Spectre In Banning

By SmokeyKnight
(3 stories) (193 posts) (the author is a young adult)
Date: 2011-02-02
Country: United States
State: California
Paranormal Category: Haunted Places

In October of 2009 I started a new job working security. I got posted in Banning, CA at an Edison substation. I was working graveyard, patrolling around the outside of the substation. I had been there for a few nights; nothing really seemed out of place at first. We had four checkpoints we had to tag with a GPS device. We didn't have access to the inside, nor the east side of the area due to a neighbouring business. The south side faced the street; the west had a narrow path to walk and a business beyond that surrounded by a chain-link fence.

The north side had a field, and after about 50 feet a set of train tracks. Checkpoint one was the south east side, checkpoint two was south west corner (where I posted my truck), the north west was checkpoint three, and four was the north east. There was an area by the train tracks not on the patrol, but it was the actual north east corner. I walked up to the far area beyond my normal patrol area, as I was prone to do.

As I came back around, I felt the air suddenly get colder and heavier. I thought nothing of it and continued on by checkpoints four and three. As I started down the corridor between three and two, I saw a figure about six foot, blond hair, thin build and slightly glowing walk through the fence (from inside the substation) and through the fence on the opposite side (traveling from east to west). I carried a hand held spotlight since there was so little lighting to the area, and the guy was nowhere to be seen. I ran back toward checkpoint four, and regained my composure. I cautiously walked back to the area I had seen the figure to make sure the fence hadn't been cut. No holes, cuts, or anything else I could find. No footprints, nothing that suggested it had happened.

I went back to my truck and dropped the tailgate and sparked up a cigarette. I set it down to grab something out of my lunch box, and as I went to retrieve my smoke, it glowed like someone was dragging off of it, and then fell to the ground. I thought at first maybe it was a breeze, but the night was completely still.

I'm not sure if it was a ghost or maybe residual energy. I'm not sure if the substation still has security there, I was transferred off that post for a better position a week or so later. If there is no security and you decide to visit (I don't remember directions), watch for Banning PD because they do frequent the area.

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Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, SmokeyKnight, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

DeviousAngel (11 stories) (1910 posts)

14 years ago (2011-02-22)

Sorry, I'm an octopus...that's the only way to have your hand in everything these days.:)

zzsgranny (18 stories) (3329 posts) mod

-1

14 years ago (2011-02-17)

DA: Your post makes a lot of sense... Small pox was a disease unknown or experienced on this continent before the arrival of the "white man", so I'm sure the epidemic caused them to feel as though they had displeased their dieties... That emotion in itself could still be lingering, and causing some residual upheaval (?)...Is that the word I want?...

And off topic, but just how many hands DO you have? 😆 ❤

DeviousAngel (11 stories) (1910 posts)

14 years ago (2011-02-17)

This could be your answer. Pulled off Wikipedia:

"The area, up to the mid-19th century, was inhabited by the Cahuilla people, though the region around Banning was originally Maringayam (Serrano), and the Cahuilla expanded into the pass only in historic times. In 1824 it became part of the Mission San Gabriel Arcangel, and then the Rancho San Gorgonio. The first Anglo to settle in the area was Dr. Isaac Smith in 1853. In 1863 a smallpox epidemic further diminished the Cahuilla. The government created Indian reservations for the Cahuilla in 1877."

On the one hand, you have land formerly occupied by the Native American Cahuilla tribe. Native Americans are a very spiritual people, as you know, and many paranormal experiences have occurred at the sites of Native American burial grounds and holy places. On the other hand you have a railroad and a highway built there, so the person you saw may have been someone who died during the construction of one of those.

On the other hand you have a mass smallpox outbreak, which very likely claimed the lives of settlers there outside of the Cahuilla people.

SmokeyKnight (3 stories) (193 posts)

14 years ago (2011-02-17)

No, I've never had the guts to research it. Every time I think about it I'm never near a computer and when I am near one I forget or I get into that "what if that was something out of my league...".

I'd kind of like to see if anyone else has any kind of experience there before I research it so I know I'm not crazy.

DeviousAngel (11 stories) (1910 posts)

14 years ago (2011-02-16)

Thanks for sharing this. Have you had a chance to do any research on the property where you were doing your security route? There may have been something there before the Edison facility was built, and that may have its own story that would explain who this spirit was.

SmokeyKnight (3 stories) (193 posts)

14 years ago (2011-02-07)

I only worked there about 2 weeks, so my experiences were limited. I've also heard glass break in the area, but nothing to suggest a window or bottle was broken. I was limited to my post, so I guess it could have been from across the street. It sounded like it came from inside the substation though. If you happen to be in that area and there is no security I would say have fun and smoke a cigarette or bring a recorder or something. I never got brave enough to figure out what was happening where I worked.

taz890 (12 stories) (1380 posts)

14 years ago (2011-02-07)

great story liked this one glad to hear might still be able to have a smoke when pass on lol

SmokeyKnight (3 stories) (193 posts)

14 years ago (2011-02-07)

I'm not too familiar with lore and such for that area. All I know is it was off of like 8th street from the I10. If I recall it was 8th street exit, go south to the stop sign, turn left (east) and it was beyond the next stop sign on the left hand side. I may be mistaken on the exit name, but I remember it was one of those numbered streets (being that there were only 2 from the freeway in Banning).

DCinAZ (guest)

14 years ago (2011-02-07)

Yeah, I grew up in the surrounding area. That's why I asked if it was closer to town or out in the pasture lands. There were always a lot of stories about old pickers that were buried out in the groves, when they had more groves anyway.

SmokeyKnight (3 stories) (193 posts)

14 years ago (2011-02-07)

Banning is out in the desert on the way to Palm Springs. There really wasn't a lot of civilization in that area.

DCinAZ (guest)

14 years ago (2011-02-07)

All right, I'll bite. Was this closer to town or out near the horse and cattle pastures? I haven't been there in a while, but I have passed through on I10 coming from and returning to Arizona.
The reason I ask is that when I was small, most of the open land was either pasture or citrus groves and there were a few old ghost stories about old fruit pickers getting killed and buried out in the groves. For all I know they could have been made up to keep us kids away (didn't work). Just a thought... 😉

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