SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) – No matter how much you explore San Diego, there is always something that might be left uncovered and it might be historical or even haunted.
Take for example an old abandoned jail cell at Presidio Park. To some, it might look like a storage building. It might even go unnoticed, but inside, its history tells of the only person to have died in it.
Jessica Johnson has spent a lifetime uncovering some of San Diego’s most hidden and historical locations. “This is the old jail cell where I believe only one person died, Sylvester Pattie. They don’t let anyone inside of it.”
Adding more mystery to the jail is the pentagram brick pattern built on top of it. Jessica said the occult symbol on top of the cell attracts a following, some with just curiosity but others with much darker intentions.
“Sometimes you will find melted candles out, and there has been mysterious blood stains in the center before – which have been washed away,” she said.
The jail cell is located on the site of a battle that was fought nearby. Thanks to the mysterious pentagram, Jessica said she is convinced the site is haunted. “I have never witnessed anything here personally, but I have had a lot of creepy experiences that have made me a believer.”
It was the fascination with the unknown and the abandoned that led Jessica to start her own site, hiddensandiego.net. “A big part of my site is to do the dirty work for my viewers so they do not have to do it.”
There is certainly no shortage of abandoned places to explore in San Diego County. From tunnels, to railroads to an amusement park that was once filled with children laughing.
The history of Marshal Scotty's Playland Park has been well documented.
The details of it are even featured prominently on Jessica’s site. “I think everyone has their reasons for being drawn to it. Some people, like myself, are drawn to the history. [To] other people, abandoned places are said to be haunted. You get the paranormal people, which they love going out here.”
While Marshall Scotties looks like a set from a horror movie, the only time you can visit is during the spookiest time of the year - Halloween.
In the canyons of Presidio Park, there is yet another abandoned piece of history. While many probably pass it on the trails, it is clear to see the warmth a 100-year-old stone oven use to hold.
Jessica hopes that by showcasing abandoned sites, it will encourage people to keep their adventurous spirit burning. Visit Jessica’s blog to learn more about some of the locations.
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