A reporter named Marie Butler with Sonoma West Publishers (that publishes three different, local, smalltown newspapers) who writes an annual "Halloween" feature called "Wine & Spirits -- Haunts in the Sonoma County Wine Country" was referred to me several weeks ago by the Western Sonoma County Historical Society (where I serve on the Board) as being "THE local expert on West Sonoma County hauntings" [**grin**].
She conducted a telephone interview with me about the subject and the edition with the article JUST CAME OUT TODAY!!
You can read the entire article (which cites several different local haunted places in different places within Sonoma County), if you wish, at:
http://www.sonomawest.com/articles/2008/10/29/living/doc4908f2e051403601891462.txt
but, here's the part that pertains to me:
Green Valley Road, Joy Woods and Sebastopol
The west county is evidently quite active. Jean Fisher, author, board member and past Co-President of the Western Sonoma County Historical Society has delved deeply into the area's past.
One particular story about the area was related to Jean by many sources. "It involves an old sawmill on Green Valley Road, formerly called the ‘G&S' mill," Jean starts. "Different people who had worked at the mill reported a Native American haunting the old barn. Often, when the big barn doors would be open, a young man would appear in the doorway. He was fairly solid in form." This Native American man would stare into the barn, bereaved. "It was the saddest look you've ever seen," claimed her sources. Jean researched this area of the county and believes the Indian relocation marches came through here. She comments on this sad part of early California history: "These forced relocations were death marches for many Indians."
There are a few spirited spots in Sebastopol, too. Jean tells about a Queen Anne Victorian there. "Locked doors come un-locked and people hear footsteps when nobody is there." The original owner of this turn-of-the-century building had several children; one young son disappeared in the early 1900s, never to be seen again.
Nearby Joy Woods has had odd inhabitants and sightings, including animal spirits. In the 1960s and 1970s, reports of UFOs flying overhead were common. 707-829-6711; www.wschs-grf.pon.net
HOW COOL IS THAT?! :^D
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Comments: 42
Awesome! I've always known that you had special talents! ;) Great, great, great!
U wishing you laughter
Super-duper you made the newspaper!
Thanks, Aaron, Janet & Trista!
It IS pretty cool! :^D
I am part native american and I hate to think of him stuck there. Or look for a shamanic healer...
Oh thanks for sharing this and I would love to hear more about your work along these lines... and I will ping you and private message you Jean. Also love the icon! very cute and Happy Samhain!
Bright Blessings, Isis did I say you got a ten too? you got a ten! good work! love it.
:-)
How sweet, Paidra... :o) However, it would take me about 2 hours to get to Napa since I live in SONOMA COUNTY... lol! But YOU, my friend, are FAR more "famous" than ME! While I have a few short stories in several books, YOU have written ENTIRE BOOKS!!
Yes, Syl, that's the neat part: That the historical society "powers that be" are intimately acquainted with my interests and research through both my work in the Cemetery Walk each year and from my presence on the governing board. The first thing this reporter said to me on the phone was: "I called the Western Sonoma County Historical Society asking about any knowledge they had of hauntings or odd phenomena in the Sebastopol area and they said 'You need to talk to Jean Fisher! She is THE authority on West Sonoma County hauntings!' " THAT I thought was VERY cool! :^D
Thanks so much, Marilyn! **jean waves**
Ghost stories have always fascinated me.
Me, too, Patricia! Ever since my grandmother came to me (in "light body form") on the night she passed away, I have had this fascination for and communication with those who have left this plane of existence -- probably even BEFORE that but I was too young to realize what I was seeing and hearing and what it meant... Thank you for being so supportive, my friend... :o)
ROFL, Tinch! "Cash" would be quite nice and, yet, I think all of us strive mostly just for recognition in our chosen fields of interest and study... I guess it takes awhile to gain that, though, perhaps one of the very few "perks" to getting older... lol! Thank-you, my friend... :o)
May I have your autograph now?
This is very interesting, Jean. I apologize for not getting here sooner (been out of town and swamped).
Now, there is one who would be very interested in this, and I see she hasn't visited, so I shall ping and and send her right over, if you don't mind.
She's a ghostbuster, and writes about it here on Gather as well -- donna h.
Thank you for letting me know about this!
Always let me know what's going on with you!