Point Arena Spirits

Point Arena is a small town in Mendocino County. The last census tallied the population at 449, making it one of the smallest incorporated cities in the country. State Route 1 runs down main street. The place is made up of a diverse group of people, including surfers, pot growers and more and more tourists.

My Aunt Lorie lived in Point Arena for 32 years in the oldest house in the city. The home built in the late 1860’s, was a tear down when she and her husband moved in. It was built of redwood with square nails and unfortunately, no insulation. It was also haunted.

Lorie said, “The activity in the house seemed to vary depending on the visitors. Certain visitors stirred up things.” One of their daughter’s friends, a Native American boy, lived with them for a time and Lorie noted the activity would always amp up when he was there.

Most of the activity was mild and Lorie and her husband believed that it was perhaps the spirit of a child that was in the house. Often when they were downstairs watching TV, they could hear someone walking upstairs. Usually the footsteps would come half way down the stairs and then stop.

Her husband would feel like something was walking by or that something was touching the bed. On occasion there was the sound of someone trying to open the front door. Of course, there was no one there.

There was only one bathroom in the house. One day, Lorie went to the bathroom and the door was sealed tight. This was unusual, because the door like the rest of the house was old and normally rattled and was loose in the door frame. She knocked and asked, “Is anyone in there?” No answer.

Her daughter had a friend over that day.  Lorie went to her daughter’s room and both of the girls were there. She went back and the door had loosened. She tested the door by opening it and then gently closing it. The door slammed shut again as tight and sealed as it was before. This happened several times and Lorie even had the girls come and witness it.

The most impressive incident happened when her sister visited. My other aunt is a practicing Hindu and brings her prayer accessories with her when she travels.

Lorie remembers, “There are some prayers that must not be said in a place where meat has been consumed. I believe she stirred something up.” That night, the rest of the household had gone to bed and the women were enjoying a cup of tea in the kitchen. Lorie had her back to the kitchen sink and her sister exclaimed, “Oh my God! What is that?”

Lorie turned and saw an apparition that ironically resembled one of the green blobs from Ghostbusters. “It was a green mist and when I turned, it rushed out of the room.”

The spirit rushed into the room where her husband was sleeping and knocked over a bookcase.

My aunt and her husband eventually built a new home and moved there some years ago. They sold their old home to the next door neighbors; there has been no news on any further paranormal activity.