Turnbull Canyon

  1. Main Piece: Ghost stories that encompass this place in Southern California known as Turnbull Canyon
  2. Informant Background
    • What is it: It is a street near Whittier that winds through a Canyon, and has many horror stories linked to it. There is a long straight road along a cliff that is rumored to have drivers often race down, however there are those who don’t know that there is a sharp turn at the end of the road, and thus they drive off of the cliff. There is also a graveyard located along Turnbull Canyon, and that only adds to the scare around the location. It is also said that people come out to practice dark magic here. Beyond just that, there are many rumors of murders in the area. And finally, the cherry on top: it is said that Native Americans would hang those sentenced to death at a tree in the Canyon named the “Hanging Tree”
    • Where did you learn it: In high school, there were always kids who would talk about experiences they had at Turnbull Canyon. Some kids saying that they saw the ghost headlights of racers who died in the Canyon in their rearview mirrors. Some kids saying that they hung from the “Hanging Tree” and heard a bellowed shout that said “LEAVE FROM HERE NOW!” I had to experience it for myself, so a couple friends and I, equipped with flashlights and baseball bats, decided to drive down Turnbull Canyon one night. The scariest part about it – there was no cellphone reception and there were no streetlights in the deeper parts of the Canyon. It was not too distinct, but we heard a shout as we drove by the Hanging Tree, it was right near the graveyard. We had heard the stories, so none of us were willing to stop the car and get out. We turned back around and left the Canyon after that.
    • Who have you heard variations of these ghost stories from: 
      • Friends
      • Teachers
  3. My Thoughts
    • These stories seem to be motivated and fueled by the stories and the folklore that already encompass the area itself. The experiences that people have in Turnbull Canyon could be largely exaggerated either through the adrenaline the individuals are feeling as they are going through the Canyon (due to fear from the stories they have heard), or through simply telling and retelling of the story.