Some people leave more than their hearts in San Francisco
Written: Apr 26 '08 (Updated Aug 18 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: First book exclusively dedicated to ghostlore in San Francisco, easy to read
Cons: Research based on secondary sources
The Bottom Line: Anyone who likes San Francisco, ghostlore, and is not particular about in-depth research should find this book enjoyable entertainment.
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| adriennefoster's Full Review: Kathryn Vercillo - Ghosts of San Francisco |
Considering all of the other major cities that have books devoted to their true ghost stories, it's a puzzlement how San Francisco has been overlooked for so long. Schiffer Publishing saw this gap in the market and filled it with Ghosts of San Francisco. This book's coverage of the topic is a mixed bag in how it presents it. While it does retell its popular classic ghostlore and makes the effort to cover cases that have failed to capture national or widespread notice in the past, it relies on secondary resources for its information.
This trade paperback divides its content into seven parts, covering homes, hotels, military sites, schools, miscellaneous locations, local ghost experts, and ghost hunting. The main body of the book is supplemented by an introduction, conclusion, glossary, equipment explanations, and bibliography.
Each of the 28 sites covered is a titled chapter of its own. Most provide the history of the location, then describe the phenomena that's been reported. One of the more intriguing stories is that of the Donaldina Cameron House, named for the woman who dedicated her life to rescuing Chinese women from enslavement or indentured servitude because they dared to immigrate to the U.S. Many sought refuge there, but at one point the house caught fire and many perished. Now unaccountable cries are heard coming from the basement where they died.
The spirit of Lillian Hellman is said to remain in room 207 at the Hotel Union Square. It was a rendez-vous point where she met her lover, Dashiell Hammett, and it is said she waits to meet him again. Small objects appear in the room as if she has forgotten them and its door opens and closes on its own volition.
Abraham Lincoln High School has phenomena without the benefit of a background story. In one girls' restroom visitors have heard someone whisper hello when no one else was around. Others have looked under the doors of stalls to see the feet of someone on the toilet, only to find a little later that no one was there.
One of the more exciting parts of this 2007 book is the one on hotels, which always seem to attract ghosts as time goes by. More disappointing is the inclusion of sites with little or no specific details of their phenomena, particularly that of the Westin St. Francis. Author Kathryn Vercillo does provide the highpoints in the colorful history of this San Francisco landmark, which was where Al Jolson died and Fatty Arbuckle threw party that ended with him being charged for murder. She does overlook one crucial factor in the story of Arbuckle: William Randolph Hearst and his newspaper crusade against the movie star.* However, there is not a single instance of the St. Francis's phenomena detailed and a medium has confirmed that it is definitely a haunted hotel to me. It would have been neat to hear some specifics.
Since this slim volume was produced for the commercial market, the frequent citations sprinkled throughout the narrative was a little aggravating. It was like reading a college term paper, in more ways than one. The research is all based on secondary resources without any consultation with a first-hand witness. Tess Collins, manager of the Curran Theater for over 20 years, is cited from her website, but said she was never directly contacted by Vercillo. (If Collins had been asked, she would have denied the story about the mirror—even though she does believe her theater is haunted.) As a matter of fact, it appears most of the research for this book was done on the internet, complemented by a previously published book or two on California ghostlore. But still, folklore grows out of hearsay, not facts.
Another unsettling account is that of The Mansions Hotel, which was also covered in a segment of Haunted History. Regardless of the fact Vercillo notes this business folded in 2000, it is grouped with other hotels that are still operating. It seems this one would have been more appropriate if it was in the homes/mansion section of the book, as it almost misleads readers. The building was partitioned and sold as condo-like units. It would have been more impressive if this section covered the Sir Francis Drake, which MSN called one the country's top 10 haunted hotels, but little info can be found on it.
The inclusion of ghost "experts" local to San Francisco was an interesting touch. She refers to Antoinette May—who is a good friend of Psychic Sylvia Browne—as a medium, though, while the latest edition of May's book, Haunted Houses of California, simply refers to her as a researcher. It's also a bit disappointing that Annette Martin, an astonishingly gifted clairsentient, is overlooked. Or is it possible, since Vercillo focussed on secondary resources, she was confused between May and Martin?
Overall, this book is easy to read and Vercillo must be credited for being the first to exclusively cover this aspect of San Francisco and finding a few stories that aren't as widely known. But with the lack of primary resources, Ghosts of San Francisco is pure folklore. Anyone who likes San Francisco, ghostlore, and is not particular about in-depth research should find it enjoyable entertainment.
*Anyone wanting a more detailed account of this scandal should refer to the book, Murder by the Bay, by Charles F. Adams.
More California ghost folklore:
The Incredible World of Gold Rush Ghosts (The Big Picture), by Nancy Bradley and Robert Reppert
Ghost Hunter's Guide to the San Francisco Bay Area, by Jeff Dwyer
Ghost Stories of California's Gold Rush Country and Yosemite National Park, by Antonio R. Garcez
Ghost Hunting in Mother Lode Country, by Hilber H. Graf
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977542028&nav=MyGather
Haunts of San Jose, by David Lee
San Francisco Ghosts, by Mark Lyon
California Ghost Notes, by Randall Reinstedt
Ghost Notes, by Randall Reinstedt
Ghost Stories of California, by Barbara Smith
Documentary:
Ghosts of California
Recommended:
Yes
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