THE STORY
Reported Haunting
Griffith Observatory has been associated with reports of a friendly former grounds janitor appearing inside the building and a mysterious sailor apparition seen walking outside.
Griffith Observatory opened in 1935 on the slopes of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park. Alongside the broader supernatural folklore surrounding Griffith Park, the Observatory has developed its own reported hauntings. A Los Angeles Times article on local paranormal investigations described a former grounds janitor in a beige uniform who was reportedly seen sitting on a bench or walking through the Observatory. Investigators also reported encountering the apparition of a sailor outside the building, traditionally believed to have died near the site before the Observatory was constructed. The identities and supernatural nature of these figures remain unverified.