*Years ago I originally wrote the post below as part of my past blog Joy DeVivre Design. In the spirit of the season, I thought it fun to include it here for a new audience to discover!
In the spirit of Halloween I love a good ghost story…or several. Hollywood is a place in which there is never a shortage of ghostly tales. You can spend hours just visiting the infamous and haunted sites. In fact, that is what I do each time I make a visit there. I originally wrote a post on Haunted Hollywood where you can read about many of the famous spooky landmarks, but I wanted to do an update so as to add some new info.
The Los Feliz Murder Mansion
Seeing what could be a gorgeous Spanish revival style home falling into disrepair is odd in the Los Feliz area, where you are more likely to see a random starlet’s multimillion dollar mansion. But with what is known as the Los Feliz Murder Mansion odd isn’t the half of it.
This was once home to the Perelson family, which consisted of Dr. and Mrs. Perelson and their three children. On December 6, 1959, life as the family knew it came to a gruesome halt. Dr. Harold Perelson murdered his wife and severely beat their 18-year-old daughter. The daughter was able to escape the home and ran for help. Help wasn’t needed, however, to stop her father’s wrath as he had helped himself to a bottle of acid and killed himself. The two youngest children, who were also in the house at the time, were unharmed.
After this horrific crime, it was reported that the children all moved across the country to be with family. The home was sold the following year to Julian and Emily Enriquez. This is the point where the story gets downright peculiar. After purchasing this house the couple never moved in. They also never leased it out and according to many articles written on the home, never took the Perelson’s belongings out. There were reports that for years the Christmas tree was still visible through a window as well as wrapping paper and gifts on a table. After the Enriquez couple passed away the home was left to their son Rudy…who also apparently has left it vacant.
This story leaves so many questions…Why has a home that has been estimated to be worth over $2 million sit completely empty for over 50 years? Why leave the home for years as if the Perelson’s were going to walk back in and get back to their Christmas preparations? Were the Enriquez family too spooked to stay there?
Ennis House
Directly behind the murder house is the Ennis House. While I have read no reports of this home being haunted, it is of importance to horror movie buffs as the exterior of the home was used for the 1959 film “House on Haunted Hill”. It is also of importance for architecture buffs as it was a fantastic example of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s work.
Michael Jackson’s Last Residence
Does this gate look familiar? Look closely, because it is likely that on June 25, 2009, you saw this home plastered all over the news. This was the home in which Michael Jackson passed away. If you would like to visit this site it is directly off of Sunset Blvd, which I found strange as I would have expected Michael Jackson to stay far off the beaten path.
Greystone Mansion
This Tudor-style home, built in the 1920’s was once home to the extremely wealthy Doheny family. With a fortune made from oil, the family was very powerful and apparently just as corrupt. Twisting tales were told of government officials being bribed and then caught for giving the Doheny’s drilling rights to government land, indictments of the Secretary of Interiors, family members fearing having to testify. Then…a murder/suicide of the only Doheny son and heir to their fortune and his best friend in the home on February 16, 1929. The web this story weaves leaves this home shrouded in mystery and some say haunted.
If you would like to read more about the Greystone Mansion I found a couple articles of interest online here and here.
The Hollywood Sign
For a full story on the haunting of the Hollywood sign please see my original post here.
For the purpose of this update, I wanted to fill you in on a viewing location that I never knew about for the sign. I had long heard that one of the best public viewing locations for the sign was the Griffith Observatory. That is a good view, but you can do much better! In fact, wear your hiking shoes and you can get right up to the fence that protects the sign from trespassers.
To get there take Deronda Drive all the way up the mountain until you get to Mt. Lee, (or on your GPS just type in the intersection of the two and it will lead you straight there). This is a residential area and you will have to find a place on the street to park. Once you are at the intersection you will see an arch over a pathway. Go through it and that will lead you to the trail going up to the sign. If you aren’t wishing to hike the full distance there are great photo opportunities right from the start of the path which is where this photo was taken. If you do want to do the hike up be careful of snakes as I have heard they are often seen on the trail.
Have you visited any of these sites? If you know of any places that I have left off the two lists please do fill me in!
Wow! Who knew? I love looking at the history of old buildings and imagining what they once were in their prime.
Thanks Debra! Me too! It is so fun imagining places in their prime and what they could be again!
Woah, this is seriously creepy! I can’t believed he killed his wife, thank god the children escaped but strange that it has been empty for so long.
It really is Ana! It is strange that it is left in this way in such a prime real estate area!
Oh man, no thank you!! LOL I’m such a baby when it comes to anything “haunted” or scary movies. But what a cool idea for enthusiasts!!
Alyssa no worries! It isn’t for everyone! 🙂 The funny thing is I am terrified of scary movies! lol
Um – this would TOTALLY be something I would do. AND love. Anything with “real” claims of being haunted totally intrigues me! So spooky and fascinating, right?
I agree Karen! Real claims are so much better than the fake Halloween haunted houses!
I love fun tours like this. LA would be a fun spot for it. Savannah has a famous ghost tour too. It’s a fun way to celebrate the time of year.
Kim I have heard that Savannah is a great place for ghost tours. I would love to check that out one day! LA is really great for it as well. There are so many places to see there!
Oh my gosh, months ago I read about the Los Feliz Murder Mansion and how it was for sale. I read about the murder and I remember thinking how no one would buy the house. Fast forward to a few months ago and someone purchased it! Can you imagine?! FREAKY!
Kiley I saw that too!! I could never live there, but I would love to see the inside of the home! I can’t wait to go back and see what they do with the house!
What fun! I loved reading these stories. I used to work with LA schools in the 90s and I know I saw some of these homes. I can’t wait to go back.
Oh fun Terri! It would be so awesome to live there!
I love houses with a history like this, way better than fake haunted houses! Real stories live on with a house long after the residents are gone…
Jena I agree! The real stories intrigue me. I want to know how it is possible for people to still be there after they have passed!
Super interesting. I enjoyed learning about these homes. Perfect “scary” post for Halloween.
Thank you Shelby!! So glad you enjoyed it!!
You’ve got me wanting to visit Hollywood now. I love a good haunted story and these are awesome.
Thank you Foodie! Hollywood has so many great spooky places!
Im sure these are fun houses to tour this Halloween. I’m really curious about the Los Feliz Murder Mansion.
OurFamilyWorld isn’t it intriguing?! I so want to see inside of that house!
Oh I love spooky stories like these! I don’t actually want to see any type of spooky thing, but I love to read about them – weird I know 🙂
Heather so funny! I am the same way! My friends and I always say the day we find a ghost is the day our ghost hunting stops!
Reading the brief backstory of each house made me feel a little creeped out! I think it would be fun to visit these sites with friends during this season!
They are super creepy! As you can see we went to see them during the day! Lol! Not brave enough to visit at night!
This stuff is just freaking me out!! The stories are definitely creepy! Happy Halloween!
Ilka Happy Halloween!!!!
Oooo just loving all of your pics!!! Hollywood definitely has some neat building with even more neat history to them!
Thank you Courtney!! There is such a rich history in Hollywood that it definitely makes the buildings have their share of stories!
What a totally cool tour!! I really loved hearing about all of these haunted places!
Reesa thank you!
I love this post! Thank you for sharing all of the fascinating Hollywood Info. I have not been there, but hope to make it there some day 🙂
Angela thank you! When you go I bet you love it!
I’m definitely one for scary movies, but this would terrify me! I don’t think I’d be able to survive an experience in one of these places! I’d give myself a panic attack! HA!
Brittany I’m good going in the day, but I wouldn’t be very brave either if it were dark out!
When we lived in CA it was so much fun to visit the places and see the history. CA definitely has it’s share of interesting stories.
Jill yes there are! I can’t wait to go back!
Such a fun place to go on Halloween, I love the History of this glad you share this
Dana thank you!
That is a tragic story of The Los Feliz Murder Mansion, and also creepy by the fact that nobody leaves in the house for so long. I wonder if you see something spooky from the house when you did the visiting.
Rose we didn’t see anything weird when we went by, but I wouldn’t want to stay in there!
I have always found that mansion to have an interesting story behind it. I would love to make the rounds of the Hollywood tour.
There are so many places Robin! We have made up our own ghost tours several times there and there are still plenty of places we have yet to check out!
Being able to see the sights for free in the Greystone Mansion is pretty cool. I am loving all of the different stories.
Thank you Krystle! The Greystone Mansion is one of my favorite sites there. The views are gorgeous and where else in LA can you find something to do for free!? Not may places!
I have never visited any of these locations, but I’d love to visit the Ennis House someday. Especially since it was the exact house used for the classic horror film.
You would love the Ennis House. It was so funny because the first time I found it I was out looking for another Frank Lloyd Wright home and just happened to stumble upon the Ennis House!
I have never been to Hollywood but these all would be fun to eventually see. Great viewing tip for the Hollywood sign!
Thank you Mandy! If you ever get out there and need any tips feel free to email. There are so many fun places out there.
What a creepy little tour of Hollywood! I’ve heard a lot of places are haunted. Unfinished ‘business’, much? 🙂
There are so many stories there. I often wonder if it is due to the fact that so many people go there with such high hopes, only to often be disappointed when their career in the entertainment business doesn’t take off.
Uh, creepy!!!! I’ve never been to this site or the one in your last post, but it’s so creepy!!! Interesting to know a little history/legend on these landmarks!
Thanks Jessica. I love learning about those type of places and trying to uncover the mysteries behind them!
That Los Feliz Mansion story is quite intriguing. I’m surprised that no one has made a movie about it!
It is Renee! My friend and I have said we wish we could make a scary movie out of its’ story! With Hollywood remaking the same movies over and over I really don’t know why someone hasn’t thought of making an original movie based on the mansion.
This looks like something I would do visit haunted houses 🙂 It’s scary when you hear the stories behind each home and why they are said to be haunted. Very cool thanks for sharing this!!
xoxo
Leslie thank you for stopping by! I agree. It is creepy to know why these places are said to be haunted. It really makes me want to understand.
no way no chance! couldn’t pay me to walk into a ‘haunted’ house! my husband though — he’s a different story! i just can’t do the scaries!
Arin funny! You sound like the opposite of my husband and I. He is the one who would rather stay away from those places!
I love tours of history but get so creeped out of places like this!
Tahnee I understand completely! I get scared too by their history!