These 12 Haunted Places In Texas Will Send Chills Down Your Spine
Amid all of the fun and festivities that go on here, Texas actually has plenty of creepy haunted hotels, warehouses, and hospitals lurking in the shadows, too. And we mean, come on: there are plenty of places for the spooky and downright terrifying to hide here, but these places definitely top the list for the most bone-chilling sites in the state of Texas. Beware – these scary photos might haunt your dreams tonight, so proceed with caution. Hey, at least we warned you…. below are 12 haunted places in Texas that will send chills down your spine!
Dating back to before the Civil War, the second floor of this building is said to be haunted. Guests have reported seeing the apparition of a large African American man walking around upstairs, and have heard heavy footsteps and the sound of a body being dragged across the floor. This old wine bar is actually still open for business today, and is believed to be the oldest bar in the city of Houston. So...who wants to grab a drink here after work?
Originally founded in 1721, many Texas Revolution conflicts occurred at this Spanish fort, including the Battle of Goliad and the Goliad Massacre. As you can imagine, this site still houses many angry, scared and hurt spirits of soldiers, and their cries of pain can be heard during the night. Also, some witnesses have reported seeing apparitions of soldiers here.
Supposedly, the hauntings began here long before the hotel closed its doors. There are two main spirits that still lurk inside the hotel's walls, and several witnesses have claimed to see them. One is a ghost of a bloody nude woman on the seventh floor, possibly the mistress of the hotel manager. Apparently the emotional stress from the affair got to her, and she jumped from the balcony to her death. Other people claimed to have seen the ghost of a man who was killed after being caught in an elevator door. If you thought you missed your chance to experience the paranormal activity here, think again. The Baker Hotel is supposedly being resurrected and restored for guests, so if you really want to get in contact with the Baker Hotel ghosts, look out for the grand opening ...coming soon. When it comes to haunted places in Texas, this is one of the major ones that take the whole cake!
Located in the heart of downtown Houston, this restaurant used to be a pharmaceutical warehouse, and prior to that a cotton storage facility. Most of the ghostly activity happens on the second floor, where legend says that the owner of the pharmaceutical company met a tragic death while working in the elevator late one night. His wife is said to come looking for him after the restaurant has closed at night. Employees washing dishes often see a lady in white walking around (supposedly the man's wife), and notice table settings and chairs rearranging themselves spontaneously. If you come to eat here, make sure to bring a camera; some diners have even captured orbs in the photos they've taken!
This town is rife with sightings of ghosts and spooky legends, but this hotel is definitely the talk of the town. Said to be one of the most haunted hotels in the whole country, some of the ghosts lurking here have been said to throw objects at tourists and even lock them in their rooms. This is only the tip of the iceberg...other guests have reported knocking on the walls and doors in the middle of the night, footsteps clattering down the halls, children laughing, doors opening on their own, voices echoing in vacant rooms, and more. If you want to stay here, be sure to sleep with one eye open at night.
One of the oldest hotels on the island, it's also one of the most haunted. Specifically, Room 505 has guests running from their rooms due to an eerie presence that makes them feel uncomfortable. Oddly, the smell of gardenias is said to be a sign of the ghost's presence. "The Lovelorn Lady" wanders the halls of the fifth floor as well, eternally locked in the hotel after hanging herself when she learned of her husband's death at sea. Plenty of people still stay at this beautifully haunted hotel, but few dare to stay in the infamous #505...
This old theater is reported to be haunted by a tall figure wearing all black with black boots, and some even say it's John Wilkes Booth. Abraham Lincoln's assassin used to be a very popular actor and performed here many times, and the Discovery Channel Ghost Lab supposedly captured an EVP of Booth's voice saying he was there.
Before it became a hotel, this building was an advanced medical arts facility, complete with a hospital, surgery floors, and a crematorium. That might explain some of the hauntings guests report, like the phone ringing in the middle of the night with no one on the other end, the TV and lights randomly coming on, and a woman dressed in white who disappears almost instantly. We sure do have a lot of haunted hotels here in Texas...
Everybody in East Texas knows about this famous legend - it goes like this: on most nights, you can see a light flicker on and off in the distance when you drive down this old logging road. It's said to be the lantern of a railroad worker searching for his head after being decapitated in a train accident. The best way to experience this is to ride in the bed of a truck with hot chocolate on a cool fall evening, a few weeks before Halloween. The activity usually picks up a lot around that time, plus everything is just way scarier around Halloween anyway.
This building used to be Jefferson Davis Hospital, which had a psychiatric ward, so you can imagine what kind of hauntings go on here. The site was built over the Houston City Cemetery as well, where over 3,000 Civil War and yellow fever victims are buried. Before the building became a loft, people reported shadowy figures, an unseen force watching them, and smells of sterilization solutions. One word: CREEPY.
Supposedly haunted by the mistress of the house, Alice Littlefield, the woman rarely left the house in life and was allegedly insane. People have claimed to have heard her playing the piano or aimlessly walking around upstairs.
This historic hotel in the heart of Austin may look pretty normal and sophisticated from the outside, but the inside harbors a few well-kept secrets. A portrait on the third floor of a little girl holding flowers is said to make guests feel as though their heels have been lifted into the air, and then their equilibrium is off for a few hours after that. Also, witnesses have reported seeing apparitions in chairs or windows, feeling strange sensations on their arms and faces, and hearing sounds of people upstairs when no one's there.
Most of these places seem harmless enough, but if you choose to visit these, proceed with caution and bring others with you if possible. What are your favorite haunted places in Texas? Let us know in the comments, or tell us about them using this form.
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Haunted Places in Texas
October 06, 2020
Jackie Ann
Can I visit any abandoned places in Texas?
From ghost towns to fallen hotels, Texas has plenty of abandoned places that would give anyone the creeps. Most of these abandoned buildings are off-limits to the public, but you can visit them and see them from the street. If you find yourself in Wichita Falls, pass by the Old Asylum, also known as Dr. White’s Sanitorium. In Sherman, you can see the old Woodmen Circle Home, which served as a home to hundreds of women and children between 1930 and 1971. Established in 1874, Zedler Mill in Luling is one of the few abandoned buildings you can tour, as it has since been converted into a museum and park.
Are there any urban legends in Texas?
Just like any other state, Texas has its fair share of urban legends that will keep you up at night. In San Antonio, there’s a railroad crossing at Villamain and Shane and as the story goes, a school’s full of children stalled on the tracks in the 1940s, killing everyone inside when a train slammed into it. It’s said that if you go to the tracks and stop your vehicle in the same spot the bus did, your car will mysteriously begin rolling to safety, and many believe its the spirits of the children who died all those years ago.
What are the most popular ghost stories in Texas?
From haunted bars to abandoned buildings, Texas is chock full of spooky ghost stories. One of the most popular ghost stories in Texas that often gets passed around is that of the campers from Camp Lulu Sams. Located near Brownsville, the camp was closed down after one of the counselors went insane and murdered several of the campers. Legend has it that in the evenings, you can hear the screams of the children.
Texas staff writer for Only in Your State, blogger for Power of Positivity, and freelance health, wellness, and travel writer. I spend any chance I get traveling, enjoying nature, trying out new recipes, and meditating. I love sharing smiles, good food, and great conversation :)
