Moss Beach Distillery
Encyclopedia
Moss Beach Distillery is a restaurant in Moss Beach, California
, located on a cliff which overlooks the Pacific Ocean
.
It is officially designated as a California Point of Historical Interest
. Originally established in 1927 as a speakeasy
, it converted into a successful restaurant after the repeal of Prohibition
in 1933.
", the ghost of a woman who, according to legend, either died (or was murdered) near the restaurant; this haunting has been reported on various television programs, including NBC
's long-running Unsolved Mysteries
program, hosted by actor Robert Stack
.
During the June 4, 2008 episode of the Sci Fi Channel
television show Ghost Hunters
, it was revealed that some of the claims of paranormal
activity on the property are actually staged events. Hanging lights swaying over the bar, as well as women's laughter and a face in the mirror of the ladies bathroom, were all found to be hoax
es installed by the owners. This is disputed by noted parapsychology
professor Loyd Auerbach
; while the owners admitted that special effects were used, they also cite the fact that paranormal activity has been reported since the 1930s.
Moss Beach, California
Moss Beach is a coastal census-designated place in San Mateo County, California, with a year 2010 census population of 3,103. Located in Moss Beach are the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, a marine sanctuary; the Half Moon Bay Airport, the historic Moss Beach Distillery and the Seal Cove Inn, a...
, located on a cliff which overlooks the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
It is officially designated as a California Point of Historical Interest
California Point of Historical Interest
California Points of Historical Interest are sites, buildings, features, or events that are of local significance and have anthropological, cultural, military, political, architectural, economic, scientific or technical, religious, experimental, or other value...
. Originally established in 1927 as a speakeasy
Speakeasy
A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. Such establishments came into prominence in the United States during the period known as Prohibition...
, it converted into a successful restaurant after the repeal of Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
in 1933.
Paranormal activity
The distillery acquired significance due to reported sightings of the "Blue LadyThe Blue Lady
The Blue Lady is the ghost of a woman reportedly seen in and around the Moss Beach Distillery Cafe in Moss Beach, California; she is so-named because she usually dressed all in blue...
", the ghost of a woman who, according to legend, either died (or was murdered) near the restaurant; this haunting has been reported on various television programs, including NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's long-running Unsolved Mysteries
Unsolved Mysteries
Unsolved Mysteries is an American television program, hosted by Robert Stack, from 1987 until 2002, and later by Dennis Farina, starting in 2008...
program, hosted by actor Robert Stack
Robert Stack
Robert Stack was an American actor. In addition to acting in more than 40 films, he was the star of the 1959-1963 ABC television series The Untouchables and later served as the host of Unsolved Mysteries.-Early life:...
.
During the June 4, 2008 episode of the Sci Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
television show Ghost Hunters
Ghost Hunters
Ghost Hunters is an American paranormal reality television series that premiered on October 6, 2004, on Syfy . The program features paranormal investigators Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson who investigate places that are reported to be haunted. The two originally worked as plumbers for Roto-Rooter as...
, it was revealed that some of the claims of paranormal
Paranormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
activity on the property are actually staged events. Hanging lights swaying over the bar, as well as women's laughter and a face in the mirror of the ladies bathroom, were all found to be hoax
Hoax
A hoax is a deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as truth. It is distinguishable from errors in observation or judgment, or rumors, urban legends, pseudosciences or April Fools' Day events that are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes.-Definition:The British...
es installed by the owners. This is disputed by noted parapsychology
Parapsychology
The term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
professor Loyd Auerbach
Loyd Auerbach
Loyd Auerbach is a professor of parapsychology and a prominent field investigator in psychic phenomena. He is an accomplished professional mentalist and psychic entertainer, performing as Professor Paranormal before private and corporate groups...
; while the owners admitted that special effects were used, they also cite the fact that paranormal activity has been reported since the 1930s.