Preston Castle Is One of Northern California’s Most Notorious Haunts — Here’s Why

Preston Castle is a renowned paranormal destination for supernatural enthusiasts. This is largely attributed to its rich and oftentimes dark history.

Famed country musician Merle Haggard was incarcerated there at just 15 years of age for auto theft, back when it was known as the Preston School of Industry.

One of the more macabre secrets is associated with Preston Castle's basement. But what happened there?

Like many prisons, Preston Castle has a history of deaths. And it's said that a variety of souls still persist on the castle's premises until this very day. One such individual is Anna Corbin, the castle's head housekeeper, who was reportedly beaten to death.

Corbin's killer was never found.

Another notable death, according to the Merced County Times, is that of Samuel Goins, who tried escaping the institution back in 1918. The convicted burglar was shot to death by a guard, and Goins's body is still interred in the castle's cemetery grounds.

Some have claimed that the ghosts of past employees and the juvenile inmates who were subjected to harsh living conditions also remain at Preston. Inmates, guards, wardens, and other workers at the castle lived and died there through the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic, as well.

This could explain the purported ghostly claims that occur in Preston Castle's infirmary. Witnesses said they've seen floating orbs wafting throughout the castle. And it's said that in 2010, one of the location's docents was so freaked out working in the building that they quit on the spot.

209 Magazine calls Preston Castle "a paranormal investigator's paradise" and says it's widely regarded as "one of the most haunted buildings on the West Coast."

And it certainly looks the part, too. Its Romanesque architectural style was once fashioned to help the building be more welcoming to its inmates.

Its exterior was supposed to reflect the Castle's revamped mission: to rehabilitate its population rather than sequester them from society. However, the frequent escape attempts and "cruel punishments" to those condemned to stay there, along with the murders on its property, contributed to its haunted history.

Today, its aesthetics appear almost tailor-made for the stuff of spooky legends. 209 Magazine also expounded upon some of the finds the Castle Spirits Paranormal team documented in Preston Castle's halls. The group stated that they were able to record electronic voice phenomena, which is a claim others, like this YouTube account, have also echoed.

And Preston Castle doesn't shy away from its ghost sightings either. The location's website hosts events for folks looking to learn more about investigative techniques, including a 4.5-hour package called "Paranormal 101."

Experienced teams can also book the venue to explore in the hopes of cataloging the same reports so many others have had there.

The Castle itself was built in 1894 as the property's administration building and fell out of use in 1960. Plans to demolish it were halted between 1960-1968 by a group of local residents in Ione, Calif. Although the city's decision to tear it down was reversed, the local government didn't allocate resources to ensure its survival.

Paranormal explorations, event bookings, and efforts from those dedicated to ensuring its legacy lives on are what keep Preston Castle standing.

On a personal note, I had the opportunity to visit this astounding location in 2022 and can say that pictures do not do it justice. If you're ever in the northern part of California, you should definitely check it out.