Texan Magazine
By Nancy Foster
Boo! When fall rolls into Texas, the air turns crisp, the days grow shorter, and the leaves ignite into crimson and gold. As October approaches, thoughts shift toward Halloween, a season marked by carved pumpkins, trick-or-treat costumes, and the lingering allure of spooks and goblins. For many, it’s also a time to tap into the paranormal and seek out some spooky good fun. And here in Texas, that means dozens of haunted places guaranteed to make your boots shiver. No matter where you live in the Lone Star State – or just passing through, eerie encounters aren’t hard to come by. Some stories are reportedly backed by documentation or photos, others are whispers handed down from generation to generation, and some probably stem from just a healthy imagination.
So why do we go poking around in shadowy places and chasing things that go bump in the night? Why is the fear of the unknown so intriguing? A 2023 study from the University of Texas at Austin found that 62% of Texans enjoy what is now referred to as “spooky tourism.” Why?
A study in Psychological Science found that people enjoy a good scare when it’s not too intense…they term it “recreational fear.” Haunted places for many are also a way of social bonding mixed with fear and enjoyment. If that intrigues you, a little research will unearth haunted houses, roads, hotels, taverns – even a battleship — all of which tout spine-chilling happenings.
Let’s uncover a few.
Bragg Lights
If you ever find yourself winding down Bragg Road – an eight-mile stretch of shadowy eeriness through the misty Big Thicket near the ghost town of Bragg Station, keep your eyes on the road and watch for the Saratoga Lights —white or pale blue light that appear nightly. Floating above the old Santa Fe Railroad bed, they’ve inspired eerie tales. Some say they’re a ghostly former conductor who was accidentally decapitated, and others suggest a grieving groom’s endless search for his lost bride. Although skeptics suggest that swamp gas or optical tricks are to blame, sightings long predate electricity, keeping Bragg Road steeped in mystery and folklore.
The Headless Horseman Of The Wild Horse Desert
This one is sure to raise the hair on the back of your neck. El Muerto’s legend unfolds in the South Texas Nueces Strip, a once-lawless region between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande. After an outlaw, named Vidal was beheaded by lawmen in the mid-1800s, his body was tied to a mustang and released near Ben Bolt in Jim Wells County. The horse roamed the scrublands, and sightings of the headless rider—dubbed El Muerto –”The Dead One”—spooked folks who ventured near the desert towns of Alice and Freer, cementing the tale as a chilling piece of Texas folklore.
USS Lexington – Corpus Christi
Built as an aircraft carrier for the U.S. Navy during WWII, the USS Lexington—nicknamed the “Blue Ghost” –for its uncanny ability to return to battle after reportedly being sunk—now rests in retirement, repurposed as a museum. It is one of Texas’s most haunted landmarks, primarily because of Charlie, a polite and knowledgeable sailor often seen in a WWII-era uniform. Charlie, who is believed to have died during a 1944 Japanese kamikaze attack – is often spotted in the engine room giving impromptu tours. His ghost has often been reported by numerous visitors, all describing the blue-eyed figure who vanishes without a trace. Does Charlie have unfinished business here or does he just love his post too much to leave? Go visit and decide if Charlie is just a ghost story – or something more.
Presidio La Bahia — Goliad
History and hauntings hang thick in the air at Presidio La Bahia, a beautiful fortress that played a pivotal role in the Texas Revolution. Back in 1836, this was the site of the Goliad Massacre, where 342 Texian soldiers were executed under orders from General Santa Anna. Now a Catholic church and museum, the fort is steeped in tragedy and legend. Visitors report hearing phantom screams, footsteps, and cannon fire, while some claim to see the ghost of Colonel James Fannin, blindfolded and awaiting execution in the courtyard. Visitors to the adjacent chapel, Our Lady of Loreto, see flickering candlelight and sense a cooling stillness that adds to the eerie atmosphere.
The Driskill Hotel – Austin
Tucked into the heart of downtown Austin, the Driskill was built in 1886 by cattle baron Jesse Driskill, elegantly featuring luxurious accommodations for an upscale clientele. Today, this grand dame is said to be one of Texas’s most haunted places, where guests report lingering cigar scents—believed to be Driskill’s ghost—and giggles from Samantha Houston, a senator’s daughter who tragically fell down the staircase in 1887. Another boy reportedly met a similar fate. If this peaks your interest, check out AustinGhosts.com and sign on for the haunted pub crawl that includes the Driskill.
The Jefferson Hotel— Jefferson
Once a cotton warehouse and brothel, this historic lodging proudly claims the title as “The World’s Most Haunted Hotel,” and guests may well agree. Paranormal activity has been reported in nearly every room, with some of the most chilling accounts coming from Room 0, where guests have witnessed the bed levitating, loud banging, and a disembodied male voice shouting “No!”
Room 3 echoes with children’s laughter, while Room 6 features apparitions and a jiggling doorknob. Room 10 is said to be haunted by Jenny Brown, a little girl who died in a nearby fire, and Room 13 where a heartbroken bride allegedly took her own life. These stories are documented in the hotel’s “Book of the Dead,” where guests record their own ghostly encounters.
The Goatman— near Denton, Texas
In the woods near Denton, Texas is Goatman’s Bridge—an iron crossing over Hickory Creek. It’s the stuff of nightmares. Legend has it the towering Goatman, eight feet tall with hooves and fur, roams the area. His wrath is awakened by those daring enough to speak his name while crossing the bridge. Some say he’s tied to Oscar Washburn, a black, goat farmer lynched in the 1930s, house spirit returned in vengeful form. Others tell of a heartbroken mother who leapt from the bridge after her baby was snatched by the creature. Whether folklore or fear-fed fantasy, one thing’s certain: this place is eerie.
Ghost Tours In San Antonio
Deep in the heart of Texas, thrill seekers can get their own taste of otherworldly experiences when you book a tour with the Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours. Whether you choose from their Haunted Ghost Bus Tour, stroll shadowy streets on the Haunted Ghost Walk, or plunge into the Haunted Pub Crawl, all will entertain you with a combo of haunting history and eerie theatrical flair. USA Today ranks them among the top three ghost tours in the country.
sistersgrimmghosttours.com
So – are you ready to gather your closest friends and venture into the spookiest parts of Texas? Just remember, don’t mess with Texas spirits – they’re known to have a way of making skeptics believe!
Note:
In addition to the hotels listed above, there are many more reportedly haunted Texas hotels open to visitors, each with tales of spirits or ghosts or spooky happenings. Do you dare?
Emily Morgan Hotel – San San Antonio
Menger Hotel – San Antonio
Sheraton Gunter Hotel – San Antonio
Hotel Galvez – Galveston
Tremont House— Galveston
Stockyards Hotel – Fort Worth
Excelsior Hotel— Jefferson
Adolphus Hotel— Dallas
Gage Hotel – Marathon
Hotel ICON – Houston
Magnolia Hotel—Seguin
