We recently met up with our friend Emily for a long-anticipated tour of the Historic Kellogg House in Santa Ana. Emily had been raving about this place for a while and recommended the Haunted OC tour led by Darcy Staniforth. It was our first visit, and we couldn’t wait to see what the night had in store.

Before the tour began, we participated in a land acknowledgment ceremony, which set a respectful tone for the evening.

During the tour, we learned about the Kellogg family, known for their gardening legacy (not to be confused with the Kelloggs of cereal fame), and their significant impact on Southern California. The house itself is a beautiful Queen Anne Victorian, built by Hiram Clay Kellogg for his wife, Helen Kellogg. Hiram, a civil engineer and architect, played a key role in shaping the region’s infrastructure, designing roads, bridges, and irrigation systems that helped develop major areas of Southern California, particularly in Orange County. Helen, as the matriarch of the household, was an important figure in the family’s legacy.

Our guide extraordinaire, Darcy, was dressed in traditional Victorian mourning garb, which added a hauntingly authentic touch to the experience. As we explored the house, we heard tales of paranormal activity, including sightings of a man in a bowler hat, children, and possibly Helen herself. The stories gave the night a spooky but not overly intense vibe.

If you’re looking for a paranormal tour that’s rich in history, has spooky vibes, but isn’t all about jump scares, we’d definitely recommend this one. It was an awesome night filled with eerie stories and fascinating local history, and we left feeling like we’d experienced a small piece of the past.