As Halloween approaches, the allure of ghost stories grows stronger, yet Tehama County, California, seems to have a surprisingly sparse selection of eerie tales. While neighboring counties boast haunted houses and chilling encounters, Tehama’s ghostly lore appears to be limited primarily to two notable stories, both linked to the county jail in Red Bluff.
Ghostly Encounters at the County Jail
In 1861, the *Red Bluff Beacon* reported that inmates at the county jail had begun to experience what they described as a “night-walk of ghosts.” According to these prisoners, the spirit of a murdered person could often be felt within the jail’s darkened halls. The newspaper humorously suggested that Sheriff Alpaugh should consider decorating the walls with old horseshoes and providing copies of a rival publication, the *Semi-Weekly Independent*, as a form of exorcism should the ghost become troublesome.
Fast forward to 1901, another account emerged in the *Daily Red Bluff News*, chronicling the experiences of a young man sentenced to ten days for petty larceny. He claimed that he was haunted by a “long-bearded man” who sprinkled water on him while he slept. Initially, he suspected his cellmates were playing tricks on him, so he moved his bed further away from them. Despite his efforts, he continued to awaken with water on his face and hands. Disturbingly, he reported seeing the long-bearded figure standing atop the cells, shaking his finger and declaring, “Damn you! You were in here when I was hung in this jail!” This frightening experience left the young prisoner so shaken that he confided in Deputy Sheriff Egan, expressing his desire to avoid sleeping alone and his thoughts of escaping.
Unexplained Phenomena in Local Offices
Tehama County’s ghost stories extend beyond the jail, as evidenced by an incident reported in 1880 at the *Daily People’s Cause* office. One night, an editor sent a young boy to retrieve writing materials. Upon finding the front door locked, the boy attempted to enter through the back, only to be met with a mysterious force that slammed the door shut when he tried to push it open. Terrified, he hurried home and insisted the office was haunted, although others attributed the incident to the wind or his imagination.
Despite his fear, he returned to the office with a key, determined to investigate further. As he opened the front door, the back door slammed shut again. This time, he claimed to have seen two figures—a man and a woman—dash past him and flee up Main Street. The *Cause* speculated whether the boy had startled two ghosts or if they were merely a pair of lovers seeking a secluded place to express their affections away from prying eyes.
While these accounts from Tehama County may not rival the chilling tales from its neighboring regions, they offer a glimpse into the local folklore that has persisted through the years. As Halloween draws near, perhaps the spirits of the past still linger, waiting to be shared in the storytelling traditions of the community.
