San Francisco and its neighboring cities are well known among ghost hunters as a hub for paranormal activity.

State of play: From the sobbing inmates of Alcatraz Island to the vengeful spirits of Winchester Mystery House, we've got no shortage of haunted spots.

Here are some lesser-known spots:

1. The Curran Theater

A phantom that once worked at the Curran as a ticket taker is said to haunt the lobby, where he died days before he was set to marry.

• Hewlett G. Tarr was working the ticket office in 1933 when a man shoved his revolver through the window and shot him in the chest.
• Many theatergoers report seeing his spectral image in the oversized mirror near the Curran's entrance.

2. Donaldina Cameron House

In the 1870s, the Presbyterian Church founded the Occidental Mission Home for Girls as a safe haven for Chinese women in the era of the Chinese Exclusion Act.

• Donaldina Cameron took over as superintendent in 1897 and focused her efforts on saving Chinese girls from indentured servitude and human trafficking.
• The mission was regularly harassed by brothel owners and police officers, but after it burned down in the 1906 earthquake, Cameron ensured the new structure for the home was designed with hidden passages.
• These tunnels ultimately trapped several young girls when another fire broke out a few years later and burned them to death. These are the souls said to haunt the Cameron House today.

3. Haskell House at Fort Mason

Walk around this historic house at night and you might run into a ghostly figure in a top hat pacing around the grounds and other paranormal activity.

• The ghost is said to be U.S. Sen. David C. Broderick (D-California), who died in a duel with a pro-slavery activist in the 1850s.
• It's believed that Broderick and his friend Col. Leonides K. Haskell, both outspoken anti-slavery officials, had hidden runaway slaves from the Underground Railroad in the cellar of Haskell's house.

4. Queen Anne Hotel

This building, once an elite girls' boarding school in the 1800s, is said to be haunted by headmistress Miss Mary Lake.

• Guests who stay in Room 410, which some speculate is her previous office, have reported feeling a paranormal presence that tucked them into bed and neatly unpacking their suitcases when they're out.

More haunted spots

Different colored pumpkins and pails hold more meaning — and controversy — than some might think on Halloween night.

The big picture: Trick-or-treating can be a fun, terrifying or potentially dangerous experience for kids with different needs.

• Some groups and families signal safety with teal, blue and purple pumpkins or buckets to help kids with food allergies, autism and epilepsy.

Teal pumpkins

What it means: Non-food treats will be given out.

• How it works: Homes participating in the tradition will put out a teal bucket or teal-painted pumpkin, signaling they are offering allergy-safe treats. Trick-or-treaters will look out for them on Halloween night or plan before going out via a map.

Blue pumpkins or buckets

What it means: Autism awareness.

• If a child is holding a blue bucket, they might not be able to say "trick-or-treat" but still would like one.

Yes, but: There's been some pushback from families who argue that it's othering and kids shouldn't have to explain their autism in exchange for kindness.

What we're hearing: "It's truly case-by-case for each family and individual," the National Autism Association's Lori McIlwain tells Axios.

Purple pumpkins

What it means: Epilepsy awareness.

• The idea was, people would ask: "Why are your pumpkins purple?" And, suddenly, the door is open to talk about epilepsy.

Go deeper

🗑️ San Francisco residents will receive an average $18 annual refund for two years after refuse collector Recology admitted that it overcharged city customers by $24 million. (Mission Local)

🚊 The federal government has awarded nearly $25 million to local transportation officials' project to complete the downtown rail extension. (SF Examiner)

🌁 Brace yourself — more toll bridge increases could be on the way. (Marin Independent Journal)

There's gonna be a LOT of Halloween festivities going on this weekend.

• We already compiled some of the highlights, but here are a few others — including non-Halloween related events — on our radar.

🍿 "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice"

Take the family to watch the new Warner Bros. film at the Giants' stadium.

• 6pm Friday at Oracle Park. Tickets for general admission are $25.

🪦 Festival of Altars

Build an altar to honor an ancestor or participate in honoring others' at this Day of the Dead event.

• 8am-6pm Saturday at Potrero Del Sol Park. Free.

🍵 International Tea Festival

Taste test hundreds of teas from over 30 different tea makers, including established vendors and local artisans.

• 11am-5pm Saturday and Sunday at the Ferry Building. Tickets start at $26.31.

More events