Whaley House Old Town

America’s Most Haunted! The Whaley House Old Town in San Diego is reputed to be among the most haunted in the country.

With such a full and colorful history stretching back over 200 years, it is little wonder that San Diego has a reputation as, well, a bit haunted.  People say that the departed love San Diego so much that they simply don’t want to leave!  The Whaley House was started with the construction of a granary that later became the courtroom. The two-story house and store addition was designed by Thomas Whaley himself and constructed in 1857. It was the first two-story brick edifice in San Diego, and was built from bricks made in Thomas Whaley’s own brickyard. Whaley boasted, “My new house, when completed, will be the handsomest, most comfortable and convenient place in town or within 150 miles of here.”

The Whaley House is a classic example of mid-nineteenth century Greek Revival architecture, formally dedicated as a historic house museum on May 25, 1960 and has been open to the public ever since. It is one of southern California’s most popular visitor destinations. Over 125,000 people visit the house annually, with guests traveling from across the globe to experience this world-renowned museum. It is owned by the County of San Diego and managed and operated by Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO), a non-profit advocacy organization, that has lead the community as a powerful catalyst for historic preservation by raising awareness and appreciation of our region’s architectural and cultural heritage since 1969.

People report seeing ghostly figures, feeling cool puffs of air on the back of their necks, and hearing low voices that seem to be calling out to them. So, if you’re truly brave—or, just curious—you’ll want to take a trip to the Whaley House Museum for an experience you will never forget.

Contact The Whaley House

(619) 297-7511

Map & Directions