Preston Castle resides in California overlooking the town of Ione. Its red-bricked facade gives neighbors a look into the rich past of the town, but the history indoors is what makes this place so famous.
In 1894, the Preston School of Industry was opened as a reform school for minors who were under the guardianship of California. Famous folks like Merle Haggard, Neal Cassady, Edward Bunker, and Tony Conero found themselves living in the school during their youths.
There were many unexplained deaths on the premises, but the most famous death was housekeeper Anna Corbin. She was bludgeoned to death in 1950, and her murder was never solved.
There are many varying accounts of what happened to her and how she was found, even in the media at the time. Some say that she was found beaten to death inside of a locked room, others say she was found in the kitchen or in the "mattress room." Despite where she was found, it was always accepted that she had been brutally bludgeoned to death.
All 657 people in the castle were questioned about her death. There were three trials and one possible suspect... 19-year-old Eugene Monroe. He always denied his involvement with her death, even after he admitted to murdering a pregnant woman in Oklahoma a year later.
The school was closed in the 1960s and the facility officially boarded up in 2011. It didn't take long for the state of California to put it on the Historical Landmark list. The non-profit organization Preston Castle Foundation helps maintain the building and opens it to the public for tours.
Of course, this is how many people experience paranormal activity. Many ghost-hunting crews have walked through the halls, including Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures.
Like any good haunted historical site, The Preston Castle Foundation offers nighttime paranormal tours. Go see for yourself!
