The Stevenson House is a museum
which is located in Monterey State Park, at 530 Houston Street. The
museum is open every day but Wednesday, from 10 -11 am and from 1-4
pm. One must make reservations in advance for the tour.
DESCRIPTION:
In the 1800's, the dwelling was
a boarding house, and had a famous author, Robert Louis Stevenson, staying
there. Although the house was named for Stevenson, it was owned and
run by Manuela Giradin, who was also a devoted mother and grandmother.
HISTORY:
During the summer of 1879, Mrs.
Manuela Giradin's husband caught the dreaded typhoid fever and died.
Unfortunately, Manuela's two much-loved grandchildren came down with
the typhoid fever as well, in early December of 1879. Manuela devotedly
nursed her two grandchildren both day and night, probably exhausting
herself. Alas, Manuela also caught the fever and died on December 21st,
without knowing that her grandchildren pulled through due to her efforts.
MANIFESTATIONS:
Most people, including the curator,
Barbara, think that the ghost of Manuela Giradin is the cause of these
manifestations, as she relives the last sorrowful weeks of her life.
Most incidents happen in the house's nursery, almost always during the
first 3 weeks of December.
1) The nursery rocking chair will
begin rocking all by itself, propelled by an unseen presence.
2) Visitors to the house will
smell the sickroom disinfectant, carbolic acid, which was used in
the 1800's.
3) A woman in a black dress has
been seen in the nursery by both visitors and the curator, Barbara.
Visitors figured that the woman was the housekeeper because she was
in costume like the curator, Barbara. However, the woman vanishes
before their eyes.
Barbara, while preparing to close
the museum for the afternoon, spied this woman in a long, black gown,
with a high lace collar, looking intently down at the children's bed
in the nursery. Barbara told this woman that it was time to close the
museum, and the woman, looking straight at her, nodded that she understood.
When Barbara looked again, the woman had vanished.
Still Haunted?
Yes.
