The Lighthouse

Age: 19
Performance Date: 3/7/16
Primary Language: English

My informant is Olivia. Olivia is a 19-year-old freshman at USC from Palos Verdes, California. She is of Irish and Italian descent and lived in New Jersey for a small amount of time growing up.

 

Olivia: “So there is this lighthouse, by my house, it’s when your driving around the bend by Tarranea on Palos Verdes Drive and there’s the lighthouse. There’s a story that this woman was married to a sailor and he went on his ship and every night she would wait for him. So on this foggy night when she was waiting for him…wait I’m losing the story, I think she just waited for him and he never came back and she waited for him there and sat in the same spot for the rest of her life and died there. And there’s rumors that you can see her at night waiting for her husband. You know that light that goes around like her shadow passes and it’s her. She’ll like flash”

Is this light house on the beach?

Olivia: “No it’s on this cliff so it’s creepier”

Do people ever go to it?

Olivia: “Oh yeah people go there all the time on walks and field trips and stuff but I was always too scared”

Do you think that story is true?

Olivia: “One hundred percent yes”

Do you think her spirit is in there?

Olivia: “Yes like lighthouses are always creepy”

When do you first remember hearing this story?

Olivia: “When I moved right by there, six years ago”

Does this story have any meaning to you since you live by it and grew up on it?

Olivia: “Umm I mean I think it’s a hopeless, romantic, love story because she waited for him so I like it even though I’m afraid”

 

This is an example of a local legend and it’s very stereotypical. It’s centered around a light house and it’s said someone died there waiting for the love and her spirits haunts the lighthouse; it’s very cliché. Having said that I think it’s a great piece of folklore and definitely interesting to hear from someone who believes so strongly in the legend and lives at such proximity to the site. I wouldn’t believe this story because lighthouses are well maintained when they are working but they do give out an eerie vibe.