Have You Seen Spirits At Vanderlip Mansion?

PALOS VERDES, CA – The first day of fall means the start of whirling leaves, chilly nights, and the start of spooky storytelling. Palos Verdes is a relatively quiet city, but what lurks among the shadows after sundown? In a private gated Rancho Palos Verdes community, rumors swirl around the Vanderlip Mansion.

Theory 1: Vanderlip Father Murders His Daughter's Forbidden Lover & Child

In 1913, Frank E. Vanderlip bought the Palos Verdes Peninsula and began building the estate, according to legend. One theory says that Vanderlip's daughter Narcissa fell in love with an African American and had his child – at the time, it was unheard of. Outraged at the news, Mr. Vanderlip locked her away in an asylum build across the road, now called Narcissa Drive, and murdered her lover and child.

An extension of the legend says that soon after, Vanderlip murdered the rest of their family and their dogs before hanging himself from a beam in the living room. Another version says Narcissa took her own life after watching her father kill her lover and baby.

Theory 2: The Possessed "Mother of Palos Verdes"

Another theory suggested that Mabel Narcissa Cox, the woman who married the man known as "The Father of Palos Verdes," was battling demons of her own. Possibly possessed or battling a mental illness, she axed every member of her family to death. When Palos Verdes residents entered the mansion after the attack, they found blood on the walls and Cox's hanging corpse.

Scary Sightings

Some say they have seen ghosts of the family members in the windows of the mansion, others have heard cries from the children. Glowing, barking dogs have reportedly attacked visitors.

A Palos Verdes resident named Eryn wrote a detailed account of her supernatural experiences ranging from screen doors opening and shutting sans wind, footsteps running on tiled floors, objects moved around the house, tipped over drinks and broken dishes. She heard voices laughing, crying, and calling their names.

In one particular instance, her mother's earrings had gone missing. The next day, as Eryn headed home, she felt something behind her. She whipped her head around, and nothing was there – except the missing earrings, laying on the ground by her feet.

If you'd like to experience the horrors of Vanderlip Estate on your own, feel free to visit at 99 Vanderlip Drive in Palos Verdes. Have you had an experience near Vanderlip Mansion that's made your skin crawl? Any noteworthy sightings? Share your spooky stories with us in the comments.

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