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Preston Castle Halloween Haunt - 2021

By
Real Estate Agent

On a pleasant drive, in the Greater Sacramento region is a mysterious place in nearby Ione.   


Preston Castle - Ione


We really can’t say Preston Castle
comes “alive” this time of year, because many folks claim ghosts of the dead remain there still. 

The purpose for building the Castle was to accommodate the Preston School of Industry (reform school), in an attempt to rehabilitate juvenile offenders.  The Castle was completed in June 1894, and in 1960 the Castle closed, when a new building was constructed. Preston Castle is a California State Historic Landmark.

The castle’s sandstone was quarried a few miles from Ione, and the bricks were created at Folsom and San Quentin prisons.  The cornerstone was set with pomp and ceremony, in late 1890. The Castle is now empty, with some action being made to restore it.

As a trivia footnote to the Castle's history - it was used as the setting for a 2005 movie flick titled, "Bloodthirst 2: Revenge of the Chupacabras"  - It was written and directed by Sacramento's own news personality, Jonathan Mumm.   A friend, Bruce Shaw, played the leading role of Detective Steve Andrews.  

With that history now under your belt, that this time of year Preston Castle comes ALIVE with the Haunted Dead at “Preston Castle Halloween Haunt.”  I am certain if you find ghoulish joy in such activities, you will not want to miss this opportunity.  

Preston Castle is located at:

Preston Castle
999 (end of) Palm Drive
Ione, California

Ione is along Highway 16, approximately 45 minute drive South East of Downtown Sacramento.

This event is promoted as Northern California's only REAL Haunted House!  Yet, I can attest to at least one or two others). . . But this one is pretty amazing!

Tickets are limited for each night, so order early to make sure you can get in.

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I take pictures for the purpose of remembering fond times.  I do not impose copyright restrictions on this photo, so you may feel free to use, or distribute as you wish.  However, should you need a Real Estate Professional in the Greater Sacramento area, I hope you will contact me by email or by visiting my website www.myrljeffcoat.com - Thank You!

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Comments(22)

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Ray Henson
Retired - Goodyear, AZ
Retired Real Estate Agent

I have lived in the area for my whole life and never made it to the Preston Castle.  Some of my friends have really enjoyed the tour.  I need to make it a priority. 

Oct 29, 2021 05:28 AM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I wonder if ghosts actually take advantage of being able to come out in the open without anyone noticing them, haha.

Oct 29, 2021 05:29 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

Good morning, Myrl... this was a fun read for me... I love learning this kind of history.

Oct 29, 2021 05:40 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Wayne Martin - So very true.  There are many places in the Greater Sacramento Region, which are considered by some folks to be haunted.  And, yes, we have been known to promote them!

Ed Silva - So true!  As a teenager in the late 1950s, I belonged to a church choir that went there to sing during a holiday service.  The place had a macabre feel about it, even then, before it was vacant.

Oct 29, 2021 05:43 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Raymond Henson, eXp Realty - I don't think you would find the Preston Castle Halloween Haunt to be disappointing.  

Brian England - Knowing there are folks who walk among us who are narcisists, I doubt they would lose that "quality" once they enter the Great Beyond.

Nina Hollander, Broker - Like you, I am fascinated with this kind of history!

Oct 29, 2021 05:47 AM
faye schubert
Retired - Branson, MO
Living the Branson Lake Life

I'm sure there's many stories in that building! It looks spooky!

Oct 29, 2021 06:26 AM
Bill Salvatore - East Valley
Arizona Elite Properties - Chandler, AZ
Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net

What a cool building for a Haunted Hunt.  Thanks for this great post, we made it to Friday.  Have a good day, and end the week on a Productive one.  Bill Salvatore

Oct 29, 2021 06:26 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Myrl,

That is a spooky looking place!  I enjoyed reading the history of this place.  Thank you for sharing this with us!  A

Oct 29, 2021 06:52 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Thank you very much, Myrl, for sharing this story and for telling us about this event.

Oct 29, 2021 07:09 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Retired Broker/Owner - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Hi Myrl now that would be a fun haunted castle to visit during the Halloween season!  Interesting history for sure.  Happy Halloween!

Oct 29, 2021 09:46 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Myrl the Preston Castle looks like the perfect home for the Adams Family or the Munsters ....... LOL

Oct 29, 2021 04:32 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Myrl- what an interesting history that Preston Castle has!!! And it sounds like the perfect place for a Halloween Haunted House. 

Oct 29, 2021 06:28 PM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Myrl - I had heard about Ione California but its whereabouts in our state and other significant things about it remained a bit of a mystery to me until the appearance of this post.  Learning new things can often be a treat even when they might start off kinda scary.  

Oct 30, 2021 02:57 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Good Saturday morning, Myrl.

Take care, be safe and have an outstanding weekend.

Oct 30, 2021 04:39 AM
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Myrl, sounds like a great place to visit this time of year, and check it out to see if indeed it is haunted.

Oct 30, 2021 07:29 AM
Patricia Feager
Flower Mound, TX

Myrl Jeffcoat - if there was (and probably is) a camera that was watching me through my computer screen while I was reading your article, I'm sure whoever was watching my eyes get bigger and bigger with each and every paragraph was probably laughing! You had me completely spellbound and held my interest from beginning to end. I love that photograph and the historical spooky story and the history of Preston Castle in this old landmark building! What a great story!!!!

Oct 30, 2021 04:39 PM
Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

It's sad that Preston Castle is closed most of the year. I hope someone's plan comes to fruition by finding another purpose. I'd love to tour the castle, although I'm sure it was a frightening destination on Halloween.

Oct 31, 2021 09:41 AM
Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

Hi Myrl Jeffcoat - What an interesting story.  As our building age, more stories always surface. I know that I would not want to stay overnight in a house that had stories of hauntings. 

We have an old asylum that is now a hotel and a wonderful restaurant and sits on top of a hill in Jerome AZ.  We went out to dinner with our neighbor who is sensitive and during dinner, she got up and had to leave because of a persistent "energy" that was bothering her!  This hotel has a history of hauntings and even had ghost hunter TV shows document it.  

Nov 03, 2021 05:52 PM
Jane Chaulklin-Schott
TEAMCONNECT REALTY - (407) 394-9766 - Orlando, FL
TeamConnect Luxury Homes - Orlando, Florida, 32836

Myrl, I cannot think of any building I know that looks more haunted than this one.  Difficult to even think that this building could ever have looked like a happy--spirit structure.  IT IS SCARY!!

Nov 05, 2021 02:21 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

I missed this post for Halloween but it sounds very fun and I kind of wish I was there! :

Nov 09, 2021 08:54 PM