The Estate of Charles Cobb, California

After lumber magnate Charles Cobb retired in 1918, he used his millions to build a sprawling estate in the foothills north of Pasadena. Behind his home was a creepy old woods.

Cobb lived on the property until his death in 1939. True to his wishes, the 107-acre estate was deeded to the Pasadena Masons. When the Masons later sold the property, it came into the ownership the Sisters of St. Joseph, where it was used as a retreat.

During all of this time, the property passed from owner to owner without incident, (or the mention of ghosts.)

And then came the Marx Brothers. The famous comedy act bought the building in 1956. It was falling into disrepair at the time, and although the property was mostly vacant during their ownership, rumours of strange noises and eerie lights, began to circulate among the townsfolk.

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Was it the Marx brothers playing some weird and pointless trick? Or were teenagers visiting the decaying property for nocturnal fun.

Either way, the Brothers Marx tenure over the dilapidated home ended just 3 years later when they ordered for the building to be torn down. From then until 1971, the land remained unused.

Finally, a private donation allowed the city to purchase the land, which is now a popular hiking destination for those generally unaware of the ghostly forest’s, former owners and eerie past.

Cobb Estate

(Image Credits: Hiker Technologies)

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