A Once Abandoned Hotel In Texas, Baker Hotel Is One Of The Most Haunted Places In The State
Victoria W
Author
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In Mineral Wells, located about 50 miles west of Fort Worth, a single building towers over the little town. The 14-story Baker Hotel was once the crowning glory of the tiny town, host to the rich and famous and anyone hoping to benefit from the local healing waters. Then, it became an abandoned hotel in Texas.
Though the hotel opened just weeks after the stock market crash of 1929, it actually saw plenty of business through the ’30s and really thrived in the ’40s, when a military base opened near the hotel. Helen Keller, Clark Gable, Judy Garland, and even the infamous Bonnie and Clyde are said to have stayed at the Baker during its heyday. Back then, this 450-room hotel was the height of luxury. There was a fancy spa, magnificent ballrooms, a bowling alley, a gymnasium, and the first hotel swimming pool in the state of Texas.
With advances in modern medicine, interest in the health spa waned. The hotel struggled through the ’60s, closing for a couple of years in the middle of the decade before closing for good in 1972. There had always been groups interested in fixing up the hotel, but this hinged on finding interested investors. Until then, the hotel is going on 45 years empty.
As for the paranormal, there are supposedly dozens of spirits who chose to stick around the Baker Hotel. Some of them may have passed away while waiting to be cured by the healing waters. Some people even claim that the ghosts of Bonnie and Clyde still occupy one of the rooms, having a great time spending their stolen money.
The most famous spirit, though, is a lady in white who is associated with the seventh story. People believe she was Baker’s mistress, who lived in the hotel and ended her life by jumping from the building. Some of these claims were made when the hotel was still in operation, and some of them were made during the tours that used to be given in the years following the historic building’s closure. These days, the only tours available are not allowed to enter the building.
Luckily, thanks to a $65-million renovation project, the Baker Hotel will soon be open to the public, so the community can enjoy the splendor of this beloved landmark! For a fascinating insight into the restoration and construction of the Baker Hotel, check out the YouTube video below:
Let’s take a closer look at photos of the abandoned Baker Hotel from years ago:
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Wanna see more abandoned places in Texas? Check out this YouTube video by XPLR World featuring some of the creepiest spots around.
What do you think of the Baker Hotel? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to check out the Baker Hotel and Spa website for updates regarding the reopening. Also, if you would like to explore more creepy places in Texas, check out these top-rated ghost tours that will send chills down your spine.
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Baker Hotel
Why was the Baker Hotel abandoned?
There were several unfortunate circumstances that led to the Baker Hotel becoming abandoned. First, the Great Depression led to the stock market crash in the 1930s, which resulted in the hotel filing for bankruptcy. From there, it switched ownerships and then was used as a WWII military quarters between 1941 and 1944. Thereafter, the hotel reopened in 1963 and operated until it finally closed its doors again in 1972 due to more economic hardship.
What are the most haunted places in Texas?
Some of the most haunted places in Texas include:
- La Carafe - Houston, Texas
- Presidio La Bahia - Goliad, TX
- Spaghetti Warehouse - Houston, TX
- The Jefferson Hotel - Jefferson, TX
From dirt roads to abandoned hotels, the Lone Star State is peppered with the paranormal. One of the most haunted places in Texas is the Lexington Museum on the Bar, which receives hundreds of supernatural reports every year from visitors and employees. One of the most popular sightings is that of a former soldier dressed in uniform who is known to give a lecture on how the turbines on the ship work before vanishing into thin air. If you’re in the downtown Austin area, a stay at the Driskill Hotel might just result in a paranormal encounter. The 130-year old building is known for having many ghostly sightings, including that of the hotel’s original owner, Jesse Driskill.
Can I visit any abandoned places in Texas?
There’s something hauntingly beautiful about abandoned places, and Texas has several of them. Some of the most fascinating abandoned places in Texas include the Swift Armor Meat Packing Plant in Fort Worth, the Cottle Hotel in Paducah, the Wurzbach House in Medina, and the Mosheim School in Bosque. Please remember that many of these buildings are not structurally safe, and entering them may be dangerous or even illegal. But you can still admire them from the outside and walk the perimeter of several of these locations.
Are there any haunted restaurants or bars in Texas?
If you’d like to share your meal with a spirit or two, there are a few restaurants and bars peppered around Texas that are known for their ghostly encounters. In Spring, Texas, you’ll find the Wunsche Brothers Cafe and Saloon, which is rumored to be haunted by the spirit of the original owner, Charlie Wunsche who is known to hide things around the restaurant, mess with the electronics, and holding doors closed among other harmless pranks. The Austin Tavern, which has a history of once being a brothel, is another paranormal hotspot, allegedly haunted by the spirit of a former prostitute named Emily who was murdered in the 1940s. Visitors have reported being touched, hearing footsteps, and even the occasional game of pool being played when no one else is around.