Haunted Locations
Wolfe Manor (Clovis)
There used to be a large house in Clovis called Wolfe Manor. It was one of the top haunted places in California. The house started as a sanitarium where physically and mentally ill patients were sent to be treated. Many patients died there due to negligence. Staff would store an overflow of dead bodies in the basement, until they could be properly disposed of. The facility finally closed its doors in 1992.
Years after Wolfe Manor’s doors were closed, whispers spread across the town of creepy encounters at the property- including the local police station receiving calls from a landline at that address- even though there had been no electricity at the property for years. Dispatchers would just hear silence on the other end of the phone.
As of 1997 the house was purchased by Todd Wolfe, with intentions of creating a Halloween attraction. However, Wolfe’s staff were repeatedly harassed by reported ‘dark spirits’- and Wolfe himself even encountered a shadowy figure, changing his thoughts on ghosts.
The house is no longer there, it has since been demolished.
Source: Travel Channel Feature, ABC30 Feature & Ghost Hunters Episode
Tyler Street House (Fresno)
Local urban legend claims that there is a haunted house called Tyler Street House built in 1925. The house can still be found today in Fresno. The house is known for spooky poltergeist activity such as objects flying off countertops and red eyes peering out of dark spaces. According to the urban legend more than 22 occupants have moved into the house and immediately left due to the supernatural activity.
Source: The Collegian, Weird Fresno, and Shadowlands Haunted Places.
Snake Road (Sanger)
In Sanger there is a wild and twisty path just south of town, officially known as Channel Road- but due to its windy nature, is commonly referred to as Snake Road.
There have been reports of a woman in white, wandering down Snake Road, crying for her lost children. It is said that if anyone approaches her, she asks if they have seen her daughters, these sightings have striking similarities to the Mexican legend of the La Llorona.
One curious soul recounts strange encounters while visiting the road one evening. After driving up and down the area to find the woman in white, they parked on the side of the street to explore the nearby woods. They recall hearing footsteps follow them into the woods, and witnessed a strange blinding light, while their EMF reader went off simultaneously! Turning back around quickly, they made it to their car only to nearly get struck by a speeding car.
Sources: Weird U.S. & Weird Fresno
Strange Creatures
Evil Gnome (Porterville)
A strange small creature which many described as looking like a gnome is claimed to have stalked and harassed two families in Porterville.
Years ago a woman named Tammy moved to a Porterville farmhouse and she had an eerie feeling about the barn located on the property. Even the farm animals seemed to avoid the barn, and eventually she began to notice some of the animals go missing.
One night, as she was returning home from grocery shopping with her grandson, she had an encounter that still haunts her to this day. As she and her grandson were exiting the vehicle, they noticed a “very evil chuckle”. She then realized there was a creature about 2-3 feet tall, with a tall red hat, staring and laughing at her. Afraid, she dropped the groceries, picked up her grandson and ran into the house!
Closing the door, she gathered her grandson and two daughters to share what had happened, when she noticed something moving in the window. As she approached the living room window to investigate, she saw the gnome's red hat moving back and forth.
After a while the gnome disappeared, but eventually Tammy moved out of the property and has never forgotten that night.
Sources: Weird Fresno + Monsters and Mysteries in America on the Discovery Channel
The Watts Valley Wolf Ape (Fresno County)
A creepy creature that has an ape face with the body of a canine has been spotted in the foothills of Watts Valley (Fresno County). Native Americans first encountered the wolf ape long before the first Europeans settled in the area. According to stories this terrifying creature has attacked school children and a teacher, a priest (who managed to shoot one), and famous photographer Ansel Adams. Witnesses claimed that the creature “...has both human-like hands and feet. It always appears to be sick, coughing and foaming at the mouth.” It is known to prowl near Watts Valley Cemetery 15 miles east of Highway 168.
Source: Weird Fresno + Sasquatch Chronicles
The NightCrawler (Fresno)
The Fresno Nightcrawler has become one of the most popular cryptids in the world. It has inspired TV episodes, art, and fan following from across the world. While the crawler is jokingly called ‘a walking pair of pants’- it’s possible that this creature is an alien- or something far more mysterious.
The Night Crawler was first discovered in 2007, when a Fresnan captured video footage of this strange being. The footage shows what appears to look like a tall set of white pants, with a small head, strolling across a yard.
Perturbed by the footage, the Fresnan took the video to a local news station. Eventually the footage wound up being reviewed professionally by a Paranormal Investigator, who stated that it could be an extraterrestrial insectoid.
The founder of Weird Fresno seemed mystified as well, explaining that he had never encountered anything even remotely like it- it’s one of a kind in the world of the paranormal.
The crawler was spotted again on a security footage camera in Yosemite!
What has become a cultural phenomenon in Fresno- has left experts at a loss for answers. But it hasn’t stopped the imagination of locals from creating fan art, and proudly claiming the crawler as part of Fresno’s strange charm.
Sources: Cryptidz Fandom, Fresno Bee, Pinterest, Buzzfeed
Special thanks to Miciah Garcia for the inspiration for these stories. Images provided by Hotpot AI art generator and Fireworks509.