Confessions of a Ghost Hunter: Downieville River Inn

When my Sister bought the Downieville River Inn, in Downieville, CA, I had no idea the wealth of paranormal activity that was there. When I took a load of her things there, I couldn’t get her on the cell phone but I drove right up to the front door of the manager’s unit without any directions. The original farmhouse is the main residence, and it ‘broadcasts’ a signal out.

The first few weeks there, my niece, then six years old (very psychic), was being awakened in the middle of the night by lights and sounds in her room. My sister put up heavier drapes on the window, and kept a tape player going with soothing sounds. Still, in the middle of the night, her daughter would crawl into her bed, scared. At first she thought it was just her imagination, being in a new place (she had never moved before). Soon after that, my niece started talking about “things” coming into the room, and a woman, and a little girl. She said the little girl was “wet and cold” and tried to climb into her bed. She refused to sleep in there, and slept with her Mom at night.

Then the entities started coming through the “passage way” between that room and the master bedroom, now my Sister was sharing the experiences. So she called both of her Sisters (both professional Psychics) to work on the space. We asked her to not tell us too much and to let us tell her. We found a spot in room 3 (my Niece’s room) that ran straight up and down, and felt almost like a “teleportation” tube. It later turned out that the room was built over the original well, and that spot was most likely over that well … which comes into play more later on. We cleared, and closed, this unnatural doorway which turned out to be the exact spot my Niece told her Mother ‘things’ appeared. We were able to connect to at least three entities in the Inn that night.

Hot spot number one is room number one. It was the master bedroom of the original farmhouse. The locals say that the Farmer’s wife was a nag, and he was a drunk, and one night he came home to her nagging and tossed her down the well. She didn’t die right away, but he did not send for help until after she did. She’s kinda upset about that still! There is an old antique typewriter in the room, and she will type out a few letters or a partial sentence in the middle of the night. She will lay down on the bed with you and sometimes move your belongings, or the bed covers while you are still in bed! Many stories were told to my Sister in the morning check out process. This is documented, and is one of California’s Certified Haunted Inns, and is in the book, “Haunted California” which was done before our investigations.

The next ‘visitor’ you meet may actually come to see YOU. We found the entity of a young girl, named Penny, who had been drowned in the river and left there under large rocks until she washed away bit by bit in the Spring runoff. She ‘showed’ us she was killed by a ‘slow witted’ cousin who had abused and accidentally killed her, trying to keep her from screaming. She came to us very strongly when we were doing séance work at the Inn. We ‘released’ her from being stuck there, suggesting she go “into the light” only she didn’t want to. She took a liking to our Youngest Sister and went home with her. That night our Sis lay in bed and felt something like a large cat walking up the bed, assuming it was one of her two cats she snuggled down only to feel herself being ‘snuggled’ by a very cold energy. Her eyes flew open as she realized it was Penny, the next day she described it to me, and I thought about Penny all day, and said a prayer for her. That night, I felt my cat getting up on the bed, but the cold, seemingly ‘wet’ touch of the entity UNDER the covers with me, was no cat. For the next two years if anyone heard about Penny and said they wanted to experience that, she would show up at their home within three days time! That next Fall on Dia De Los Muertes we felt her growing ‘thinner’ in strength, and we again offered the light to her. We have none of us felt her since.

Those are my two favorites, there is a dark and rather mischievous entity in the basement, which likes to pull hair, the “honeymoon cottage” has the sound of lovemaking during the night, and there are others that roam between rooms on different nights, all very active during full moons. It was such a pleasure being able to investigate at leisure, and to have the day to day reports from the customers who stayed there. Not all entities there are friendly, but most are pretty harmless, if you go there, tell them Yemaya says “hello!”

19 thoughts on “Confessions of a Ghost Hunter: Downieville River Inn

  1. James Parker

    Where did you receive your information on the Downieville River Inn formerly the dryer Resort? Because if you do any history research on this property there when I’m standing on now there’s nothing to do with a well that she fell into she fell off a cliff side in front of the shaft of the Mind runs underneath the place little girl drowned in the swimming pool she wasn’t a drunk or a nag she didn’t do anything to anybody to get thrown down a well she was actually rich and successful woman who own this place her first husband is the one who built it I’m just kind of curious cuz I’m doing a book on this place and I was wondering where you got your information maybe I’m missing something

    Reply
    1. Jason Hunter

      Doing a book huh? What is this book called if you don’t mind me asking? I’m from downieville and am interested in the history of the town.

  2. Lois

    My Daughters house is very active. They use to be quite an like a poltergeist do pranks buttwo yrs ago it changed,scared my granddaughter an her new baby to tears.it started in her room it would get so cold that u couldn’t go in with out a coat.and she would always see a dark blk figure in there when in her room it starts circling her an the baby,whipers ur mine now u an my baby.we closed the room off.just this last Saturday my 17 yr old grandson was in moms room watching tv an from under the desk he said the devil came out an was fighting him trying to pull him under the desk he had a few scratches an he couldn’t stop crying an shaking.he called mom home from her date an she packed them up an to my small place for the night.my great grand baby she’s two sleeps in the same room wakesup every night screaming an crying pointing to the desk an closet. Im lost I don’t know what to do?? HELP advise please.I’ve also encounter them there

    Reply
  3. GEORGE

    HI CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU SEE MY FUTURE WITH MONEY? WITH MY FAMILY? NEW HOME?. WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN? IN MY DAUGHTER?

    Reply
  4. Jonacewenceslao

    Personally, I think of it as a blessing and a curse. To have an unntsreandidg of it is quite wonderful. You know things that others might not believe. On the other hand, you deal with a lot of stuff you can face many challenges. I’ve come into contact with a few presences who didn’t want me there, well, that’s what I picked up from them. Some people are naturally sensitive to the paranormal plane and others aren’t. Some can learn and some just grow into it. I, myself, am growing into it. Right now, I feel terrified and I’m not even kidding. I feel like there’s something watching me. I feel so scared and I’m just lucky that my mum’s here. Once again, a blessing and a curse.

    Reply
  5. sheryl

    Interesting. I also have a strange little unfiinished room between my built in closet and masterbath that holds a hot water heater for my sauna and has a little strange door . Perfect place for a ghost. When we bought our home my closet was scaring me. I would hang clothing up and I would turn around for a few seconds and a pile of clothes would be lying on the floor.
    Other times the closet would get cold and I could hear what sounded like a bunch of people running under me. I would sometimes run out of the closet terrified, but being a mystic and or a sort of medium I took control and spoke aloud whenever I entered the closet and got “”that feeling”” to leave my closet and cross over to heaven where I explained is a beautiful place and friends and family are waiting. It has worked over the last 2 years.

    Reply
  6. Pingback: Is Your House Haunted? | California Psychics Blog

  7. carmelita cardenas sevilla

    Very factual and enjoyable reading-scary too!Yemaya,are they gone for good?the spirits/),I always pray they do not show themselves to me. But I have seen one when I was dozing off in my veranda- a young boy,about eleven or twelve-he was startled as well when I noticed him.More power to you Yemaya! Carmeling

    Reply
  8. Psychic Jacqueline x9472

    Psychic Jacqueline x9472 said….I love your energy Yemaya, and would defiantly love to hunt Alcatraz with you….. WOW!!!! That would be so much fun, then again I think we could help a lot of misplaced/unsettled spirits find great peace…..
    Blessings Hugs and Hearts!
    Psychic Jacqueline x9472

    Reply
  9. Fran

    Hi Yemaya,
    I love your name, by the way! I’ll have to tell my daughter about the “rap” game. He seems to show up at his own discretion, though. She’s not seen him for a while.
    I LOVED your “deal breaker rules!” We’ll have to implement them before we try to make contact. (I don’t want any surprises in the dark, either!!! I’m the biggest chicken around!! LOL)
    Fran

    Reply
  10. Psychic Yemaya #5143

    Hello Gina Rose, Fran, and jacqueline! Love the “spirited” comments! Yes, I do think that the Inn was featured on at least one TV show, it is a registered Haunted Inn, and has been for years before my Sis bought and sold it. She now lives in a VERY unhaunted house.
    Jacqueline, you are delightful, would love to “hunt” with you someday! Alcatraz is a very dark place…especially upstairs in the hospital. You can call ahead and sometimes get a special tour of the hospital, and sometimes you can actually talk to one of the rangers and they will take you up in very small groups. Check it out next time.
    Fran, My main “guide” came to me when I was 12 yrs old. I think Jacqueline is absolutely correct that the “Blue man” is a guide. Have you guys played the “rap” game? And I don’t mean sing/talking. Ask the Blue man to interact with you with one “rap” for yes, two for no. I also use pushbutton flashlights, turn it on then loosen the end till the slightest pressure on the light causes it to go on. Then lay it on a table or floor away from anyone and ask the spirit or guide to click the light once for yes, twice for no.
    I love exploring these experiences with you all. Thank you for the wonderful feedback!

    Reply
  11. Fran

    Wow, her guide? I’ll have to tell her that. She’s very sensitive and can pick up on spirits in other places as well. Thankfully, she isn’t frightened. (She just turned 15 last week). We talk about stuff like that all the time. She laughed at me, though, when she went on a plane trip last week with family friends and I told her to envision a white light around herself and the entire plane. She was like, “yeah, mom.” But I got a feeling that she did it anyway!
    I love you, too!!
    ~Fran

    Reply
  12. Psychic Jacqueline x9472

    Psychic Jacqueline x9472 Oh Fran you are to cute I love you! I related you comment to my husband he wasn’t to impressed with that Idea…. heheheh 🙂
    The Blue Man, Hmmm she will be able to talk with him in time, he is a guide.
    Blessings Hearts & Hugs!
    Jacqueline x9472

    Reply
  13. Fran

    Hi Jacqueline,
    You gave me goosebumps!
    My daughter sees spirits in the house. One in particular she refers to as “The Blue Man” because he is all in blue…blue clothes, blue light, even his skin looks blue. And he seems to follow her around. She’ll see him sometimes even when she’s at school or at the mall. We’ve come to the conclusion that he’s harmless. We just don’t know who he is.
    Maybe this lady ghost in your house has a thing for your husband…thinks he cute! Ha-ha! Maybe that’s why she doesn’t show herself to YOU. LOL.
    We’ll have to talk about this next time.
    Hugs, Fran

    Reply
  14. Psychic Jacqueline x9472

    Love this story Yemaya, It seems like I have moved to every haunted house known, then I realized I think they follow me, (my family)…. we have experienced everything and anything from having items disappeared, to hearing knocking all night long with no explained reason, we have one who has shown herself to my husband and my daughter I yet have not seen her, the other night my husband turned white as a ghost after she peeked around the corner at him, it was rather funny, of course not to him, she doesn’t mean any harm just letting us know she is around….I love ghost stories, the dimensions are so closely connected, I truly do believe the time will come soon where we will travel in between them the dimensions, as if we are walking from one room to another.
    Love the world of the “Spirits”….
    Blessings Hugs and Hearts!
    Psychic Jacqueline X9472

    Reply
  15. LORNA

    Hi Yemaya,
    Going back….I also loved your article on Alcatraz. I have been there and suffered some anxiety attacks. The air is pretty thick with energy. The flowers on the island are beautiful and a great place to go to catch your breath!
    You made some great points in your response about dealing with spirits. Most children are taught to fear ghosts and Hollywood likes to help out. I have found if you address a spirit, they will try to cooperate. I love your “rules”, do you have them in needlepoint?
    When you say Penny was wet, did she physically dampen things she touched or sat on?
    One night I was sitting and reading when I caught a flash out of the corner of my eye. It was a sapphire blue orb. As I watched it the orb started elongating until it was about four feet high. A little white light started to form in the center and kept growing until it filled half of the blue shape. I was completely transfixed and not scared. As I was thinking about how pretty it was, it suddenly started shrinking until it was gone. I had never seen anything like that!
    I have six black cats. Neptune, Boo, Gypsy, Slinky, Luna and Trine. They are like gorgeous,little baby Panthers. I like the image too. It’s nice to see a black cat in a positive light for a change. I do cat rescue, so this image spoke to me.
    Looking forward to more contributions from you!

    Reply
  16. Gina Rose ext.9500

    Yes…well written Yemaya…..was this on TV as a haunted story by any chance ????? Because it sounds very familiar…..I’ve heard of this place before.
    Blessed Be )O(…Gina Rose ext.9500

    Reply
  17. Psychic Yemaya #5143

    Thank you Lorna,
    Just remember that 99% of the time the entities we run into just want to be noticed. Penny wanted more attention, she was a bit of a prankster. She also was one of the very few spirits that broke my “rules of engagement”.
    A long time ago one of my teachers taught us to negotiate our “terms” for contact with the universe. I had a couple “deal breaker” rules I asked to be respected.
    1) Spirits please do not “surprise” me.
    2) …Especially in the dark.
    3) Please show yourself tastefully if you can.
    We are the energy source for many of these contact experiences, so you have a right to lay down rules of your own, and in my own humble experience that has worked pretty darned well. But, as with all of God’s Children, they have free will and will occassionaly…bend if not break a rule or two!
    By the way I LOVE that picture of the angel and the black cat angel. My Cat is pure black and he is much like his name….”Zen”.

    Reply
  18. LORNA

    Hello Yemaya,
    Great ghost stories and very well written. Your imagery really brought it to life. Very sad and bleak history at this Inn.
    I’m positive this was well written because now I’m afraid to turn out the lights!
    Lorna

    Reply

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