The Ghoul’s Guide to Santa Barbara

Was it random? Was it targeted? In this episode, Liz tells us about the meth-fueled murder of Phillip Bogdanoff at a Santa Barbara County nude beach.

This week, we'll learn more about Black history in Santa Barbara, focusing on the remarkable story of Otto Hopkins and his iconic Cotton Club. Through exploring Hopkins' life and the cultural significance of the Cotton Club, we uncover a lesser-known yet vital chapter in the broader narrative of African American contributions to American society. Born in the late 19th century, Otto Hopkins was a trailblazer in Santa Barbara's Black community. Despite facing discrimination and adversity, Hopkins emerged as a prominent figure, known for his entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to uplifting his community. Against the backdrop of segregation and racial tension, Otto Hopkins established the Cotton Club in the heart of Santa Barbara. Serving as a vibrant hub for Black culture, the Cotton Club provided a space for artistic expression, entertainment, and community bonding. Plus, a side trip to find out about Edmund O. Hansen, Santa Barbara's one-year mayor who seemed great (or at least entertaining) but inadvertently helped bring about the end of the Cotton Club.

Join us as we unravel the story of 29-year-old Michael Stephenson, a wanderer who left his home in Chicago a decade ago, only to find himself living on the streets of Santa Barbara. Summers tells us how Michael lost his life one fateful night in August 1985, then became a symbol of the dangers facing the homeless. Meet David Kurtzman and James Tramel, two Northwestern Prep students with complex backgrounds, enrolled at a private school for military service academy applicants. Don't miss this riveting episode that delves into a true crime story that left a community in shock and forever changed the lives of those involved. Join us as we dissect the details, emotions, and aftermath of this tragic event. Make sure to subscribe to our podcast for more true crime stories that shaped our world. Share your thoughts, theories, and comments below, and hit that notification bell so you never miss an episode! Find us on social media, where our username is always ghoulsguidetosb, or visit our website at http://www.ghoulsguidetosb.com.

Ghost sightings at a 1980s Santa Barbara fire house? Yes, please! Liz gives us a delightful rundown of the eerie occurrences reported at Santa Barbara City Fire Station 4. Tucked away in the scenic surroundings of the San Roque neighborhood, this fire station once had a reputation for more than just fighting fires. Hear about firefighters’ encounters with strange happenings within the station's walls. From unexplained footsteps to sightings of shadowy figures, the stories paint a picture of a place where the lines between reality and the supernatural blur. We'll delve into the history of Fire Station 4, which had recently moved from De La Vina Street when the sightings began, and the possible explanations behind these ghostly encounters. Whether it's the lingering spirits of past firefighters or something else entirely, the tales of paranormal activity offer a glimpse into a side of the fire station rarely discussed. And then, just when you thought this episode had everything: bring in the psychics, found through a local psychic fair (the 80s were wild). So, if you're curious about the mysteries that lie within Santa Barbara City Fire Station 4, join us as we explore the ghostly legends that continue to intrigue, unsettle, and hugely entertain those who dare to investigate. 

In this week's episode Jen tells us about The Ojai Vampire in our neighboring Ventura County.

The still-unsolved case that haunted local law enforcement for decades... A 20-year-old Carpinteria woman is found murdered, and Leonard Kirkes, a CHP officer who destroyed vital evidence, is tried, convicted, and then finally set free on appeal. But was he [allegedly] actually guilty?

Jen reads us 17 year old Lillian Casanova Morgan's personal account of her life and the murder of Dwight Faulding by her "pirate love" Jack Morgan.

A death at a hotel party during Prohibition leads to Fatty Arbuckle being accused of murder! Summers tells us about Fatty and his connection to Santa Barbara.

Liz tells us all about the history and haunting of Brinkerhoff Avenue in downtown Santa Barbara.

Learn more than you ever needed to know about the sugar industry, and how the tiny town of Betteravia sprung up outside of Santa Maria and became a ghost town a hundred years later.

Did you know Santa Barbara's Faulding Hotel is linked to the sensational maritime murder of Dwight Dorice Faulding? Or that an imposter pirate, Jean Dee Jarnette, was involved? You do now! Join us for this week's fascinating Depression-era double-mutiny aboard the schooner Aafje, told to us by Jen and with excerpts from an account written by witness (and 17-year-old bride of pirate Jean Dee Jarnette, alias Jack Morgan) Lillian Casanova.

This one is a doozy! Please enjoy the story of the haunted Santa Maria Inn, followed by 30 minutes of bonkers conversation.

It's our 20th Episode! Jen tells the story of Sante and Kenny Kimes, their bonkers romp across the US featuring weird codependency, arson (so much arson), confidence schemes related to Bicentennial flags, and the theft of a fine fur coat.

Buckle up, friends: one of us cries in this episode. Explore the fascinating history of Franceschi Park in Santa Barbara! This 15.78-acre park, equivalent to just under 4 standard Walmarts in size, sits atop the steep Riviera neighborhood. Discover why the Riviera is known for its wealthy residents and winding stagecoach roads, which now serve as pedestrian stairways. Franceschi Park is a unique gem among Santa Barbara's parks. While most are passive parks with limited activity, Franceschi Park stands out. It features the historic Montarioso, a stately home that has witnessed better days, adorned with white plaster medallions showcasing faces, historical events, and labels that offer both information and humor. When you visit Franceschi Park, you'll be rewarded with breathtaking views of Santa Barbara from its vantage point. You can see the entire city below, including Cabrillo Boulevard, the beach, and the downtown streets stretching to the Mesa. For those seeking a little adventure, don't miss Lower Franceschi Park, accessible by crossing Mission Ridge Road. It's a lesser-known area of the park with "poor-people stairways" that not many people are aware of. Franceschi Park's history is closely tied to Francesco Franceschi, a man who changed the Santa Barbara landscape with his passion for horticulture. Born Emanuele Orazio Fenzi in Italy, he moved to California and introduced numerous non-native plants to the region. Although he faced financial hardships, he made a lasting impact on Southern California's plant diversity. Franceschi's legacy lives on through the park, but he did not directly donate it to the city. Instead, it was Alden Freeman, a philanthropic figure with an interesting background. Freeman, a Mayflower descendant and heir to Standard Oil money, had a penchant for architecture, journalism, and progressive causes. Freeman's involvement with the park included adding unique plaster medallions to Montarioso, commemorating various people and events. These medallions tell the stories of individuals like Florence Maybrick, William Jennings Bryan, Nan Britton, and even Mussolini. In 1931, Alden Freeman donated the Franceschi land to the City of Santa Barbara, creating Franceschi Park and Sylvan Park. Sylvan Park may be smaller, but it has its charm and history, making it a worthwhile visit. So, if you're in or near Santa Barbara, don't miss the opportunity to explore the rich history and picturesque beauty of Franceschi Park and its unique medallions, and consider taking a moment to appreciate the contributions of Francesco Franceschi and Alden Freeman to this special place.

A series of unfortunate disasters related to the B-24 bomber during World War II in Santa Barbara.

Three stories from our October 27, 2023 live podcast taping on State Street in downtown Santa Barbara, hosted by the City of Santa Barbara Downtown Team. Dig into three stories from the downtown area: Do Seek the Traysure: Buried Treasure under a Downtown Parking Garage (told by Liz) A Streetcar Named EXPIRE (told by Jen) The Pointless and Awful State Street Murder of Theodore Glancey by the Annoying Jerk Clarence Gray (told by Summers)

The Ghouls' first cult! Jen tells us all about Lompoc's Brotherhood of the Sun, founded by Norman Paulsen... featuring a hitchhiking alien.

🎙️🎃 Since the 1960s, the riotous communal Halloween celebrations in Isla Vista, the University of California, Santa Barbara’s college town, have been an iconic part of Santa Barbara culture. Love it or hate it, whether you participated yourself or believed the hype and stayed away, I.V. Halloween got in your way. So how did I.V. Halloween start? What else was going on in the 1970s when the Halloween street party revels exploded? What was it like? Was it as dangerous as all the grownups said? How did it grow to legendary party status so fast? And is surviving Halloween in Isla Vista still a rite of passage for today’s UCSB students? We are going to find out on this episode of the Ghoul’s Guide to Santa Barbara. 👻🌴 Recommendations --------------------- The People Under the Stairs (1991) The Monkey's Uncle (1965) Opening song from the film, by the Beach Boys and Annette Funicello Girl, Interrupted Twin Peaks (1990) My So-Called Life (1994) Ohio by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young Sources --------- Lexi Pandell, “The Biggest College Party in California”: A History of Isla Vista’s Halloween, Daily Nexus ...and other sources on our website, GhoulsGuideToSB.com

The Ghouls are here to share a special episode featuring a Top 13 List of scary movies and shows to watch during spooky season!

Liz tells the story of Dennis (not the comedian) Miller, three murders in Santa Barbara, a potential diamond smuggling ring, and more in this week's episode! Details on our website, ghoulsguidetosb.com.

Explore the unsolved murder of Kym Morgan, a 24-year-old Brooks Institute photography student who vanished in 1985 after responding to a classified ad for a babysitting and housekeeping job. Kym's partial remains were later found in a remote forest area above Santa Barbara, and her case remains unresolved even now, after more than 35 years. Dive into the details of this chilling mystery with Jen, who lived just a block away from the Santa Barbara Mesa neighborhood parking lot where Kym was last seen.

Ever wondered what it was like to live through World War II in Goleta? Or wondered why Santa Barbara people are SO INTO mentioning that time a Japanese submarine shelled the shore in Ellwood, north of Goleta? Find out about two big incidents in the Goleta area: the Bombardment of Ellwood and the largely-unknown Refugio Prisoner of War (POW) Camp. Plus, why do some Santa Barbara people pronounce Refugio like ReFUFio? Summers tells us the answers to these burning questions and more as we talk about yet another dark side of paradise on this episode of The Ghoul’s Guide to Santa Barbara. Recommended Movies The Other Woman (2014) The Land Girls (1998) Das Boot (1981) 1941 (1979) Recommended Shows BBC Ghosts: The Captain from BBC Ghosts being iconic for 6 minutes Home Fires Recommended Books The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society At Chaucer’s Books Recommended Podcast Campu, by the Densho Project More about this episode... The Bombardment of Ellwood: February 23, 1942 A Japanese I-17 submarine surfaced off the Ellwood Oil Field, in the evening of Monday, February 23, 1942. The submarine’s crew shot approximately 16 shells from its deck gun at the shore, doing minor damage to oil refinery structures and the Ellwood pier, and whizzing past the historic Ellwood gas station. Find out why the timing of the attack–the first enemy naval bombardment of the United States mainland since the War of 1812–was strategically lined up with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first fireside chat radio address since Pearl Harbor, and how it led to major wartime panic and an intensifying of xenophobia against people of Japanese descent. The Refugio Prisoner of War (POW) Camp at Edwards Ranch: 1944-45 The major prisoner of war camp at Camp Cooke (now Vandenberg Air/Space Force Base) had numerous smaller satellite camps, allowing prisoners to be loaned out as laborers to local Santa Barbara County-area farms. Find out who the POWs were, what their working lives were like, and why most wartime (and peacetime) agricultural labor programs failed. With side topics including the United States War Information Office’s internal propaganda work (think Rosie the Riveter) and 1965’s failed A-TEAM program, which tried to trick the sporty youths of America’s high schools and universities into working on farms in the summer. Please like and subscribe to The Ghoul’s Guide to Santa Barbara! And please comment! We want to hear from you because we love you, but not in a creepy way… Would you rather subscribe and listen on your favorite podcast app? Enjoy this Podlink link to The Ghoul's Guide to Santa Barbara

Who's in the box?! The fascinating history of Santa Cruz Island, the Stanton Ranch, and an amateur sleuth’s quest to find out whose cremated remains were found in a shed on the island. Find sources, photos, and more about the Unknown Woman of Santa Cruz Island on our website!

Santa Barbara's Lobero Theatre, founded in 1873 as an opera house for our then-tiny town, is full of mystery! From a missing gold eagle to dramatically-timed deaths and a number of reported ghost sightings, Jen's narration of this community treasure's history will keep you entertained and happy in your seats.

Lompoc, California's utopian, no-alcohol-allowed beginnings, including teetotaler terrorist acts against the evils of SALOONS are told to us by Summers. Plus, guess the movie quote of the week and find out how accurate the official Ghoul's Guide to Santa Barbara Magic 8-Ball is when we ask it a control question. Side notes include other utopian communities (thanks to Sarah Vowell's coverage of the Oneida community in her book Assassination Vacation), a UK suffragist [sort of] tie in via Erika Rappaport's book, Shopping for Pleasure, and a plug for Boardwalk Empire (especially the theme song). For more of the dark history of Santa Barbara County, be sure to subscribe to our podcast and stay connected. Have memories of Lompoc's past or thoughts on its evolution? Share them with us at [email protected].

A 1970s serial killer at UCSB and the unexpectedly heartwarming legacy of a victim. This week, Liz tells us about the murders committed by Thor Nis Christiansen, and we learn about Patricia Laney, the victim in whose memory the Isla Vista Juggling Festival was founded.

The largest peacetime loss of US Navy ships happened on the coast of Santa Barbara County! Jen tells us about the Honda Point Disaster, including fascinating details about the dead reckoning navigation method, the leadership command failures that led to the disaster, and the heroism of the people of Lompoc, California, who showed up on the beach to rescue the sailors in peril. Read more on our website: The Honda Point Disaster – The Ghoul's Guide to Santa Barbara Episode 7

Ghostly Ladies in White (also known as "White Ladies") haunt dark roadways throughout Santa Barbara County, and Summers tells stories of four of them in our sixth episode.

Riven Rock is a former Montecito estate and home to the "millionaire maniac" Stanley R. McCormick and his wife Katharine Dexter. In our fifth episode Liz tells the story of Riven Rock, its potential haunting, and connection to Harry and Meghan. Read more about this episode on our website: Riven Rock – The Ghoul's Guide to Santa Barbara Episode 5

Edie Segwick was a famed Warhol muse, model, actress, and Santa Barbara native. In our fourth episode Jen tells the story of her short life and family connections to Santa Barbara. Content Warning: Today's episode includes mentions of disordered eating, sexual assault, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide. Please take care while listening. Find out more on our website: Edie Sedgwick – The Ghoul's Guide to Santa Barbara Episode 4

The murder of local Hope Ranch woman Noreen DeMartino, wife of a guidance counselor at Goleta's Dos Pueblos High School, was horrifying: Noreen visited her local video store, Captain Video, in her new sportcar, and when she got back in to drive home, she wasn't alone. Noreen's terrifying murder, which sounded almost as unbelievable as a sleepover scary story or urban legend, was used as a cautionary tale for 90s kids (especially girls) as they learned to drive in the Santa Barbara area. Read more on our website: The Murder of Noreen DeMartino – The Ghoul's Guide to Santa Barbara Episode 3

We built this city on seances and ghosts! Buckle up for a spooky journey to the quaint and mystical town of Summerland, California, nestled just south of Santa Barbara. Founded as a Spiritualist colony, Summerland is steeped in history and intrigue. We'll delve into the fascinating story of Summerland's enigmatic founder and the legendary Big Yellow House, which has left many residents wondering if it's haunted. Learn about the beliefs that shaped the town's foundation and discover the secrets that may still linger within the Big Yellow House's [currently vacant] historic walls. And what is Spiritualism about, anyway? Do people still believe in it? Liz has all the answers for us in this episode of The Ghoul's Guide to Santa Barbara. Read more on our website: Summerland and the Big Yellow House – The Ghoul's Guide to Santa Barbara Episode 2

Saint Barbara is the patron saint of artillerymen and those who work with explosives, and the namesake of our spooky city by the sea. In our first episode Jen tells the story of Saint Barb's confinement and torture, and how Santa Barbara got its name (and flag). Visit our website for episode details!