Inside America’s most haunted home the place ‘lifeless child and crying girl nonetheless reside’

The Whaley House in San Diego, California, is most commonly recognised as the most haunted house in the US.

Built in 1857, it has a bleak history of executions, tragic deaths and suicides, many of which occurred in the property itself. Just four years before the home was built, “Yankee” Jim Robinson, a drifter and thief was publicly hanged on the site for stealing a boat. Not put off by the fact that the land was formerly the home of the city’s first public public gallows, Thomas Whaley went ahead and built his family estate on the site.

But as soon as the Whaleys moved in, they started hearing the ghost of Robinson stomping about the manor.

And the Whaley’s family history itself ended up being filled with tragic deaths and suicides, with many of their spirits supposedly still hanging around.

Visitors to the property have reported hearing footsteps, seeing ghosts, and feeling a chill. Some say the ghosts of Thomas and Anna Whaley, the family dog, and a young girl haunt the house. Ghostly encounters are said to often accompanied by cigar smoke and the smell of heavy perfume.

The Whaley family was beset by tragedy in the house, beginning when their infant son Thomas succumbed to scarlet fever at just 18 months old.

Shortly thereafter, a devastating fire consumed the general store within the house. Following this, Thomas Whaley relocated his family to San Francisco.

Years later, however, the Whaleys returned to the house. Over time, the Whaley House served various roles including the county courthouse, the stage for San Diego’s inaugural theatre company, and a general store.

In 1871, while Thomas was away on business, a group of armed men held Anna Whaley at gunpoint and seized the courthouse records from their home.

Years later, two of the Whaley daughters including Violet were married in the house. Despite her best efforts, Violet found her marriage unbearable and ended up getting divorced.

Overwhelmed by depression and shame, she tragically took her own life by shooting herself in the chest on August 18, 1885. Over time, many descendants of the Whaley family lived and died within the walls of the house.

During various restoration periods throughout the home’s history, workers and visitors began to report strange occurrences. They claimed to hear mysterious sounds, see unusual sights, and even experience unexplained aromas and encounters.

Baby Thomas, the first family member to pass away, seemed to have never left. Visitors reported hearing the sounds of tiny footsteps, crying and even giggling when no one else was around.

Others claim to have seen a young woman lingering on the second floor of the house, believed to be the sorrowful Violet. She seems to stay close to the second floor where she spent much of her time after her divorce before her tragic suicide.

It is said that certain areas within the home become eerily cold and her presence can be felt throughout.

Foggy mists, lights flickering on and off without any human intervention, and crystals in the music room’s lamp swaying without any apparent cause are all indications that the Whaley House is still inhabited by its former residents.