Johnny Cash performing at Folsom State Prison

“At least according to James Brown, operations manager for the prison’s museum. Brown is also a retired corrections officer, having worked many years at the prison, and author of Images of America: Folsom Prison,” reports Brad Smith for the Folsom Telegraph.

“As a young man,” he said, “I had a few experiences that convinced me (ghosts) exists. I believe in them … but I let them be and they leave me alone. Maybe that’s why I never had experiences while I worked at the prison,” Brown said. “But, he adds, that didn’t deter him from asking about stories,” reports Smith.

“I’ve heard that places filled with tragedy and violence can be haunted,” he said. “This is a prison — you have tragedy and violence in prisons. So, I asked about stories and listened.”

“One of the stories he heard is about the Folsom Phantom,” reports Smith.

“I’ve heard stories about people seeing a ghost walking around the front gate,” Brown explains. “According to accounts, the Folsom Phantom is the spirit of a prison guard killed during a 1927 prison right,” reports Smith. “Brown heard the story and it’s noted in Dennis William Hauck’s book, “Haunted Places: The National Registry,” a listing of haunted houses, UFO sightings and unusual creature sightings across the United States.”

Folsom State Prison is a California State Prison located in the city of Folsom, California, 20 miles (32 km) from the state capital of Sacramento, California. Opened in 1880, Folsom is the second-oldest prison in the state of California after San Quentin and was the first in the country to have electricity. Folsom was one of the first maximum security prisons, and as such witnessed the execution of 92 condemned prisoners over a 42-year period. It is possibly best-known in popular culture for two concerts performed at the facility by musician Johnny Cash in the late 1960′s.

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