Haunted Santa Cruz, California (Haunted America)

By: Maryanne Porter

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Synopsis: From inspiring Alfred Hitchcock&’s Psycho to being the stalking ground of serial killers, Surf City, USA, has a spooky history with a West Coast twist. Though generally a peaceful coastal city, the dark stains from Santa Cruz&’s past still linger. A former Spanish Mission, Holy Cross Catholic Church harbors a dark history of a brutal revolt of native Ohlone people that killed the cruel Fr. Andres Quintana. Frequented by mobsters and celebrities in its heyday, the famous Brookdale Lodge&’s most talked-about guest is the ghost of a little girl who died nearby in 1892 after nearly drowning. Terrorized by three different serial killers during the 1970s, the city earned the nickname of &“the Murder Capital of the World.&” Local resident Alfred Hitchcock derived inspiration for his iconic film Psycho from the haunted mid-nineteenth-century Hotel McCray. Tracing the city&’s eeriest incidents back to their roots, historical researcher and paranormal investigator Maryanne Porter details these and many more stories of local legend and lore. Includes photos! &“[Porter] vividly retells the darker aspects of Santa Cruz history, and shares recorded experiences, including some of her own, at popular local haunted sites like the Brookdale Lodge and Sunshine Villa.&” —GoodTimes