Moss Beach Distillery is located in Moss Beach, CA and is a famous restaurant. The building rests on a cliff and offers a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. The place has been named as one of California’s Historical Spot.
Built 1927, The Moss Beach Distillery became a restaurant at the end of the Prohibition period. During the prohibition years, the place was used as “speakeasy”, which is an illegal establishment selling alcohol.
In fact, in the 1920s, right in the middle of the Prohibition, the restaurant was renowned for being one of the most notorious “Speakeasies” of the region. It soon acquired a nickname; “ Frank’s place” and became even more notorious for being the favourite hang-out of silent film stars of the time indulging in the consumption of illegal alcohol.
Aside from silent movie stars, other prominent people of the time including mystery novelist Dashiell Hammett frequented the place. He even inspired himself and used it as a setting for one of his novel.
The Blue Lady…
The Moss Beach Distillery is said to be haunted and the most notorious ghost by far is the ‘Blue Lady”.
The legend has it that the woman called the “Blue Lady” died (probably murdered) in or close to the restaurant. TV programs have shown some real interests in this particular haunting case. It was featured on “Unsolved Mysteries” but “Ghost Hunters” (Sci fi Channel) claimed the alleged recurrent apparitions to be a fraud.
Indeed, it was later uncovered-although without any hard evidence- that some of the broadcast paranormal activities would not have been real. These included the lights swaying over the bar, some laughter as well as a ghostly apparition in the mirror.
On the other hand, others seem to contradict these claims and amongst them are, Professor Loyd Auerbach, a parapsychology specialist who claims that the manifestations were genuine.
In the end, The Moss Beach Distillery owners owned up to the fact that whilst some events had been fabricated, the building remains a very haunted place. Ghosts and paranormal activities are said to have been witnessed since the 1930s.
As far as the case of “The Blue Lady” is concerned, Professor Auerbach studied the phenomenon very closely. Whilst her name cannot be 100% confirmed because of a lack of reliable records, it is thought that she was called kate or Cayte.
She is said to have been adulterous by engaging into a rather inappropriate affaire with a disreputable pianist. The poor lady was eventually murdered and no one was ever convicted of her murder. Reports confirm that she often appears elegantly dressed in blue, desperately looking for her lover.
Other paranormal activities…
According to many people who spent some time at the Distillery, it is hard to dispute the fact that many strange paranormal activities have been witnessed and recorded over the years.
Amongst the most famous ones on records are flying objects and especially a cheque book that will lift and levitate on its own. Doors often slam for no reason and lock from inside whilst this is normally totally impossible to do.
Disturbing phone calls at all hours of day and night, with nobody at the end of the line have also been recorded.
A serious investigation was organized in 1999 with Professor Auberbach. The man is adamant he saw the “Blue Lady” walk past him on several occasions but unfortunately no photographs could be taken of the ghostly apparition.
During the investigations, the usual phenomenons associated with haunted places were recorded such as sharp and sudden drops in temperatures as well as major changes in magnetic fields.
To this day, the Moss Beach Distillery remains a mysterious place with a rather interesting albeit chequered past.
