THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The Katie Wheeler Library in Irvine, California, is a public library built as an exact replica of "The Mansion"—the historic 1876 Irvine family ranch home that was destroyed by an electrical fire in 1965. The property is widely considered one of Orange County's most prominent paranormal hot spots. Local folklore centers around the ghost of Kathryn Helena Irvine—daughter of James Irvine II and mother of the library's namesake, Katie Wheeler—who tragically died on-site due to childbirth complications in 1920. Visitors and staff frequently report seeing a phantom "Lady in Blue" roaming the book aisles, hearing disembodied singing at 8:00 AM, and encountering a tall male apparition believed to be James Irvine himself wandering the surrounding historic grounds.
A “lady in blue” is seen here. It is believed to be the daughter of the former property owner; she died while giving birth.