Preston Castle
Preston School of Industry also known as Preston Castle or The Castle was built between 1890 – 1894 as a school to rehabilitate juveniles in Ione, California. The Castle stands on 230 acres bought from the Ione Coal and Iron Company at $30 per acre with 100 acres donated. The sandstone bricks were made at San Quentin and Folsom prisons and delivered via railroad at 6,000 bricks per car. The original plans consisted of five floors and seventy-seven rooms. It officially opened for business on July 1st, 1894 and remained so until 1960. It fell in to disrepair until 2001. The Preston Castle Foundation received a fifty year lease for the property and restoration began to convert it in to an arts college.
The Castle has seen its share of death. Seventeen boys lost their lives in the hospital to diseases such as tuberculosis and typhoid fever. Sam Goins was shot in the back by a prison guard in 1922 during his third escape attempt. He was only 20. Starvation, isolation, and public paddling and lashings, severe strategies were common at Preston. In 1950, Anna Corbin, a former head housekeeper, was found locked in a store room off the executive kitchen bludgeoned to death. One of the castle’s black children, Eugene Monroe was tried twice for this crime, but the jury was hung each time. To this day, no one has been convicted for her murder. Her spirit is believed to still walk the halls of Preston Castle. Many have witnessed slamming doors, falling objects, disembodied voices, and physical contact by unseen people. During Ghost Trackers investigation, they collected photos of alleged orbs and shadows and EVPs, including a male humming. The Ghost Adventures team began their second season at the castle. They experienced female screams, knocking, sounds of eggs frying in a pan, and electronic malfunctions. Three scratches appeared on Aaron’s leg and Zak was allegedly possessed for a period of time. They captured several EVPs, mist and orbs on camera.
Preston Castle is not open to the public but does offer tours, including ghost tours and overnight stays, for a price. To spend the night in this haunted castle, it’ll cost $100 per person. The cost includes pizza for dinner and soda/water for the night. You must bring your own sleeping bag, pillows, clothing, toiletries, and any kind of investigative equipment you plan to use during the night. The only areas open for investigations are the grounds inside the fence and around the castle, the visitor's center, the garage/old solitary confinement area, the castle's basement, 1st floor and 2nd floor. The upper floors are too dangerous. To ensure your safety, each group will be accompanied by a Ghost Trackers Paranormal Research group member. All money goes to the continuing restoration of the castle.
For more information on tours visit http://www.prestoncastle.com/tours.html.
The Castle has seen its share of death. Seventeen boys lost their lives in the hospital to diseases such as tuberculosis and typhoid fever. Sam Goins was shot in the back by a prison guard in 1922 during his third escape attempt. He was only 20. Starvation, isolation, and public paddling and lashings, severe strategies were common at Preston. In 1950, Anna Corbin, a former head housekeeper, was found locked in a store room off the executive kitchen bludgeoned to death. One of the castle’s black children, Eugene Monroe was tried twice for this crime, but the jury was hung each time. To this day, no one has been convicted for her murder. Her spirit is believed to still walk the halls of Preston Castle. Many have witnessed slamming doors, falling objects, disembodied voices, and physical contact by unseen people. During Ghost Trackers investigation, they collected photos of alleged orbs and shadows and EVPs, including a male humming. The Ghost Adventures team began their second season at the castle. They experienced female screams, knocking, sounds of eggs frying in a pan, and electronic malfunctions. Three scratches appeared on Aaron’s leg and Zak was allegedly possessed for a period of time. They captured several EVPs, mist and orbs on camera.
Preston Castle is not open to the public but does offer tours, including ghost tours and overnight stays, for a price. To spend the night in this haunted castle, it’ll cost $100 per person. The cost includes pizza for dinner and soda/water for the night. You must bring your own sleeping bag, pillows, clothing, toiletries, and any kind of investigative equipment you plan to use during the night. The only areas open for investigations are the grounds inside the fence and around the castle, the visitor's center, the garage/old solitary confinement area, the castle's basement, 1st floor and 2nd floor. The upper floors are too dangerous. To ensure your safety, each group will be accompanied by a Ghost Trackers Paranormal Research group member. All money goes to the continuing restoration of the castle.
For more information on tours visit http://www.prestoncastle.com/tours.html.
Comments
instead of a rehabilitating school, it was like a high security prison... kinda makes me wonder what kind of terror was introduced there...
I do agree with your sentiments, though. I think we need to remember history in order not to repeat it. I think mankind has a lot of be ashamed of.
My grandfather was in a reform school a while in his youth, in Arkansas. He told us he'd rather kill us then see us go to such a place. He talked of boys disappearing, and the "wagon" picking up someone at night. I guess atrocious treatment was the norm back then...that doesn't make it good. For some reason, people seem to have the need to mistreat others.
Linda S
Linda, the place closed in 2001, not 60 years ago. Please look up your facts.
Samual was shot once in the back and the Officer that shot him said he was aiming for the knee, he was never formally charged. So much more you all do not know and you would be sick to your stomachs if you knew the whole truth
And you won't share because it may make people sick? ...I'd rather know the truth than the lies, no matter the cost to my well-being. Truth hurts, deception hurts more.
So, please, I implore you. Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
The place is definitely intriguing. I recently was on the newer portion of the grounds and the Castle, even from a distance, is eerie. The stories are interesting to read. The truth may never be uncovered. But, for those who wish to share tales, correct grammar and spelling may support your credibility. Otherwise, you appear to be an idiot.
If you look at the castle at a certain time of day one could almost see shadows at the windows.
on nite on Juniper lodge I woke up and I couldn't move I could only look at my window where I could only see shadows just like I saw when I would look at the Castle, I prayed to GOD to rebuke this spirit and finally I was able to move.I still have a post card
of the Castle, when I am driving in that area I have to look at the Castle, and the road down below which I could see from my hotel room in tammerack.
The area is rich in history, trim the trees so the Castle can be seen.
I
The activity that I personally experienced during the busiest hours of the Preston Castle haunt. The first being me, and 4 other people (of which were 2 older adults) witnessing a shadow person running up the stairs on our floor leading to the third floor. There was someone siting at the foot of the stairs when it passed them, so we are certain that whatever it was was NOT human. That same figure also poked its head out from around the wall on the stair case and appeared to be looking at us. (Sorry I have no photos of the alleged activity because of Haunt rules, my phone was turned off and put away.)
The next thing being that I was standing in another hallway about halfway through the event and was forcefully pulled back behind a curtain by the cape I happened to be wearing. There were 3 people with me who witnessed me screaming and coming flying back out from behind the curtain in tears from the shock the experience caused. Whatever it was that grabbed me, was powerful. It was very eye opening and if I hadn't been a strong believer before visiting the castle.... I would be one now.
I strongly recommend that those who love things of a paranormal nature go and visit the castle during its haunt season which on weekends in October and experience what it has to offer for themselves!