Golden, Ore. — A Josephine county ‘ghost town’ is being featured on the season premier of a popular Travel Channel series.
Ghost Adventures chose Golden, Oregon for the first episode. Resident Vicki Janness said the film crew was in the area for a few days. She said she wasn’t surprised; tourists visit the area frequently, but most of the time, the area is quiet.
“Living out here is kind of cool, nobody bothers you, you do your own thing,” Janness said.
Janness has lived near the rural Josephine county community for nearly 20 years. Needless to say, she knows the historical site inside and out.
“This was the town, and they did the mining down here where the ponds are,” Janness said.
Golden has a rich history, and a lot of the original buildings are still standing. Formed in the 1800’s as a mining community, the town flourished with two churches, a school, and not a single bar. But the town’s fortune took a downward turn.
“I’ve heard stories about when the Chinese was here mining, and how a bunch of them died,” Janness said.
Rumor has it, hey ran out of food, and started eating the newts near the ponds. Janness said that meal killed more than 60 people… and since then, things have been a little spooky.
“I’ve seen a little bit of stuff, not a whole lot, course i don’t come down here at night time.”
Once dusk settles in, residents and ghost hunters alike have reported seeing things in the windows of the old buildings.
“Shadows, like a figure of a ghost, spirit,” Janness said.
Janness won’t step foot inside the old school building. While the church may be haunted as well, she said it has a different feel.
“The preacher that used to have the church way back when, apparently he passed away,” Janness said. “And they think that maybe his spirit is still here.”
The stories have attracted tourists for years, but this summer, Janness said they brought an unusual visitor to the area.
“Oh, we’re from the travel channel,” Janness said.
The show Ghost Adventures is highlighting Golden in the new season’s first episode. Janness said their investigation may shed some light on what happens when the sun goes down.
“If there is something here, maybe they’ll find it, have some proof,” Janness said.
Ghost Adventures premieres Saturday night at 9 p.m. on the Travel Channel.
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