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The Lighthouse - Classic - Spooked | Wave AI Podcast Notes

The Lighthouse - Classic

Fri Apr 10 2026

The Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast on the Oregon Coast used to be a lightkeeper’s home–and it has a reputation for being very haunted. So Spooked producer, Zoë Ferrigno, went to investigate.

Summary

Spooked: “The Lighthouse – Classic” (April 10, 2026)

Episode Overview

This episode of Spooked, produced by KQED and Snap Studios and hosted by Glynn Washington (with Zoe Frigno reporting), explores the supernatural legends swirling around the Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast on the Oregon coast. Through firsthand accounts from staff and guests, it investigates the lore of “Rue,” a ghost believed to haunt the property, and the unsettling, inexplicable events experienced by those who have lived or stayed there.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Arrival at the Haunted Lighthouse

Zoe Frigno recounts her arrival at the Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast, setting a moody, tense atmosphere due to nearby wildfires, ash falling like snow, and a hazy red moon.
Joined by B&B staff Lena and Rihanna, as well as Rihanna’s partner and child, Zoe hikes up the cliff to the lighthouse at night, emphasizing the location’s eerie beauty.

“Ash was falling from the sky like snow and there was a haze of smoke covering the full moon.” — Zoe Frigno, [04:17]

2. The Legend of Rue

The B&B, once home to lighthouse keepers and their families, is rumored to be haunted, most notably by a female apparition known as “Rue.”
Michelle, the B&B manager, describes “Rue” as an old-timey woman often associated with local ghost stories. The name “Rue” allegedly came from a Ouija board session.

“There were stories of people seeing the apparition of a woman wearing old timey clothes. Legend has it that some caretakers … tried to get in touch with her using a Ouija board, and it spelled out R U E. The name stuck.” — Zoe Frigno, [08:50]

Despite skepticism, Michelle admits experiencing odd phenomena herself, such as objects levitating without explanation.

3. Firsthand Experiences: Skepticism Turns to Belief

Michelle’s paranormal event: During a wedding service, a bowl of potatoes levitated and dropped to the ground in front of multiple witnesses.

“The bowl of potatoes basically looked to me like it levitated away from the shelf and dropped to the ground … all of us just paused and looked at each other like, what was that?” — Michelle, [11:02]
Daniel Walker, former caretaker: Felt a constant “presence” during his first six months and witnessed objects being swept off his nightstand.

“Suddenly the objects on my end table, box of tissues, my cup just go flying off.” — Daniel Walker, [13:31]

4. Jennifer’s Story: From Skeptic to Witness

Jennifer, a B&B worker, initially dismisses the ghost stories as local legend, but recounts two chilling personal experiences:
- The Woman in the Mirror: She sees a dark-haired, 30-something woman in a white blouse sitting pensively in a chair’s reflection. When Jennifer returns moments later, the woman is gone, and no one else is in the house.
  
  “Out of the corner of my eye, in the very large mirror … I see the reflection of a woman sitting in a chair looking out the window. Her chin is resting on her hand, and she’s very quiet and pensive.” — Jennifer, [15:44]
- Recognition: Later, she recognizes the woman in a historic photograph as “Jenny,” the actual wife of a lightkeeper, matching the apparition’s description.
  
  “I absolutely got a shiver up my spine. And I realized that is the woman that I saw sitting in the reflection of the mirror.” — Jennifer, [18:19]

5. Overnight Confrontation with the Unknown

Jennifer volunteers to stay overnight for security during offseason renovations, bringing her skeptical partner, Steve.
Strange events escalate:
- Front door slams and locks itself; keys won’t work until entering through the basement ([24:20]).
- Unexplained voices: Jennifer twice hears a man and woman’s voices murmuring questions from the parlor ([25:35], [27:20]).
- Footsteps overhead: Both hear pacing, with increasing urgency and dread ([28:49]–[31:03]).
  
  “I don’t believe what I’m about to say, but we’re not wanted there. I just feel it on an intuitive level.” — Steve, [31:03]
Overcome with fear, they flee the house. As they run, their Bluetooth speaker emits loud static — despite being off — until they’re far away ([33:12]–[34:12]).

6. Theories on the Haunting: Who is Rue?

Jennifer speculates the ghost is not “Rue,” but Jenny, the lonely lightkeeper’s wife, based on her vision and local records ([21:29]).
Discussion emerges that when things are in disorder or strangers visit, the spirit becomes agitated; several workers report similar experiences of disturbances or helpful tidying.

“When things are in disarray or a little chaotic around here, that’s when we get participation.” — Michelle, [36:07] “There is a helpful spirit here that is still just kind of taking care of the place and kind of providing hospitality to a certain extent.” — Daniel Walker, [36:17]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Zoe Frigno reflects:

“It didn’t feel scary in the house. It was actually really cozy and warm. But just for good measure…To Rue, to Jenny, to whoever might be here, thank you for having me. Your house is beautiful and please don’t scare me in the night.” — Zoe Frigno, [37:59]
Jennifer on seeing Jenny’s picture:

“I absolutely got a shiver up my spine. And I realized that is the woman that I saw sitting in the reflection of the mirror.” — Jennifer, [18:19]
Steve’s moment of belief:

“I don’t believe what I’m about to say, but we’re not wanted there. I just feel it on an intuitive level.” — Steve, [31:03]

Important Timestamps

[04:17] – Introduction to the lighthouse’s atmosphere and first hike up the cliff
[08:50] – Ghost legend origin and history
[11:02] – Michelle’s levitating potatoes event
[13:31] – Daniel’s story of poltergeist activity
[15:44] – Jennifer sees the woman in the mirror
[22:19]–[34:12] – Jennifer and Steve’s overnight haunting
[36:07] – Theory: Hauntings occur when the house is chaotic
[37:59] – Zoe speaks aloud to any resident spirits

Thematic Takeaways

The episode underscores the lingering effects of isolation, loss, and longing rooted in a place’s history — whether real, imagined, or somewhere in between.
It raises timeless questions about spirits: are hauntings echoes of memories, manifestations of unresolved longing, or exaggerations of imagination?
Above all, it’s a reminder that some places seem to hold onto their past, demanding respect and caution from those who visit or disturb what once was.

For those who haven’t listened:
This episode offers richly layered, firsthand ghost stories intertwined with thoughtful reflections on history, community legends, and the unexplained — delivering the eerie, empathetic storytelling at the heart of the Spooked series. Would you dare stay at the lighthouse overnight? The answer may depend on whether you believe in the stories… or have experienced them yourself.

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Transcript

Narrator / Host (Zoe Frigno) (0:06)

The night and the light sat down for tea and there they made the wager Said night to light your sun shines bright But I bet I can cage her light Laughed at night Try that you might, you'd find yourself in danger Night's eagle swallowed up the light the night had won the wager. Listen to Spooked. Stay tuned.

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Narrator / Host (Zoe Frigno) (2:29)

Sam. A while back, we received a letter from a woman named Jennifer. And Jennifer told us a story about a bed and breakfast on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Built next to a lighthouse, this bed and breakfast is where the light keepers and their families lived. And there are rumors that some of them never left. So on a very special episode, we're packing our bags and joining Spook producer Zoe Fergno on a very special field trip. Spook starts Now.

Zoe Frigno (Producer / Reporter) (4:17)

When I first arrived at the Hesita Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast, everyone kept telling me the same thing. You have to walk up to the lighthouse at night. The view from up there is supposedly spectacular. So that evening I waited until the sun went down, and then I headed out up a forested trail that snakes along the edge of a cliff. Along the way, I ran into some people. Two of them, Lena and Rhianna, work at the bed and breakfast. They were on their way up to the lighthouse with Rhianna's partner Dane and nine year old son Adric, and they invited me to join them. To be honest, I was happy to have some company. It was kind of a strange night. Wildfires were burning just to the east of us. Ash was falling from the sky like snow and there was a haze of smoke covering the full moon. Very good.

Jennifer (Bed and Breakfast Worker) (24:20)

The music stops. Without any explanation, it gets very quiet. The front door is locked, but I had the keys in my pocket. So I get up and I try the key in the lock. And it won't turn. I can't move it. I can't get it open. It won't open, which I find mysterious. My only other option is to go through the basement door. So I walk around the house, and I go down to the basement door. And this time my key works. The light switch to the basement is all the way on the other side. And I have to go through the dark. I run through as quickly as I can, and I turn the switch on. I run up the stairs. And as I'm walking by the parlor, I hear voices coming from the parlor. And my Heart starts to race a little bit. It was almost like a man and a woman's low murmuring. I can't make out what they're saying, but it sounded like questions. What are they doing here? Why are they here? Who is this? But then as I kind of start to walk forward, they stop. And then I looked into the parlor. There's no one there. It was really unnerving. But then I think I'm probably just getting worked up. Maybe it's wind. So I go back out on the porch. We prop the door a little bit open and we sit there for a few minutes. And we've had our glass of wine and we've enjoyed the view. And it is starting to get a little cold. It is January. We decide we're going to go upstairs and go to bed. So the room that Steve and I decide to stay in that night is the Queen Anne room. And it's really the most romantic. It's got a four post bed, it has draping, it's dark reds and golds. It feels the most elegant and regal. Steve started getting settled and I ran back down to grab some water. And I came back by the parlor and heard the voices a second time. When I heard the voices the first time, I made excuses for it, what it might be. And this time I know I heard voices. I was getting very nervous that something was going on that could not be explained. I just have this uneasy feeling that we're not there alone. I'm going up the stairs and I'm thinking I'm really nervous about staying the night now. But I felt I needed to follow through with my commitment. I had said I would stay there that night for security reasons. And I always do what I say I'm going to do. So I ignored my fear. I figured once we got all settled in, I would feel more comfortable.

Narrator / Host (Zoe Frigno) (38:34)

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much to all those who shared their knowledge and their stories about the Lightkeepers home. To Jennifer, to Steve, Michelle, Mary, Daniel and Adric. The story it's dedicated to the memory of Pam Porter, Zoe's beloved grandmother. May you rest in blessings and wherever you are, know that your granddaughter loves you very much as you loved her. The original score for the story was by Doug Stewart. It was produced by Pam Porter's granddaughter, Zoe Frigno. If you need more spooked, be afraid. Because each and every week you can listen anywhere, on any platform. Please let somebody know. It's the only way this works. And spooksters, this was a story about a very specific place. Maybe you know of a very specific place that we need to know about, and if you do, please tell me about it. Spooked@snapjudgment.org that's the only way this happens. And there's nothing better than a spooked story from a spooked listener. Spooked@snapjudgment.org if you like your storytelling that is not cloaked in shadow, embrace our sister podcast, the amazing stupendous Snap Judgment. Snap is going to take you for a ride. Snap Judgment's on podcast platforms everywhere. This book is brought to you by the team that won't hesitate to travel to a cold, desolated overhang in order to seek the heart of the mystery. Except, of course, Mark Ristage. He's all about the room service in the hot tub. There's Davey Kim, Zoe Frigno, Ann Ford, Eric Yanez, Teo Da Cott, Marissa Dodge, Miles Lassie, Doug Stewart, Paulina Creaky, Elizabeth Z. Pardue, Aditya Matu, and Lulu Jemima. The spook theme song is by Pat McC Miller. My name is from Washington and some things can happen anywhere. Any place you meet that guy, win that car, run from that dog can happen just about anywhere. But other things simply will not occur, cannot occur unless you happen upon one very specific nowhere else in all the universe, not one foot to the left, not one foot to the right. Place, lifetimes, civilizations have been altered because one person stood a hair away from the precipice that another person happened upon. Because all places are not the same as all other places. Places have echoes, places have histories, places have stories. And maybe, maybe places have wants and needs and jealousies and hurts the same as any other energy we might imagine that this place, that this spot wishes us no harm. Perhaps I just say born of my own experience, it's probably best to take some precautions. Caution, my advice is to never ever, never ever, ever turn out the.