The 10 Most Haunted Places in Fresno, CA

If you are in search of some good old haunted fun in California, then look no further than Fresno and Fresno County.

There are plenty of ghostly locations to check out in the area ranging from haunted hotels and abandoned sanitariums to eerie cemeteries and spooky mansions.  You are sure to find somewhere to give you the thrills that you seek.

Let’s explore the most haunted places in Fresno, CA.

The Hanford Civic Auditorium was built in 1924, and it is said to be haunted by several different ghosts. Some of the apparitions that have been reported here include a man dressed in a 1940s-style suit and another male entity who sits on the balcony and applauds as though he is watching a show.

The men’s bathroom also has a ghostly presence, so do not be too startled if you hear some disembodied voices discussing legal matters when you visit!

The Irwin Street Inn is now serving as a restaurant in Fresno County, and at least three different ghosts apparently haunt it. Diners have reported seeing the apparitions in the dining room and up on the second floor as well. Members of staff say that it is also common for windows to be slammed shut by some unseen force and that bedsheets move by themselves and bedside lamps will turn on and off by themselves.

Who doesn’t love a good haunted burial ground? That is exactly what you will get with Del Rey Cemetery in Fresno County. Visitors have seen shadowy figures darting between the headstones and have said that they hear disembodied whispering voices.

There are also claims of a glowing headstone in the cemetery. Some witnesses say that they have heard moaning sounds and have felt unexplained cold spots even on warm summer evenings.

St John’s Cathedral can be found in downtown Fresno, and it is said to be haunted by Sister Irenita. It is said that Sister Irenita served as the head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno in the early 1900s. She passed away during her service there, and she has been seen wandering the rectory ever since!

Interestingly, a tree root in the cathedral’s cemetery actually broke through into Sister Irenita’s grave, and she had to be disinterred. When this happened, her body had no sign of decay. She looked like she had only been buried for a couple of days.

The building that now houses The Vendo Company is over 100 years old. Before being taken over by The Vendo Company, it has served as a Military Base, a Lumber Yard, and even a Japanese concentration camp.

For some reason, the reports of paranormal activity only started to surface until The Vendo Company moved in, so clearly, they somehow disturbed the spirits upon their arrival! There have been reports in the Mezzanine area of people getting grabbed by some unseen force.

Other reports describe the apparition of a Japanese woman near the entrance. She is described as sitting on a green bench, and her face appears to be half-rotten. There have also been reports of a male apparition in the bathroom upstairs who is apparently a former employee of The Vendo Company who hanged himself there. For a while, employees refused to even use that particular bathroom because of the spirit.

Other paranormal activity in the building includes disembodied whispering and choking sounds, among other things. There were apparently several bodies buried because this was a Japanese concentration camp.

The Meux Home Museum was built back in 1890 by Dr. Thomas Meux. It is now a museum and one of the most haunted places in Fresno, CA. Visitors and employees alike have reported various types of paranormal activity, including the disembodied children’s laughter and doorknobs going missing from several of the doors during the night.

One of the most striking stories relating to the Meux Home Museum is about Mary’s bedroom. Some of her toys are still there, including a doll made with real human hair.

Visitors are warned not to touch the toys, but one curious teenager says that she hung back as the tour group was leaving and stroked the doll’s hair only for a picture of Mary to slam face down on the bedside table suddenly! The startled girl fixed the picture and asked Mary’s forgiveness for touching her things!

The property is also a popular wedding venue, and there have been lots of reports of photographs where there is strange mist-like figures in them! The Meux Home Museum does offer occasional group tours and rentals, so feel free to reach out to them.

Kearney Mansion and the nearby railroad tracks are considered some of the most haunted places in Fresno, CA. The park itself was established in 1892, and the mansion was built soon after.

It was originally intended to be the caretaker’s quarters, but Mr. Kearney died in 1906 before everything was completed. The biggest story linked to this location is all about ‘The Kearney Witch.’

If you cross the railroad tracks at night, the witch will apparently show up dressed all in white and begging cars to stop. However, there are also reports of hearing the disembodied laughter of children in Kearney Park; usually, around 1.30 am.

Wolfe Manor was built as a private residence in the early 1920s. Still, in 1935 it was transformed into the Hazelwood Sanitarium to treat local people suffering from terminal illnesses like tuberculosis. In 1942 it became Clovis Avenue Sanitarium, and the patients were those battling mental illnesses.

However, it is said that the conditions there were particularly bad, and it was closed down in the early 1990s… In 2000, the property was purchased to set up a Halloween haunted attraction, but some genuine ghosts in the building caused problems!

It is now in a state of disrepair, and there are ongoing legal battles between the owner and local authorities. In fact, the local fire department has been instructed not to enter the building should it ever go on fire!

The dilapidated state of Wolfe Manor certainly hasn’t deterred avid ghost hunters, and the building has been featured on several paranormal-themed television shows over the years.  It is believed to be one of the most haunted places in Fresno, CA, and many feel that the mistreatment of patients treated here has caused the paranormal activity experienced there today.

Many lurid tales told of what went on inside, including suicides, murders, and abuse. Some say that a crazed patient murdered a visiting priest, while others say that an angry doctor killed several patients who did not respond to his treatments. Any of these events could have triggered a haunting!

[Update] This building has now been demolished.

The Tyler Street House is a small residential home in Fresno that is said to be incredibly haunted. In fact, it is so haunted that residents do not stay for long. There have actually been 22 different owners since the early 1980s. One thing that all of these owners have in common is that they cite their reason for leaving is that there is poltergeist activity in the house, and they will also describe seeing ‘the red eyes.’

There are some terrifying tales from former residents, including objects flying off the countertops, seeing red eyes peering out of the closets, and darkened rooms. However, perhaps the most terrifying tales of all are how owners repeatedly find the bodies of dead cats who have been bludgeoned to death in an upstairs closet. This even happens to residents who do not have a cat or any other animals.

Lost Lake just north of Fresno, is the site of several strange sightings over the years.

Two witnesses fishing on the river bank one evening reported seeing a figure moving in the bushes. Thinking it was an animal they shined their flashlight on the bushes and were startled to find a young boy wearing nothing but swim trunks.

They turned to each other to question what they were seeing only to look back but the child was no longer there. A number of children have tragically lost their lives at Lost Lake, so it’s no surprise that some of them haunt the area.

There are also stories relating to strange creatures, several of which have been spotted throughout the park.

More Reports of Hauntings in Fresno

• University Square Hotel, Fresno – Guests have reported phantom phone calls in the middle of the night, only to pick up and hear nothing but white noise. There’s also a constant feeling of being watched, and general heaviness.
• Roosevelt High School, Fresno – Students have reported seeing the spirit of a little girl playing around the Bell Tower. The East Hall Boy’s Restroom, it’s believed to be haunted by a student that committed suicide there. A prankster ghost is known to haunt the school’s auditorium. Referred to as “Lester,” the spirit is believed to be a former student who collapsed and died of a heart attack whilst on stage.
• Old University Medical Center, Fresno – As with any hospital, a lot of people tragically took their last breath here. The basement apparently has an underground tunnel leading to Roosevelt High School. It’s in this basement that a lot of the bodies were kept, and a lot of the unexplained phenomena have occurred. Room 336 is supposed to be the most haunted room in the building.