Livermore's Haunted, Paranormal History Par For The Course For Locals

LIVERMORE, CA — Haunted houses and paranormal spaces abound in northern California, and none so much as in the Tri-Valley cities of Dublin, Livermore, and Pleasanton, according to local lore and history. Many residents claim old buildings and streets hum with paranormal activity, either witnessed on ghost tours or captured on camera.

The Tri-Valley’s ghostly history draws those curious about the abundant specters for the annual “ghost walks” every Halloween in Pleasanton, Dublin, and Livermore. The tours have become so popular that they sell out each season, so get your tickets and plan accordingly well in advance.

The Arroyo del Valle Sanitarium

The Arroyo del Valle Sanitarium at 5535 Arroyo Road in Livermore has been a local haunt for decades. The foundations of the buildings of a one-time tuberculosis sanitarium, now leveled, remain under the current Camp Arroyo, a children's youth camp. Some say ghosts of patients still roam the ruins, according to reports from WeirdCalifornia.

One tale is that a groundskeeper killed all the patients in the children’s ward before taking his own life. By all accounts, it’s an urban legend…and an ideal campfire ghost story for the visitors to Camp Arroyo.

Livermore’s Totem Pole Curse

Livermore’s Totem Pole, once located in Centennial Park at Fourth and Holmes Streets, was removed for maintenance in 2021. Still, its original installation came with a curse to the city’s sewer system, locals remember.

Adam “Fortunate Eagle” Nordwall, an activist from the 1970s, gave the pole to the town, but workers removed approximately 4 feet of the base. Nordwall cursed the Livermore sewage system for damaging his work. Weeks later, the city experienced a sewer backup. The legend of the totem’s curse has remained ever since.

In 2021 the pole was removed for uncertain reasons leaving many to wonder, what happens to the curse now?

Livermore's Gravity Hill

Patterson Pass Road’s “gravity hill” at Mile Marker 1.57 in Livermore. Cars seem to defy gravity and roll uphill on this stretch of roadway.

Though many see it as a “gravitational aberration” from magnetic influences or ghostly hands, it is an optical illusion caused by a lack of a horizon line and the road’s slope. The odd section of the roadway is one of many recorded gravity hills in California, including one in nearby Rohnert Park.

The Centennial Bulb

Livermore’s historic light bulb, the Centennial Bulb, still burns bright long after it should have burned out. The bulb has a storied history and now sits as a nightlight for the Livermore Fire Station as it has for 122 years, according to bulb expert and Former Deputy Fire Chief Tom Bramell of the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department.

To this day, it remains on in the Livermore-Pleasanton fire station’s engine bay, Testa said. Is it supernatural or is it science? Watch live on webcam on the city of Livermore’s website.

Haunted Hotel

Handles Gastropub at 855 Main Street is the location of an early Pleasanton hotel. Legend has it that in 1870, an unknown assailant stabbed a prostitute to death in the upper hallway.

During a 2015 ghost walk led by the Museum on Main, guests upstairs over the gastropub caught this picture of a feminine figure—rumored to be the famed ghost.

Ghostly Dinners At The Blue Agave Club

The Blue Agave Club is at 625 Main Street in Pleasanton. There is a well-documented haunted history of this 1885 revival mansion turned restaurant.

Owner Susie Garcia noticed things moving and heard footsteps and strange knocking sounds during its renovation. She told reporters from 20/20 that she and the staff have seen ghostly events inside and outside the building.

However, she contends, “It’s a good thing.” She may be correct, as the restaurant recently won an OpenTable.com Diner’s Choice award for 2023.

Gay Nineties Pizza Co. Delivers Ghostly Goods

Nearby, the Gay Nineties Pizza Co. at 288 Main Street in Pleasanton has its share of haunted sightings. While awaiting your pizza, you may see a ghost firsthand, according to a report on the 13 Most Haunted Places In The East Bay.

The storefront was built in 1864 and is the second oldest building in town. It was once used as an overnight Wells Fargo stagecoach stop as well as on old. Sightings have included a “lady in blue” standing at the upstairs window. Plus, the pizza is top-notch, according to reviews.

Dublin Pioneer Cemetery, Rumored Haunts

In the Dublin Pioneer Cemetery, at 6600 Donlon Way, Dublin, some have seen a “ghostly hound dog” roaming the cemetery grounds, thought to belong to the cemetery’s first resident, Tom Donlon. He died from a fall in 1959.

The Bay Area Paranormal Society investigated the reports of ghosts at the Dublin Heritage Park and Museums, which includes the old St. Raymond's Catholic Church and the cemetery. Along with the ghost dog, an ethereal child’s voice is sometimes heard inside the nearby catholic church.

What's the spookiest thing you've witnessed in the tri-valley area? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.