While Benicia, California appears to be a sleepy and quiet coastal town, it was once a very rough port town in the 1800s. Miners searching for gold were ferried across the Carquinez strait, military personnel enjoyed the area as it was home to the Benicia Arsenal and Barracks. The arsenal and barracks were the primary facility in the West Coast of the US for over 100 years.
You can imagine this being quite the California Boomtown. Gambling, booze, and drama.
By 1868 a restaurant named Captain Blythers opened. The building itself was a house that once belonged to a sea captain.
The author Jack London lived in the surrounding area and would often frequent the establishment. Sparking the owner to rename the restaurant Sailor Jacks in his honor.
These days, some report seeing pictures jump off the walls while they eat and alarms sounding for no reason.
Once an employee reported feeling extreme cold and the sensation of something touching him, within seconds after this experience he reported that things began flying off the walls.
Current employees report most of the strange occurrences happen upstairs and often times things get mysteriously unplugged in the middle of the night.
The history of the house isn’t very clear either. What we do know is that it belonged to an actual sea captain at one time. Could he have passed in the home? Or maybe Jack London comes to haunt one of his favorite restaurants.
My next stop in Benicia is Union Hotel. Which is also extremely haunted. Most reported stories come directly from former and current employees. The Union Hotel is a three story 1850s upscale. It literally has first class amenities, a great dining and bar area. The decor has slight touches of European elegance.
One of the fun facts I found about this hotel is that it was never in disrepair. It was maintained all throughout the years. The Jacuzzi bathtubs
for two are amazing…. I think if I ever got married, this could be a potential honeymoon spot !
Though it is beautiful, it is said to be highly haunted. There are a few entities. One being a young woman who was said to be distraught over a breakup, her demeanor is sad and woeful… It is said that she hung herself due to the heartbreak in one of the rooms.
These days, guests have reported seeing her full apparition wandering throughout the hallways and rooms. Some simply see her face looking out the windows while they are outside of the hotel.
Others have reported hearing her voice or her cries.
The other apparition that is seen frequently is a young man. There is no official story, but some believe he is connected to the young woman. He is seen in the bar area and dining area looking to the stairs as if he is waiting for someone.
Reports of lights turning off by themselves and flickering are also common in the hotel.
Do you think the beautiful coastal town of Benicia is haunted…
I do.
My adventures lead me straight to these haunted locations… I definitely have to thank the town of Benicia for its hospitality and the spirits for their haunting entertainment… But for now… We shall leave this to the Realms of the Unexplained…
