In the center of the city of San Francisco is a large park known all over the globe, called Golden Gate Park. It is the largest manmade park in the world! The park is larger than Central Park in New York City by a couple hundred acres! The park was commissioned in the 1870’s and has become one of the most beloved gems of the city by the bay. People from all over the world visit San Francisco to see the many attractions that Golden Gate Park has to offer. The De Young museum, Japanese Tea Garden and Flower Conservatory are only a few of the many reasons people are drawn to this park.

However, ghost enthusiasts enjoy the park for more unearthly reasons. It’s Haunted! There is a famous ghost story and legend of this park that has been going on for almost 100 years and the story still remains as spine tingling and strange as ever. The story first appeared in the local paper in the early 1900’s.

There is a lake inside Golden gate Park called Stow Lake. Many people boat on this lake and it has been a popular pastime since the Victorian era. Today you can still rent a rowboat and go out on the lake.

It is said that a young woman was boating on this lake with her young toddler sometime in the late 1800’s. The toddler accidentally fell into the lake and the young mother in panic, jumped into the water to rescue her baby. It’s said that both her and the young child drowned in the lake.

Over the years, many people claim to see this woman late at night searching for her baby around Stow Lake. She is often described the same way every time. The woman is seen wearing a soiled white dress and has long dark hair. She often has a frantic look on her face and wanders the lake’s edge. She is also seen at times on a hill adjacent to the lake, known as Strawberry Hill. Countless witnesses have seen this ghostly woman and their accounts always describe her the same way she’s been seen for 100 years.

 

You can learn all about The Legend of Stow Lake and the ghostly figure that haunts it on

THE HAUNTED HAIGHT WALKING TOUR

led by ghost historian and founder of the
San Francisco Ghost Society, Tommy Netzband.

Visit www.hauntedhaight.com for details and tickets to this award-winning nighttime walking tour!!

By Charles Tanner
Guardsman Staff Writer
Published Oct. 25, 1999

Ever walk down the streets at night and feel those tingly sensations behind your body or the hairs that stand up on end? Well it just may be the presence of spirits and ghosts trying to get your attention. Rumors have it, San Francisco has its own bunch of its ghostly urban stories.

Lady of Stow Lake
Once upon a time at Stow Lake, in Golden Gate Park, there was a lady who was walking her baby in a stroller. After a while, this lady got tired and rested on the bench right next to the lake, with the stroller right next to her. While she was sitting, another lady came to sit down next to her and they started talking. While they were conversing, the stroller rolled away without notice. The stroller with the baby fell in the lake. After the two women finished talking, the lady noticed her baby was gone and panicked right away. She then walked around Stow Lake and asked people, “Have you seen my baby?” She spent all day and all night asking everyone. When the night was over, the last place she checked was the lake. She went into the lake looking for her baby and ever since she went in there, she hasn’t been seen again.

It is rumored that if someone goes to Stow Lake at night, weird occurrences will take place. People tell me stories that the lady comes up from the lake, the statue that is there comes to life, or a lady will come up to you and ask you, have you seen my baby.

People have reported if they drive there with their friends in a lot of cars, all their cars will stall at the same time. Some people say they saw the lady coming up from the lake and going towards them. Another rumor is said that, if someone says “White lady, white lady, I have your baby” three times, the lady will appear right in front of them. She’ll ask you, “Have you seen my baby?” If you say yes, she’ll haunt you and if you say no, she’ll kill you. It’s a lose-lose situation. It is believed that this lady is dressed in white with her hair and clothes wet. If anyone walks around Stow Lake at night, beware of the White Lady!

The Guardsman, a student-run publication of the Journalism Department of City College of San Francisco. http://www.ccsf.edu/Events_Pubs/Guardsman/f991025/feat04.shtml

 

Haunted Haight Walking Tour" REVIEW" STORY ON HAUNTED BAY CLICK HERE!

http://www.hauntedbay.com/reviews/hauntedhaight2005.shtml

 

Stow Lake, Golden Gate Park

The San Francisco Ghost Society

Many claims of a woman who floats above the lake and is often seen roaming Strawberry Hill. The story was reported almost 100 years ago and is still being said today. The Society investigated with three members, Mike Henderson, Analisa Bastiani and Tommy Netzband.

November 3, 2005. The visibility was perfect and the team gathered for a late dinner and car pooled into the park. Member Analisa Bastiani brought dowsing rods. Mike Henderson brought a video camera and 35mm film camera and captured this amazing photo of Analisa, Tommy and a spirit manifesting itself in front of us.

Volunteer For A Ghost Hunt!

The San Francisco Ghost society is always looking for people who are interested in ghost hunting. We provide all the equipment needed for an investigation. Volunteers just need to donate some time and learn all about ghost phenomena and train on the equipment.

If you are interested in attending a ghost hunt, click here and visit our investigations page to learn about these places and see our calendar for upcoming investigations to these haunted locations.

http://www.sfghostsociety.org/html/investigations_stowlake.html

Best Antidote to Hippie Nostalgia
"If there’s one neighborhood of San Francisco that everyone thinks they know all about, it’s the Haight- Ashbury. We’ve all heard ad infinitum about the tie dye, the drugs, the whole Summer-of-freakin’- Love trip. Fortunately, licensed tour guide Tommy Netzband has found a fresh spin on the old hood for his Haunted Haight Walking Tour."

San Francisco Bay Guardian

 

Read about Tommy Netzband is the founder of the San Francisco Ghost Society and has been studying the paranormal for over 12 years. He is the owner and creator of the Haunted Haight Walking Tour, winner of the San Francisco Bay Guardian's coveted "Best of the Bay" award in 2005. Often called a "ghost historian", Tommy's encyclopedic knowledge has brought him into the spotlight in many articles, most recently in "Ghost Magazine", and at the World Horror Convention's 2006 "Ghost Discussion Panel" where he met his long time mentor, parapsychologist Lloyd Auerbach. < More Here >