side and a beat up back house on the other side. For more information, visit the official Olivas Adobe website at www.olivasabobe.org.
Beyond its eerie beauty, a lingering question hangs in the air. Is the Olivas Adobe actually haunted?
“My best sightings are ones where I have had more than one witness. We had an event in 2006 when over 100 people saw a ghost girl appear and vanish at the Olivas Adobe,” said Senate. “I could have hallucinated [alone], but a group is evidence.”
Another spot believed haunted is the old Justin Petit house in Oxnard’s Heritage Square. The restored Victorian home is now used as a playhouse and tourist attraction, but has been said to be haunted by its past.
“Many customers come in claiming they’ve seen spirits in the Petit house as well as some of the oldest houses in the square,” said Anthony McInally, 25, a waiter at La Dolce Vita Ristorante, next door to the Petite house. “I don’t believe in that stuff, but some people say they even see ghosts in here [La Dolce]. These houses are pretty eerie at night.”
Although Heritage Square is well kept and often plays host to weddings and tourists, it has a long history full of paranormal possibilities.
“People have gotten pictures of mysterious orbs here,” said Senate. “Heritage Square has several ghosts at the old Perkins house and the church.”
A rather cliché, yet equally spooky location in Ventura, is the Ivy Memorial Cemetery, formerly Cemetery Park. Dating back to the 1800s, there are countless rumors of spirits roaming the grounds.
According to vcparanormal.com, there were satanic rituals conducted there which forced the spirits to wander the lot forever.
“As I stood by the tallest family monument there, I felt a cold chill run up my spine. The graves were old and a whole family lied to rest there,” said Moorpark College student Tory Weisz, 21. “You could definitely feel a supernatural presence.”
The cemetery is located at 5400 Valentine Rd, Ventura and open daily from 8 a.m. -4:45 p.m.
The adobe is located at 4200 Olivas Park Dr, Ventura; open daily from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and tours are Saturdays and Sundays for $10.
Heritage Square is located at 200 W. 7th St, Oxnard. Tours are conducted on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
