Petaluma Historical Library and Museum — Centennial Séance Venue
A decades-old Halloween tradition that once drew crowds into Bennett Valley living rooms and reportedly haunted Sonoma County buildings is coming back to life in downtown Petaluma. The Petaluma Historical Library and Museum will revive the Harry Houdini séance for Halloween weekend, staging what it calls a centennial gathering on October 30 inside its historic 1906 building at 20 4th St., running from 7 to 9 p.m.
The timing is deliberate: Harry Houdini died in Detroit, Michigan, on October 31, 1926, making this year’s October 30 event the eve of the 100th anniversary; according to the seed facts reported by The Press Democrat, he died of a ruptured appendix while performing shows there in October 1926. Museum executive director Stacey Atchley said the community has shown sustained interest in reviving the Houdini séance, according to the same report. Leading this year’s attempt to reach beyond the grave is Jenessa Wyatt, a Sonoma County psychic and professional medium, who will lead the séance.
A Petaluma Tradition That Began in 1964
The roots of this ritual run deep in local history. Petaluma Argus-Courier columnist Bill Soberanes, together with local magicians Nahman Nissen and Fred Daniels, organized the original séance attempting to contact Houdini’s spirit in Petaluma in 1964, as the Press Democrat’s retrospective on Sonoma County Halloween history recounts. That first séance was held in a Bennett Valley home, drawing about 40 attendees, with thirteen people forming an inner circle seated around a table set with candles and props — a pistol, ouija board, handcuffs, and Houdini’s own magic wand, per the same account…