It’s an understatement to say that San Francisco has a long, complex history. Between territorial disputes in its Gold Rush years to earthquakes, fires, and even plagues, the city has been ravaged countless times over the centuries – leaving countless paranormal scars beneath its vibrant, colorful surface. It’s no wonder that California’s “Golden City” has gained such a haunted reputation!
Numerous official ghost tours can be taken year-round to get up close and personal with San Francisco’s paranormal underbelly – specifically its haunted mansions, eerie underground, and spooky cemeteries. Today, we have a haunted adventure to share in a unique segment of the city that doesn’t get as much attention as its supernaturally-charged Chinatown and Victorian counterparts. For a deep dive into the world of historic ghosts with a side of haunted eats, check out the Curio and San Francisco’s historic Mission District “corpse roads.”
In the late 1700s when the original Franciscans were still hard at work establishing the Mission Dolores (Misión San Francisco de Asís) in what would later become San Francisco, even dirt roads were a rarity. However, footpaths were needed to connect churches and cemeteries in order to usher the dead to their final resting place.
While not a term commonly heard today, "corpse roads" such as these are quite prevalent around San Francisco, although you wouldn't know it today. Dolores Street in SF's Mission District is one of them.
Back when the street was just a meandering dirt path in front of the old Mission, thousands of bodies made the journey from the church to the cemetery for burial. Nearby Mission Street became the quickest way to bring bodies to the church. And Valencia Street was known as a thoroughfare for funeral processions.
Today, these historic corpse roads have completely transformed. Nevertheless, walking through SF's historic Mission District on a quiet, moonlit night is often a chilling ghost walk through one of the city's most active otherworldly hotspots.
Stroll past some of the area's remaining Spanish architecture, through the aging Mission Dolores Cemetery, and even through Mission Dolores Park (which was once home to multiple Jewish cemeteries), and the eerie sounds and sensations of past and present colliding are unmistakable. Countless reports of phantom lights, cold breezes with no source, and even ghostly apparitions have all been experienced in the area.
But these corpse roads aren't all that's haunted in the Mission District. The Chapel on Valencia Street, now a live music venue, was mortuary less than a century ago, and the spirits of the dearly departed seem to continue to linger well into the new century.
Architecturally gorgeous, this unique chapel was formerly the Gatner-Maison-Domerge Funeral Home. Post-corpse road era, bodies were prepared in the basement of the venue before being loaded into streetcars to be transported to Colma.
Viral videos, although debunked by some, have shown unsettling apparitions lingering in the hallways. Even many musicians report chilling sensations and the feeling of not quite being alone backstage. Others have reported seeing the ghost of a young girl in the mezzanine and in darkened corners of the concert floor.
Curio, the Chapel's on-site bar/restaurant, has embraced the haunted lore, serving up eats in an offbeat atmosphere with just a hint of spooky edge. Of course, it should also be noted that the crank once used to move bodies from room to room is still in its original spot as an eerie reminder of the past.
Some believe that the events are caused by the presence of a wealthy gentleman of the Prohibition whose body was brought into the morgue after an untimely death. Others recant terrifying after-hours encounters with the spirit of an older woman.
Of course, even skeptics will find plenty of reasons to dine here after catching a concert. Ghosts or no ghosts, California eats are nothing if not stellar!
Together, these overlooked stops from San Francisco’s past are a mere snippet of the history that fills our Golden City. But whether you visit for the spooks, the scene, or the tasty cuisine, you’re sure to learn something new and find more reasons to come back! And if you happen to see something… unusual… along the way, we’d love to hear about it.
Be sure to visit the Curio and Chapel Facebook pages for hours, schedules, special events, and more.
