The Alamo
Nestled next to the River Walk in San Antonio, the Alamo is certainly an important national and state monument. This is also the spot that Eagleton has pegged for the most haunted spot in Texas. Legend has it that those soldiers who fought to defend the Alamo haunt the spot to this very day; they have not forgotten to remember the Alamo.
After Mexico defeated the Texas fighters in a bloody battle that is a cornerstone of state history, those who fought to defend the Alamo were not given a proper burial. Some bodies were lit on pyres, while story holds that others were tossed into the San Antonio River. The ashes were thrown into a massive unmarked grave, the location of which is still veiled in mystery.
It was only days after the defeat at the Alamo that strange occurrences and stories began. One common sighting is a little boy with blond hair who is usually seen in the upstairs gift shop window. Another common apparition is a Mexican soldier walking around the exterior of the building, solemnly shaking his head. Davy Crockett has even been known to make an appearance multiple times. Visitors and employees both report hearing sounds of moans, cries, and a feeling of unease, with numerous nightshift workers resigning after a supposed encounter with the dead.
Yorktown Memorial Hospital
An abandoned hospital filled with glowing red eyes, talking dolls, and spirits rapping on glass windows sounds like scenes straight out of a scary movie. It also happens to occur daily at Yorktown Memorial Hospital in Yorktown, Texas. The hospital was abandoned in the 1980s, before which nearly 2,000 people died in the building.
Those who have tattoos should take extra precaution if venturing inside the building, particularly in the chapel within the hospital. People with tattoos have reported leaving with scratch marks on their skin, or even the sensation of being choked. Nearly every person who has dared to set foot in this building has walked away with a creepy tale to tell. Even without seeing a shifting shadow or hearing ghostly whispers, the experience of stumbling through an abandoned hospital, still filled with medical equipment, is not for the faint of heart.
The Devil’s Backbone
A limestone ridge running from Wimberley to Blanco, the Devil’s Backbone is a spot in Texas where the paranormal is encountered again and again. The area holds 4,700 acres of wilderness filled with woods, mountains, and ravines and was occupied by Comanche and Apache tribes, as well as the Spaniards in the 1700s. In the 1800s, Confederate soldiers seeking gold came to the area, as well as ranchers and their families.
Hikers and modern-day ranchers both have been known to hear herds of ghostly galloping horses, at times so loud that buildings shake. There have also been claims of apparitions, including Native Americans, marching Confederate soldiers, and ghostly women and children. One particularly chilling story even details the possession of a man who was hiking in the area.
If you are in the area and want to get even more spooky, make sure to stop by the Devil’s Backbone Tavern in Fischer, Texas. This local legendary spot is built on an ancient Native American campground and has played host to countless ghosts throughout the years. The ashes of loyal patrons have been scattered on the floor, and cowboys have died sitting at the bar. Look for evidence of a shootout from years past and ask anyone in the bar to tell you about his or her experience with the paranormal; they are guaranteed to have a good story.
HIKERS AND MODERN-DAY RANCHERS BOTH HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO HEAR HERDS OF GHOSTLY GALLOPING HORSES, AT TIMES SO LOUD THAT BUILDINGS SHAKE.
Mineral Wells
One of Eagleton’s most memorable encounters with the paranormal took place in Mineral Wells at Elmwood Cemetery, the last stop on a twelve-guest ghost tour. She was using a device called an Ovilus, which is a tool spirits are said to use to communicate with humans. As they walked through the cemetery, the tool was calling out seemingly random names until everyone realized it was actually reading off the names of each tombstone.
The story gets even more interesting from this point. Eagleton shared that as the group continued to walk, the Ovilus began counting down from five, ending with a command to stand still. “We all froze in our tracks, and it’s a good thing we did because as soon as the Ovilus hit zero, a large group of about twelve deer burst out of the trees next to us. If we had walked another step we would have been trampled,” she said. The event repeated itself one more time with the machine again counting down, and the group coming to a standstill as the herd of deer came running back the other way. “Let’s just say it was an amazing night, and I honestly feel like the spirits were looking out for us that evening,” she said.
Hotel Galvez
According to Hotel Galvez, “every great hotel must have its ghost.” The Galveston hotel is no exception with a ghostly would-be bride named Audra in Room 501. The story holds that in the mid-1950s, Audra was engaged to a mariner, and would leave
Room 501, climb the turrets of the building, and wait to spot his ship in the port.
Following a particularly bad storm, his ship was days late returning, and word reached her that it had sunk. In despair, she hanged herself in the turret at the west of the building, just days before her fiancé returned, alive and looking forward to a wedding that would never happen.
In addition to the haunting of Room 501, the staff has reported several other experiences that are otherworldly. A ghostly vision of a young girl bouncing a ball in the lower level of the hotel has been seen, while in the hotel restaurant candles have been known to extinguish on their own. Dishes are inexplicably moved and broken. Additionally, ghostly breathing and laughter has been heard in different parts of the hotel, with no plausible explanation.
If you are interested in taking a ghost tour with her team and having an otherworldly experience of your own, check for available dates on the Haunted Texas Paranormal Facebook page.
