Bancroft House

[Tim]

Hey Guys,
I know of a place that might be worth investigating.
It is the Bancroft House in Spring Valley.
Listed as a Landmark this place was built in1856 by Augustus P. Ensworth.
It sits on top of one of the most important archeolgical sites in Southern California.
The place an interesting History and it is said to be "Haunted"

Tim

[dwalters]

Thanks Tim...I will look into it for sure...sounds great. Any "ghost" stories you know of about it?

[Tim]

According to what I've read,
The land has ties to the Indian upraising of 1775.
There is a story about Carlos and Francisco of Neti
(a Tipai Indian Village in the area known today as Spring Valley).
Others report that the spirit roams around the area is Augustus P. Ensworth.
He was the one who built the house in 1860.
There are also a story of "the little Lady"
An aged Indian woman dressed in tattered clothing.
The doors in the house have been known to have problems with being open from time to time.

Whatcha think?
Tim

[PPI Brian]

Hey Tim,

Did you know that Augustus Ensworth was an Attorney and later a Judge? He represented many famous early San Diegans, including Thomas Whaley. From what June Reading told me Ensworth was living in the Whaley House in the late 1870's when the Whaley Family was living in San Francisco. There was a pretty big earthquake that damaged the house, and when Ensworth was surveying the damage, he stepped in a gopher hole and broke his ankle. This break never set correctly, and affected his ability to walk, and might have contributed to his death. I'll have to go through my old interviews with June and the old staff of the Whaley House and see exactly what she knew about Augustus Ensworth.

http://www.sandiegohistory.org/societies/springvalley/ranchhouse.htm

Brian Miller

[PPI Brian]

Here's some information I dug up about the Bancroft Ranch House and the Spring Valley Historical Society:

Spring Valley Historical Society


The Spring Valley Historical Society is an all-volunteer organization, funded entirely by membership dues, contributions, and fund raisers. Meetings are held at the adobe annex the first Saturday of each even-numbered month at 7 p.m. (preceded by a potluck dinner at 6 p.m.) The society is always in need of enthusiastic volunteers to be tour docents, especially for elementary school classes.
The Society operates the Bancroft Ranch House as a free museum dedicated to preserving the history of the Spring Valley area. Guided group tours may be arranged by calling the caretaker at (619) 469-1480.

The museum is located at 9050 Memory Lane in Spring Valley. Memory Lane is located off Bancroft Drive, between Highway 94 (or Campo Road) and Kenwood Drive. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the solitude of the peaceful location hidden from the busy world. There's always a gently breeze blowing and chickens scratching across the yard, and an occasional sighting of a resident bunny.

To become a member of the society or to contribute a donation, please mail your check to: Spring Valley Historical Society, PO Box 142, Spring Valley CA 91976.


Yearly dues (July 1 - June 30): 
Individual  $6.00
Family (1 household) $10.00
Student (under 18)  $3.00
Organization  $15.00
Sustaining  $25.00
Life Member  $125.00 (one time payment)

With your membership, please include name, address, and phone (and e-mail, if desired). Birth and anniversary dates are optional, to be used in the bi-monthly newsletter. E-mail can be sent to the Newsletter Editor at SpringVlyHistSoc@aol.com. Please include SVHS in the subject.

Don't miss this brief history of the Bancroft Ranch House and its owners, provided by the Spring Valley Historical Society.


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Book: Our Hills and Valleys: A History of the Spring Valley-Helix Area

Your museum or historical society can have a page like this one for free. Or we can help you get your organization's own web site. Contact our Webmaster

[PPI Tim]

This is another place to look into.
It is right in our backyard.

[PPI Brian]

Perhaps it's worth a cold call?