- Stokes Adobe, a home and former restaurant in Monterrey, California, is back on the market.
- The building is reportedly haunted, and has been attached to ghost stories since the tragic deaths of its early owners.
- The building has been empty since 2017, and the sellers are asking for $3 million.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
A historic, and possibly haunted, landmark is on the market in northern California.
The Stokes Adobe in Monterey, California was first built in 1833 as a single large room, and it's been expanded over the years since, SFGate reported. Local legends and stories say that James Stokes, who bought the property in 1837, had a life filled with tragedy in the house. Stokes' past is unclear, but some say he was a British sailor who left his post, while others say that he stole medical supplies and impersonated a doctor.
In 1844, Stokes expanded the house, adding a second floor and several extra rooms, according to SFGate. In 1855, his wife Josefa died at only 39 years old. Within a few years, their oldest son drowned, and in 1864 James Stokes died by suicide, according to local papers.
Despite the bad luck of its owners, the house was owned by several families until it became a restaurant in the 1950s, which saw Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and other celebrities as guests. More recently, the building was Restaurant 1833, an homage to the home's original construction date. Since the restaurant closed, the building has been empty for several years, and some past owners have said that the Stokes haunt the building.
Now, 500 Hartnell St. is on the market asking $2.975 million, listed with Cicily Sterling at The Agency.
Take a look inside this historic building.
The structure is a historic landmark in Monterey.
Alongside stories of its paranormal past, it has also been an apothecary, and home to the first newspaper press in California.
It's built in a colonial style...
...with outdoor space for dining or entertaining guests, including four fire pits.
The building is zoned as a multi-use area, so there is commercial potential for the buyer.
The building still has a commercial kitchen from its restaurant days.
"I would keep it a restaurant because it's set up for that, maybe make it a little bit on trend," Sterling told SFGate.
Source: SFGate
With additions like a pizza oven, there are many possibilities for this structure.
One of the larger rooms is set up to seat diners, but it could be repurposed as a living, personal dining room, or something else entirely.
Built-in booths could work for a restaurant, or a cozy breakfast nook.
The first floor has plenty of open space, which the listing specifies could also be repurposed as a retail space.
A room styled like a library is finished in dark wood.
Details like fireplaces and chandeliers nod to the building's history.
From its restaurant days, the building also has a wine cellar...
...and bar.
The entire building is just over 7,200 square feet.
It has four bedrooms and four bathrooms.
Sterling denies noticing anything paranormal herself in the house. "I've heard lots of rumors about it, but myself haven't experienced anything," she told SFGate.
