Myself standing outside the Mackay Mansion, wearing a cream cowboy hat, fringe leather jacket, peach tie dye shirt, blue jeans and brown boots.

Inside the Haunted Mackay Mansion

May 30, 2023, Leave a Comment on Inside the Haunted Mackay Mansion

The Comstock Lode meant that virtually overnight Virginia City had millionaires, and some built opulent homes, including George Hearst. While small and not as grand when compared to his son’s extravagant Hearst Castle, the Virginia City home George Hearst built in 1859 is still beautiful and full of original fixtures and furnishings (including the first…

Angled view of some of the buildings of Virginia City, which include mostly two story buildings of wood facades in the "old west" style of square fronts.

A Stroll through Historic Virginia City

May 23, 2023, 1 Comment

Recently Patrick and I went on a road trip to visit my mom in Idaho, and anyone who knows me knows I love a road trip. While the route was somewhat familiar, as we had done it before, we made a few fresh stops, including spending some time in Virginia City. Virginia City is similar…

Catherine ducks under the cover of her camera to take my portrait. .

Meet Catherine Segura, the Young Woman Who is Keeping Tintype Photography Alive

July 17, 2019, 3 Comments

When you walk into Old Town San Diego, you instantly feel like you’re transported to the past. And if you’re lucky enough to be there on a weekend, then you can have a truly unique and transporting experience by visiting Catherine and her father, Clement, who do tintype portraits on the porch of the Cosmopolitan.…

The Whaley House, a small, but stately looking home made of brick featuring a white column porch.

Gallows, Ghosts, and Paved Over Graves: A Visit to San Diego’s Whaley House

July 15, 2019, Leave a Comment on Gallows, Ghosts, and Paved Over Graves: A Visit to San Diego’s Whaley House

On a September day in 1852 James “Yankee Jim” Robinson was taken from an adobe jail to the gallows. Standing upon a wagon, a noose was placed around his neck. When the order was given, the wagon driver pulled away, and Yankee Jim reportedly kept his feet on the wagon as long as possible, but…

Myself standing in front of the blacksmith shop, where a giant prickly pear cactus resides, wearing a black dress with silver trim.

How One Book Saved Old Town San Diego

July 11, 2019, 6 Comments

After checking in to the Cosmopolitan, we explored Old Town for a bit, going in and out of the various museums and shops this unique state park has to offer. Old Town San Diego State Park is made up of a variety of authentic buildings from the 19th century and early 20th century, along with…

Atomic Redhead

1850s

Inside the Haunted Mackay Mansion

A Stroll through Historic Virginia City

Meet Catherine Segura, the Young Woman Who is Keeping Tintype Photography Alive

Gallows, Ghosts, and Paved Over Graves: A Visit to San Diego’s Whaley House

How One Book Saved Old Town San Diego