The Haunting of Union Brewery: SDPE’s Paranormal Encounter That Echoed Into Ghost Adventures

In 2013, I joined San Diego Paranormal Eye (SDPE) on a multi-site investigation in one of America’s most paranormally active towns: Virginia City, Nevada. As SDPE’s embedded reporter, oI was tasked with documenting our investigations of several histric sites, including the Gold Hill Hotel, Silver Queen Hotel, Miner’s Cabin, and the legendary Old Washoe Club.

But the most unexpected—and chilling—investigation came from a chance encounter during a lunch break.

An Unplanned Invitation

While dining with SDPE investigator Marilee, a local woman named Dawn approached us. She had overheard our conversation and asked the familiar question: “Are you ghost hunters?” Upon confirming, she shared her story. She and her husband had recently purchased the historic Union Brewery building and were living onsite in an RV while overseeing renovations.

Dawn described unexplained phenomena—sounds, sensations, and a growing darkness affecting her husband. She said he had become fixated on the property, mentally and emotionally consumed by the building. Her concern was genuine, and her request was simple: would we investigate?

We agreed.

First Contact with the Unknown

The Union Brewery had already proven itself a place of heavy energy. Built in 1866 after a fire destroyed its predecessor, the building later served briefly as a funeral home. That history alone was enough to stir up residual energy, but we would soon discover it held something much darker.

During our investigation, SDPE team lead Stan Thompson and Marilee both reported intense emotional discomfort on the upper level. A shadow figure—tall and deliberate—was seen by some group members gliding across the walls, avoiding direct engagement. The feeling of being watched was near constant.

Yet the most compelling moment of the night came at the very end.

The Basement Stairwell Incident

After wrapping up our basement session—where we received notable ITC responses from the Ovilus device—Stan and I were the last two ascending the basement stairs. That’s when we were hit by what felt like a compressed blast of air, rushing upward between us, toward the main floor.

We both froze.

Stan turned to me. “What was that?”

“I have no idea,” I replied. “It felt and sounded like a rush of air going up the staircase.”

We examined the area thoroughly. There were no open vents, fans, or natural airflow that could explain it. With years of investigation experience between us, we were used to uncovering rational explanations. This time, we had none. We were left stunned and unsettled.

A Haunting Case Lost to Corruption

Strangely, nearly all of the data we collected during our 2013 SDPE investigation of the Union Brewery was corrupted. Audio files, video footage, and environmental sensor logs were either incomplete or rendered unreadable. What remained were only a few salvageable EVP recordings—but even those carried an unnerving quality. Whether coincidence or something more, the data loss added another layer of mystery to an already compelling case.

Years Later: Ghost Adventures Confirms the Paranormal

In 2019, tragedy struck. Dawn had divorced her husband. He remained at the property, living in the upstairs apartment. Sadly, he passed away inside the building and wasn’t found for several weeks.

Haunted by the experiences and escalating activity, Dawn reached out to Zak Bagans and the Ghost Adventures team. Their episode, titled “Union Brewery of Death,” became one of the most intense investigations ever aired on the show.

The team documented aggressive spiritual phenomena eerily similar to what we encountered:

• A dark entity in the basement stairwell
• Psychic warnings of children trapped by a non-human force
• Sudden chest pains and breathing issues among investigators
• Emotional shifts, violent energy, and even claims of possession

During their lockdown, the team captured compelling evidence: EMF spikes, unexplained light anomalies, chilling EVP recordings (“I need help”), and a figure crawling under the basement stairs—right where Stan and I experienced that rush of energy.

A Haunting Across Time

What began as an impromptu investigation for SDPE would later echo through national television. The events we witnessed in 2013 were not isolated; they were part of an ongoing haunting that intensified over the years.

The Union Brewery isn’t just another haunted building—it’s a place that changes people. It consumes, isolates, and leaves a mark long after you walk out the door.

This experience reminded me of a core truth in paranormal investigation: the most powerful stories often begin not with a headline, but with a whispered plea from someone who’s living through the unexplainable.