Big Book of Oregon Ghost Stories

by Janice Oberding Ghost Hunt Conference Lea

As the dense coastal fog rolls in to blanket the shoreline in gloomy silence, one thing becomes very clear. Oregon is a state in which ghosts roam. Not only here on the coast but in the lush green inland regions as well. Oregon is the ninth largest state in the US, and is one of contrasts. From the fertile Willamette Valley with its hundreds of wineries to its rugged coastline; from its twenty-two feet tall Pioneer statue, known affectionately as Gold Man, sitting atop the state capital in Salem to its ghost towns, Oregon is a state of stark beauty, hauntings, and history. Ghosts linger for any number of reasons. Those who’ve stayed in Oregon range from millionaires who refuse to move from their mansions, lonely cemetery inhabitants, those attached to local theaters, saloons and hotels to ladies of the evening who made the wrong life and death decisions. Their reasons for staying put are as varied as there are rose bushes in the state.

Genres: History

272 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2022

Reviews

[Erick Mertz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, I thought this book was pretty poor. As an Oregonian, I expected to find ghost stories both new and familiar. For the most part, I got that.

What didn't work for me was the writing. Some of the "haunted sites" Oberding described were fairly thin, uninspired, uninteresting, or merely speculative. I didn't get a good sense of the research. I could tell, for example, that when she wrote about Oregon City, she had a good source. But so many of the other sites, the really interesting new ones, were rather thin.

[Heidi Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’re looking for entertaining and/or sad ghost stories then this is a read for you. However, I can’t give it more than 3 stars because of these reasons: 1- the geography is wrong for many places. The book is divided into sections (Northern Oregon, Southern Oregon, Coast…) but quite a few of the places are mislabeled. For example- Roseburg is definitely not in Eastern Oregon. 2- I know this is more of a personal reason but as someone with diagnosed OCD I don’t appreciate the term, “I’m so OCD about…” I know that’s just a personal thing but still… it’s a little offensive. And lastly 3- another totally personal reason but the intro says Oregon is properly pronounced with 3 syllables?! As a born and raised Oregonian I don’t know ANYONE from here who pronounces Oregon as anything other than “organ.” Other than those things though, I learned a bit and was entertained which is the purpose of the book.

[Nicole Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a pretty solid collection of ghost stories. There were ways in which I felt let down but I realize it was just me expecting a little more. The first story was exactly what I wanted; a good amount of history, story and gruesome deetz and then as the book went on, it seemed to ebb and flow as far as interesting goes.

[Wraith Tate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love ghost stories; the creepier, the better. Thus, I enjoyed reading this collection of tales from my home state. However, I had some issues. Primarily, this book was very much in need of a proofreader and an editor. Spelling and punctuation errors abound within these pages, and the research seemed a little uneven.