I miss living in California. There's so much history and it's a truly unique state. I even miss Stockton, where I was born and frequently visited, no matter how boring I thought it was at the time. I always felt something "special" about Stockton, and it turns out I was right.
Why did it take me so long to realize how many (alleged) haunted places there are in Stockton? The one I want to talk about today is the historic Hotel Stockton, a staple in town. I remember as a toddler and then a child seeing it and getting some creepy vibes, but I had no idea it was actually haunted.
Why is Hotel Stockton considered to be so haunted?
Hotel Stockton, which was added to the National Database of Historic Places on April 1, 1981, opened it's doors to the public in 1910. The Hotel Stockton started life as a "grand hotel" with a shocking number of rooms (252) and served as a popular resting spot for travelers coming to Stockton. In 1912, the hotel transformed in to Stockton's City Hall was moved to the hotel until 1926, and after the hotel's stint as a, well, hotel, ended in 1960, the country courthouse took up residence here until a new courthouse was built.
However, even a place in history couldn't quite keep the hotel afloat. In 1991, the building once again became up for grabs but was left mostly untouched. Luckily, the Hotel Stockton was saved in 2001. And, after a few different hats worn, the hotel became the "Hotel Stockton Apartments" after an extensive renovation that ended in 2005.
The Hotel Stockton currently is a low-budget apartment complex offering one bedroom apartments with a waterfront view (according to the website). The hotel has a 1-star rating on forrent.com, but we're not here to apartment hunt. We're here to learn about ghosts. And apparently, there are some still lurking around the Hotel Stockton.
There have been reports of a suspected pianist from the 1800s playing the 6th floor ballroom piano who stops when someone starts to climb the stairs. People talk of cold spots and the "footsteps of a man who recently died" on the fourth floor. There's also "The White Suit Smoker", an ominous spirit of a man in a white suit who makes regular appearances (or at least made). Guests report that he's often seen smoking on a bar stool and will disappear, taking the stool with him. Most chilling about this ghosts is he comes with a warning: "if you spot blood on his hands, get the heck out of there!"
Noted.
What's more interesting is I can't find any record of paranormal activity (or lack of) since the remodel. Interesting.
Can you take a ghost tour of Hotel Stockton?
Considering that the Hotel Stockton is now an active apartment complex, I would say no. Unless ou're in the market for a new apartment in Stockton or have a friend who lives there, I don't see a way. So I'll turn to the community for this one. Do you believe the Hotel Stockton was/is haunted? Let me know below in the comments.
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