With all of the books on regional ghost folklore available, it's amazing how San Francisco was overlooked for so long. It is one of the most popular tourist cities in the USA. Then, in 2007, two books appear, including Ghosts of San Francisco, by Kathryn Vercillo, and San Francisco Ghosts, by Mark Lyon. Of the two, the latter is the more substantive. Although the narrative has some style issues and copyediting errors, Lyon is the better researcher.

The main body of this trade paperback has 26 chapters that are supplemented by acknowledgments and preface. Each chapter tells one of the longer ghost stories of the City by the Bay or several paranormal anecdotes with a common element.

For instance, the Octagon House can be found at Gough & Union, built during the 19th century at a time when that shape was considered the most "healthful." Currently in the custody of the National Society of Colonial Dames of America, it is said the group can hear footsteps outside the room they're meeting, but no one is ever there. On November 24th, it said they can hear someone climbing to cupola, then hear a scream and the sound of someone falling.

While the haunting at the Haskell House in the Presidio has received a great deal of attention, there are plenty more ghosts in that former military base besides that one. Among them was one at Funston & Lincoln where Building Number 2 once provided the Presidio Army Museum. One of the folks working to put this project on its feet was living in its basement. At one time, he felt someone grab him firmly on the shoulders when he was the only person in the room. He soon found another domicile.

Chinatown has a playground on Sacramento Street, between Stockton and Grant, which has several entities. One is that of a little boy who tried to swing too high, eventually falling and fatally cracking his skull on the cement below him. Late at night, when the park is quiet, it is said unoccupied swing can be seen swinging back and forth, as if someone is trying to fly higher and higher.

The biggest weakness of this book is that its writing style is inconsistent. Several of its stories are rendered dramatically, which affects their credibility. Even though they're supposed to be true, Lyon wasn't there when the dialog took place, so they have to be imagined scenes. When something is presented dramatically, it's also a given that writers may sometimes need to alter or rearrange facts to create a better story. How can the reader be sure Lyon hasn't done this?

The stories presented in a factual manner are the ones that are most intriguing. Lyon is the first to publish any details of the paranormal activity at the Sir Francis Drake hotel. It is quite evident he has made the effort to find first-hand witnesses and new ghost stories about the city Columnist Herb Caen called "Baghdad by the Bay."

Lyon's writing style is still readable, regardless of some of the book's copyediting problems. The large type should also be appreciated by those who have difficulty reading.

Finding this book also ended what had to be my toughest bibliographic quest. Around the year 2000, I ran across a listing—under the name The Haunted City—for a book on Amazon. It had a publishing date from the 90s, but I nonetheless clicked on every alert the website had available to purchase a copy of it. I checked Abe Books, but could find nothing with Mark Lyon's name on it, even though another book by another author shared the same title, except it was about New Orleans. I googled the whole internet, but alas, no luck. I did all of this every once and again for a few years, but then, while spending a day walking around San Francisco, I ran across a used book shop that claimed to offer a good selection of local interest books. Unfortunately, it was closed at the time, so I called when it was open to ask if they had a copy in stock. The fellow answering the phone said no and as far as he could see this book did not exist. I presented a challenge to him when I said it was listed on Amazon and he ended up calling the publisher, Heritage House, himself. Heritage explained that the project had been shelved before it reached the presses and it had no idea why the title was listed on Amazon. (More than likely, Amazon must have found the information in an old catalog and input the info unaware the book was killed.)  With a new title and publisher, it appears that this book finally made it to print, but it is a shame it lost what would have been its status as the first of its kind on the city of San Francisco, since Vercillo's book was released three months before Lyon's. However, it is worth noting that one of the chapters is titled "The Haunted City."

Readers who like true ghost stories and San Francisco should enjoy San Francisco Ghosts, despite its weaknesses. Lyon tells some stories that have little or no previous documentation. More is coming on the subject, though. Local Psychic Medium Annette Martin says she and Paranormal Investigator Loyd Auerbach are producing one together and it should be released early next year. Hopefully it will be a lot easier to acquire than Lyon's book was. This is actually a 3.5-star rating for San Francisco Ghosts, but it's rolled up to 4 since Epinions lacks that option.



More California ghost folklore:

The Incredible World of Gold Rush Ghosts, by Nancy Bradley & 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

Haunted Houses of California, by Antoinette May

California Ghost Notes, by Randall Reinstedt

Ghost Notes, by Randall Reinstedt

Ghost Stories of California, by Barbara Smith


Documentary:

Ghosts of California

Recommended: Yes