by Lisa Jenkins

Created on: September 03, 2008   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

In the very heart of the Golden State lies the genesis of the famed Gold Rush of the 1850s. In a migration across the country unmatched by any other event, half a million people flooded to California to claim their riches and secure their future. But while those who were a part of it have long since passed away, it wouldn't exactly be accurate to suggest they are completely gone.

Many of these buildings are still around, be they brothels, hotels, jails or otherwise. Some burned down or were otherwise demolished and renovated, but not all that were rebuilt stayed as loyal to their era as did these hotels and inns. Like phoenixes rising from the ashes, some spirits of those who have passed reside still in these old buildings. Some suggest the ghosts haunting these hotels are trapped, perhaps until some work is finished; some, they believe, just seem to love the places they cared for too much to leave. Then there are the spirits who don't seem to be aware they're dead at all.

These thirteen historic hotels and bed and breakfasts of Northern California's Gold Rush era offer something for everyone. Angry, happy, helpful and malicious ghosts alike wait to test your belief in the supernatural, ready to show you something perhaps you've only ever heard of.

Curious? Skeptical? Come see for yourself. If nothing else, the promise of a wonderful stay awaits you in places dripping with the atmosphere of their time. There is history in these buildings, you can feel it. If you are still, you just may experience it.

1. The Historic Cary House Hotel: Placerville, CA.

Known as the "Jewel of Placerville," William Cary built the Cary House in this historic gold rush town just east of Sacramento in 1857. The three story hotel, now an inn, is regarded as one of the area's most haunted sites.

Night manager Joel has worked at the hotel for five years. He told me with a mix of relief and disappointment that he hasn't experienced anything himself, aside from the "creepy" feeling he gets in the hallway where he stays three nights a week.

"You probably know all about Stan, though," he joked, speaking of a famous former desk clerk who haunts this hotel even today. According to various sources, mostly online, Stan allegedly died of a stabbing at the foot of the stairs after making a pass at the wrong woman. But beware: Stan has been said to continue his rather rude gestures with living guests today, so no-it probably wasn't your imagination.

Aside from Stan, Joel reported a robber hid from authorities

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