Leland Stanford Mansion

This elegant Victorian mansion served as the home of Leland Stanford, railroad magnate, former California Governor, U.S. Senator, and founder of Stanford University. The Stanfords raised their only child, Leland Jr., in this home before his tragic death from typhoid fever at age 15 in 1884. His grieving parents founded Stanford University in his memory. The mansion now serves as a state historic park and reception venue.

The Leland Stanford Mansion, originally built in 1856 by Gold Rush merchant Shelton Fogus, was purchased by Leland and Jane Stanford for $8,000. Stanford served as California's eighth governor from 1862-1863, and the mansion served as the office of three governors during the turbulent 1860s. The Stanfords welcomed their only son, Leland Jr., on May 14, 1868, and in 1872 expanded the mansion into the stunning Italianate architecture seen today.

Tragedy permeated these walls. Leland Stanford Sr.'s mother died within the mansion. In 1883, the Stanfords' beloved 15-year-old son Leland Jr. died of typhoid fever while traveling in Florence, Italy. The loss devastated Jane Stanford, who desperately tried to contact her dead son through séances. What she may have succeeded in doing was opening a door that has never fully closed.

Legend holds that the ghost of Leland Jr. appeared at his father's bedside one night as he slept, instructing him to build a university. Whether supernatural visitation or grief-inspired dream, the result was the same: in 1891, Stanford University was established in memory of their only child.

In 1900, Jane Stanford donated the mansion to the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, along with an endowment of $75,000 in railroad bonds, "for the nurture, care and maintenance of homeless children." The Sisters of Mercy operated the Stanford & Lathrop Memorial Home for Friendless Children for 32 years. The spirits of children—and perhaps of Leland Jr. himself—seem to have remained.

Director Casey Hayden has worked at the Stanford Mansion for over a decade and confirms he's not the only employee to experience something paranormal. One staff member saw "an image of a partygoer" moving through a hallway. A former State Senator attending an event felt someone bump into his dining chair, though no one had walked past. Twenty minutes later, he felt the distinct sensation of someone breathing in his ear, followed by fingers running across his shoulders—yet he was alone.

After a 14-year, $22 million restoration, the mansion now serves as California's official reception center for world leaders. Free tours are offered on the hour, and haunted tours—recommended only for those over 10—reveal the ghosts that still call this historic home their own.