Discover Texas’s Forgotten History: One Abandoned Location for Every Autumn Month

If I had to pick my favorite haunted place in Texas, I don't think I could narrow it down to just one. From historic battlegrounds to ghost town cemeteries and mysterious lights deep in the forest, there are numerous destinations in the Lone Star State where spirits are said to roam. I've included three of the most bone-chilling spots, one for each month of fall, that are sure to scare you silly and leave you with stories to tell.

September - Bragg Road, Saratoga

Let’s kick autumn off with one of my favorite haunted places in Texas: Bragg Road. Located in the tiny town of Saratoga, Bragg Road is home to one of several so-called “ghost lights” across the country, or mysterious glowing orbs whose existence has no definitive explanation. The seven/mile road is all dirt now, but it was part of the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railway in the early 1900s, transporting oil from Saratoga to Hardin County. As the legend goes, a railroad worker was tragically decapitated by an oncoming train and now haunts the road in search of his missing head. Visiting Bragg Road is a Halloween tradition for many Southeast Texans, including me. I’ve seen the light countless times over the years, and it never gets any less eerie — mostly because I still have no idea what it is or where it comes from. Last year, I drove out there and took some photos of the Bragg Light so y’all could see it for yourselves. Spooky, right? It really does look like a lantern bobbing in the darkness. 

October - The Quarters at Presidio La Bahía, Goliad

October just wouldn’t feel right without staying in a haunted hotel in Texas. Well, The Quarters at Presidio La Bahía in Goliad isn’t exactly a hotel — it’s even better. This guest house in the historic Spanish mission and site of the infamous Goliad massacre is one of the most unique places to spend the night in Texas, allowing you to experience this 18th-century relic in a way few people ever will. The Quarters originally housed officers of the mission, and later, Catholic diocesan priests. With two bedrooms, a living and dining area with a fireplace, a kitchen, a full bathroom, and central heat and air conditioning, the apartment offers enough modern conveniences to keep you comfortable — but the foreboding stone walls ensure that you never forget you’re staying in a fort that saw over 400 Texian prisoners gruesomely slain by the Mexican Army. It makes sense, then, why many guests of The Quarters have seen, heard, and even felt things they couldn’t explain. Will you join them?

November - Terlingua Cemetery, Terlingua

Last, but certainly not least, we’re heading to Texas’s most famous ghost town, Terlingua, to check out the Terlingua Cemetery. Between mining accidents and the Spanish flu pandemic that swept the nation in the early 1900s, this cemetery has seen its fair share of burials, and many people think the spirits of the deceased still haunt the area. Whether or not you see any ghosts, the vibe is just plain eerie; weathered tombstones in a dusty old desert town lost to time. 

Have you visited any of my favorite haunted places in Texas? Where do you like to go in the Lone Star State during spooky season?

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