The Story of How I Survived the Night Tour of This Famous Old TJ House

By Ariday Ortega

TIJUANA.- It was already getting dark when the lights inside the Casa de la Cultura de Tijuana (Tijuana's Culture House) began to go out as an announcement that the night tour throughout its rooms was about to begin.

At 8:00 pm, low pink lights were lit in the windows of the building; however, it was not the only thing that the attendees could notice in the darkness, because there were also some shadows of a girl who was watching from the top of a window on the third floor...

Before entering the dark building, the only source of illumination was the cell phone screens of the attendees, and some colored lights (blue, green and pink).

The tour guide spoke a little about the history of the building, which was built in the 30s, starting as an elementary school called "Álvaro Obregón" till it became the Tijuana's Culture House in the 70s. This space became a home for artists and students of Tijuana, a place that keeps secrets and mysteries that go beyond what we can understand.

Undoubtedly, on Saturday night I discovered some of them while touring this house's Culture Theater, a place that has welcomed great international artists, such as the Orchestra of Israel, Silvio Rodriguez, and Pablo Milanés.

But, it is not the only thing that we can say about this place, since technicians say that when performances end, they can see a strange shadow that walks from one side to the other, and spectators constantly feel someone standing behind them when the room is not crowded.

Another place located inside this big house is the Café Literario (Literary Coffee), which you can find on the third floor. There is also the history room, where teachers and students say they hear, feel and witness "strange things."

While I walked through the empty rooms or corridors, I felt chills while hearing the murmurs or knocks on the doors.

A tragedy occurred in the room 301 back in November 26, when Teresa Esquivel Navarrete died when she fell from the third floor, when she leaned close to one of the windows... many assure that she was there with her mother, that they were going to register her sister in the Álvaro Obregón elementary school.

Many of those who stay late at night in the Casa de la Cultura claim to feel the presence of Teresa or the caretaker in charge in the 80s, who used to knock at each of the doors to ask people to leave.

One of the secrets that still continues without explanation, is that the mural that was created in the beginnings of the Álvaro Obregón Elementary school (which contains iconic elements of the 30s and the Mexican Revolution), was restored years later by an artist whose name is still unknown, but he left an important mark in the hand of President Lázaro Cárdenas (in the mural's image) where he does not have 5 fingers, but 6.

First mural of Tijuana. Photo: Nairda Ortega/San Diego Red

There are so many stories and secrets held in this place that you might not want to read here, but to experience in one of the nigh tours that take place once a month and find out for yourself.