Haunted Locations

I really enjoy your site. I am a former student of Ventura High School in Ventura. I took drama all for years, was the president of the drama club and spent way to much time in the theater. I was so excited to see Ventura included in this list because it is often forgotten.

Several times a year the drama student are allowed to hold parties in the theater. During those late night outings the story of Toby always come up. When all the lights are out and you stand center stage and look straight up you can see a figure slightly swaying. There is also a burgundy puddle shaped stain on the light wood floor right below that. Sometimes it is very faint and other times it is quite dark and it will expand to three times it's size. The later the night the more change of seeing the stain in it new form. I have witnessed this several times, and it normally occurs the same night you tell the story of Toby. There have been several sightings as well. On one of the late night drama club parties several of the students were invited to stay the night and sleep on the stage. Several students claimed to have woken off and on through out the night and seen a teen age boy sitting on the edge of the stage with his feet dangling over. The next morning through process of illumination the students realized it was not anyone that had spent the night and the theater was locked so no one else could have gotten it. It was said to be Toby.

There is a room in the very back of the theater, about three stories up. It is where one can control the old manual spot lights. To get to the room you must climb a very narrow stair way in the foyer of the theater. You then enter into a long narrow hallway. The spot light room is plain walls, no lights and an old toilet that has not worked in decade. People have felt a gusts of wind, as if someone is running past you, while climbing the stairs, have thought they saw someone at the end of the dead end hallway and there are freezing spots in the already cold room. I personally was once in the theater all by myself preparing for a class to come down. I was setting the spot light. There are small windows, one for the light and one for the operator, facing the stage. I was looking out to be sure the curtains were open to turn on the light. When I looked out into the dark theater, the only light coming from a row of open doors on the floor below me, I saw a male figure on the stage. I yelled out to who I assumed was a fellow student to move center left so I could set the light. I thought I saw the figure move and when I turned the light on and went to place it center left the figure vanished. I assumed I has simply just thought I had seen someone from such a far distance. Later others claimed to have similar experiences.

The theater has class rooms on the back side on the third floor. There is no way to access the second floor unless you enter from the theater. It is almost an abandon section of the school. The second floor is made up of many tiny rooms that are kept locked. Some rooms can be accessed through small crawl spaces, there are no doors. People have experienced many strange things there and many students, myself included, will not go there. The woman's dressing room is said to be haunted. The large clothing rack will sometimes start to roll as if it is on an incline. People have been sitting at the mirror and thought they saw someone walk behind them only to realize they were alone. Hangers will fall of the rack for no reason. Small personal items will go missing on opening week such as lips ticks or hair clips.

The "shop" is located behind the main theater. It is where sets are built and stored. Many of the walls have students hand prints or names painted on it. The room in as tall as the building, 3 stories. The signed wall has been painted over many times, but short after a name and year will appear painted back on near the top where no ladder can reach. To enter the room you must open very large and very heady doors. One door is like a warehouse door that must be slid open, often requiring the use of two people. The heaviness of the door keeps it in its place. If left open and when inside the set building room, the doors will often slowly slide closed for no reason. To close it normally takes great force by a person.

Ventura high school is a very old and was once said to be a college. I know of mnay other stories of other sections of the school.

By: Dita1207@aol.com