The Ghosts of the William Westerfeld House: San Francisco’s Gothic Haunting

In the heart of San Francisco’s famed Haight-Ashbury district, an imposing Victorian mansion looms over Fulton Street like a relic from another era. This is the William Westerfeld House, a towering, Gothic-style residence built in 1889 for a wealthy German confectioner. But over the decades, the house’s legacy has shifted from sugar and opulence to rituals, rock stars, and restless spirits. Today, many believe this striking landmark is haunted by more than just memories.

A House with Many Lives

Commissioned by William Westerfeld, the home was designed as a showpiece of San Francisco wealth. After Westerfeld’s death in 1895, the property began a long series of transformations.

• It became a boarding house for Russian immigrants, who were rumored to conduct secret rituals in the basement.
• In the 1920s, it was purchased by a spiritualist group known for holding séances and practicing mysticism.

During the 1960s, it became a hub for counterculture artists and musicians, including the likes of Kenneth Anger, whose occult film Invocation of My Demon Brother was partially filmed inside. Each era left a spiritual imprint. And some believe these overlapping histories have opened a permanent doorway between worlds.

Paranormal Reports and Local Legends

Over the years, the William Westerfeld House has become a magnet for ghost stories and eerie encounters. Witnesses—both residents and visitors report a range of chilling phenomena:

The Man in the Tuxedo
One of the most frequently sighted spirits is a well-dressed man, seen walking the hallways in 19th-century formal attire. He is believed to be William Westerfeld himself, eternally overseeing the home he never truly left.

Phantom Smells and Shadow Figures
Multiple accounts mention the scent of cigar smoke wafting through rooms where no one is smoking. Shadowy forms are seen standing at windows, then vanishing before the eye can focus.

Music from Nowhere
Strange music, often classical or faint piano notes has been heard echoing through empty rooms, particularly at night. The source? Still unknown.

Séance Residue
Rooms used by the 1920s spiritualists are said to hold an energy that feels heavier, and paranormal investigators have recorded temperature drops, electromagnetic spikes, and even disembodied whispers in these spaces.