A quarter-mile walk down a canal.

A white farmhouse overlooking the Merced River.

No flashlights. No adults. No good reason to be there.

In this Season One finale of Turlock Unburied, Scott revisits one of the abandoned places that fascinated local teenagers decades ago. What happened at the Turner House has remained a topic of conversation ever since—and some questions about that night still don't have easy answers.

Also, stick around until the end of the episode for an announcement about the future of Turlock Unburied and a brand-new podcast project.

Audio credits:

• Scary Piano forScary Piano for Haunted House Atmosphere 2 by Lolamoore -- https://freesound.org/s/760738/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
• Telling Ghost Stories.wav by DudeRat -- https://freesound.org/s/558096/ -- -- https://freesound.org/s/760738/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
• Dramatic Piano chord1 by Jedo -- https://freesound.org/s/397003/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
• Tension-Building Horror by Matio888 -- https://freesound.org/s/793492/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

For more than a century, the name Horace Crane has been woven into the fabric of Turlock. His name appears on streets, parks, businesses, and in the pages of local history. But who was Horace Crane—and why do some people believe he never truly left?

In this episode of Turlock Unburied, we explore the remarkable life of one of Turlock's most influential pioneers. Banker, businessman, developer, civic leader, and the city's first mayor, Horace Crane helped shape Turlock during its earliest and most turbulent years. Along the way, we'll uncover forgotten stories from the town's frontier days, including the bizarre and unsettling tale of William Coward—a powerful, volatile land promoter whose threatening behavior once left Horace fearing for his life during a terrifying wagon ride through early Turlock.

Then, we step inside one of downtown's most historic buildings: the old Turlock Mercantile Building. For decades, employees, tenants, and visitors have reported strange sounds, unexplained encounters, and an uneasy feeling that they are not alone. Many of those stories have become connected to one name: Horace Crane.

Is it simply local folklore? A case of mistaken identity? Or could one of Turlock's founding fathers still be keeping watch over the city he helped build?

Join us as we explore the life, legacy, and legend of Horace Crane.

In this episode:

• The life and accomplishments of Horace Crane
• Turlock's early boom years and frontier history
• The strange and frightening story of William Coward
• The history of the Turlock Mercantile Building
• Ghost stories, eyewitness accounts, and local legend

The Legend of Horace Crane: Founder, Banker, Ghost is a journey into one of Turlock's most enduring mysteries.

In January of 1980, a rare tornado tore directly through Turlock, leaving behind twisted metal, shattered homes, destroyed businesses, and a town struggling to understand what had just happened. For twelve terrifying minutes, the funnel carved a path across the city — from open fields near Linwood Avenue to neighborhoods and industrial blocks near South Avenue and Golden State Boulevard. Residents described roofs lifting into the sky, walls collapsing inward, and a sound many would never forget.

In this episode of Turlock Unburied, we revisit the day the storm came to town through archival newspaper accounts, eyewitness memories, and haunting photographs taken in the aftermath.

Then, in the second half of the episode, we travel to an old house on West Main Street where strange events were said to follow the death of a young boy. Family members claimed they heard footsteps, movement in empty rooms, and the unmistakable feeling that someone — or something — remained behind long after the funeral was over.

One story is rooted in documented history.
The other lives in whispers and memory.
Both left scars on Turlock that never fully disappeared.

Audio credits:

-Scary Piano forScary Piano for Haunted House Atmosphere 2 by Lolamoore -- https://freesound.org/s/760738/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

-Telling Ghost Stories.wav by DudeRat -- https://freesound.org/s/558096/ -- -- https://freesound.org/s/760738/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

-Dramatic Piano chord1 by Jedo -- https://freesound.org/s/397003/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

-Tension-Building Horror by Matio888 -- https://freesound.org/s/793492/ -- License: Attribution 4.0