All alert the living that they are not alone. The first center established in Texas for those suffering from mental illness was the Texas State Lunatic Asylum (later assigned a more, shall we say, politically correct misnomer: the Austin State Hospital), though the site did not begin operating till May of the year 1961, when Dr. Beriah Graham admitted the inaugural 12 patients. The park spans about 416 acres according to SeaWorld San Antonio. 2022 Ghost City, Ghost City Tours. 32. It's not just the Texan soldiers who died there in a stand-off with the Mexican army in 1836. What puts this museum in the Top Ten Most Haunted Museums in the World? From ghostly legends passed down through the generations, to the more concrete sightings at locations like the Emily Morgan Hotel or the Alamo, it's safe to say that while San Antonio might not always be considered one of America's Most Haunted Cities . It was one of the most well-attended events in Texas History. Only, Dr. Braragons diagnosis and condemnation of Browne was done without an adequate examination and the proper process of law. And it is rich with death. While some guests claim that Teddy Roosevelt haunts the Menger, other visitors have . It is among the many historic buildings as well as one of many haunted locations in San Antonio. Recently the park also introduced the states tallest, fastest and longest wooden coaster, the Texas Stingray. Theodore Roosevelt recruited Rough Riders at the Menger Hotel. And for those who come here for a wedding or another event, well, it can't be said that the Castle's resident spirits are the kind to greet you with open arms. She added, "My daughter has been treated worse than an animal. Kids, for example, are warned not to trek out to the Ghost Tracks on the southeast side of the city, where, in the 1940s, a bus full of kids stalled while trying to cross the train tracks. Nah, it's actually (maybe) worse. . About 7% more of San Antonio's population are veterans than in the rest of the state of Texas, totaling about 9% of the city's residents. facts. If you select the Extended Tour route, enjoy an additional 30 minutes of blood-curdling stories to fuel . After murdering his parents in 1979, Hitlers Son (more commonly known as Patrick OBrien, who was not in fact Hitlers son) was once again checked into the State Hospital. He would have raving spells, following which he would become depressive. It was named the most romantic city in America by Amazon based on the number of romantic books and movies purchased. Go on a ghost tour to learn about the city's haunted history and hear some spooky stories. Throughout South Texas, there is nothing more terrifying that the shrill cry of a woman - the weeping is a premonition, for those who hear it are often doomed to a series of grave misfortunes. Its altitude is approximately 662 feet (202 m) above sea level. You probably know the Alamo it was a mission and fortress compound established in the 1700s and the site of the infamous Battle of the Alamo in 1836. Stories such as these are told and re-toldfor the locals of San Antonio, it's no secret that the nearly three-centuries-old city is rife with paranormal phenomena. Se Habla Espaol 210-223-4361. Dallas was more well-known as the second-biggest big city in Texas (thanks to that old TV show named "Dallas"), but San Antonio is actually the second-largest city in Texas after Houston with almost 1.5 million residents. Get a glimpse of the dark underbelly of San Antonio history as each haunted location ratchets up the tension of the tour. Most commonly, spirits may remain on the earthly plane for a few various reasons. This thriving city in the heart of Texas has its own unique culture and a ton of great things to do and experience. Since the tragic night in the 1920s, rumors of hauntings have kept neighbors up night to the sounds of screaming emanating the house. Unsurprisingly, his nickname was Vlad the Impaler. Households with a computer, percent, 2017-2021. 8. More than 180 Texans died Guests have reported hearing moans. Private Self-Guided Famous Ghosts Audio Tour in San Antonio 3 Walking Tours from $6.75 per adult Hopscotch Immersive Art Experience 71 Recommended Attractions & Museums from $24.00 per adult Award winning magic show at The Magicians Agency Theatre. Heres a list of facts you may not know about: 1. Haunted San Antonio Tours SA is one of the most haunted cities in the US of A. Along with the iconic Alamo, they were selected for UNESCO designation in 2015 after a successful campaign by city and state officials. One person who used to work at the hospital claims that the grounds are madly haunted, which makes complete sense. Similarly to Voodoo, those who practiced Santera used drumming and dance to communicate with their ancestors and the deities of theRegla de Ocha. First - we cannot stress this enough - do not trespass. San Antonio, Texas. Each time the Mexicans went to try to destroy the building, ghostly specters, some with flaming swords in hand, allegedly scared off the would-be arsonists. 3. 161 Recommended Theater Shows from $36.99 per adult The Haunted Ghost Bus Tour in San Antonio 267 After spending over a decade in the asylum, William Browne, was once again free to live his life. One of the spirits that have been sighted at the Aztec Theatre, is a phantom operator located in the projection booth. Tragedy underlies the history at this haunted location, and the stories which have emerged from previous owners tell us only one thing something exists here, at this abandoned property, and it's more than likely that it is not a spirit but something much darker. . Dallas is now the third-largest city in Texas followed by Austin, with Fort Worth closing in at fifth place. An oncoming train sped down the tracks, its pace so furiously fast that there was no chance to evacuate the children, or even the driver, off of the stalled bus. None of their venoms are lethal (except for rare cases of allergy), but they can hurt like hades. One cat was named Ruby and the other was called C.C. It was no long after this time that Williams father died. The Milam building downtown was the first high-rise office building in the U.S. to have air conditioning. Visit a city rich in history and booming with modern attractions. 13. Computer and Internet Use. Its also currently undergoing a $100 million redevelopment not bad for a bake sale project. Cade was born in San Antonio in 1927. Blood was spilt on the grounds of San Antonio, and it is said that the souls of the victimsthough all are victims in their own rightcontinue to haunt the city. . 29. . The DoSeum's "Recess Redo" nights invite adults (21+) to explore the whimsy and wonder of the massive playscape, cocktail in hand! The hospital was now able to administer modern treatments for the patients, but just a year later the hospital became overcrowded yet again, surpassing capacity at 2,308. Copyright 2020 by KSAT - All rights reserved. 2.64. The stories from The San Antonio Missions represent divergent and significant points of view: 17th Century explorers - Native American groups of the Southwest - Early Texas history - Spanish colonization - Stone masons and builders of the Missions - Battles of opposing interest - There is also the point of view of the land and creeks and pecan A concerned mother commented. Both scorpions and spiders like the Brown Recluse like to hide out in shoes. An award-winning disc jockey, Mark Louis Rybczyk started his career at KXZL, WOAI, and KJ-97 in San Antonio before moving to 96.3 KSCS in Dallas, where he had the longest-running morning show in the DallasFort Worth area. Accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the Bexar County BiblioTech was the first library in the US to offer an exclusively digital collection and is still the only one to do so. The streets surrounding the tracks are named after the children who died, and people have reported their windows splintering and breaking from the outside-in by an unseen force, as though something or someone wanted to be noticed. Her name is Beatrice, and it's known about the restaurant that she isn't the kindest of spirits. He was also a smart kid, who was attending the University of Texas just before he was admitted into the San Antonio State Hospital. It would be weird if there wasnt a single ghostly tale at the property. This is where the story gets a little strange, and its necessary for us to rewind a bittwelve yearsto not longer after William was put in the Southwestern Insane Asylum in the first place. Along the Riverwalk you'll find the Arneson River Theater, which became famous worldwide for being featured in the film Miss Congeniality. The air-conditioning design was created by Willis H. Carrier of the Carrier Engineering Corporation. It's enough for them to throw the child into a restraining mechanical chair." In honor of the season of spookiness, here are 13 of our favorite classic San Antonio urban legends, scary stories, and tall tales. The head of the San Antonio Paranormal Investigations, Guillermo Fuentes, has been referenced as saying that one of the reasons why San Antonio is so haunted is because the ghosts feel as though they have some form of ownership over the land. If you're local to San Antonio, Texas, you've probably spent a night or two driving out to Shane Road. No doubt the bus driver did everything he could, but there was nothing to be done. 28. I've seen men stomped, and I've seen them force insane people to work.". There is no evidence to suggest whether William Browne won or lost his particular trial. The Legend of the Haunted Railroad Tracks Back in the 1930s or 1940s, a school bus full of children was making its way down the road and toward the intersection when it stalled on the railroad tracks. Book Now. A horrifying description that does little to paint the State Hospital in a good light during the 1940s. There is, however, other evidence as to how his family felt about about poor Williamand that feeling was not warm or loving at all. +. WHERE: Meet at the Sisters Grimm Tours & Gift Shop located at the back of the Menger Hotel down Blum Street located at: 204 Alamo Plaza Suite #T San Antonio, TX 78204. See the haunted side of San Antonio on this ghost-themed bus tour. 0. At this haunted location, the living come second to the ghosts. However, if you are a stickler about it, San Antonio got their area code first in the early '90s and 210 actually counts down to zero instead of just one, so San Antonio wins! Party held to celebrate Mission World Heritage status. . . The highest temperature ever recorded was 111 F on September 5, 2000. scary facts about san antonio Call us today! SeaWorld San Antonio is the largest marine-life park in the entire world. Founded in 1717, it's . Not yet. The city has a total area of 465.4 square miles; 460.93 square miles of San Antonio's total area is land and 4.5 square miles of it is water. And one thing you're always asking for is, "Where can I stay in your cities that is haunted?" Also in 1964, case worker, Helen Cloud Austin, became the first African-American to become a member of the hospitals elite staff. It was the place of "Manifest Destiny," which brought countless of America's roughest citizens west to the open expanse of Texan land. That the grounds directly in front of the Alamo church were once a burial ground in the eighteenth century probably doesn't help matters either. Over 100 locally-owned businesses provide a unique shopping experience. Yes, river rats. He has a history of Violence. Plain and simple. "We can be together now!" It certainly seems to be the most haunted place in San Antonio. 41.7%. Stories of seeing the ghosts of the diseased have been reported throughout the city of San Antonio. Hot Wells Hotel & Spa Ruins. This case was one of those "stranger than fiction" stories. At the time Chino entered the hospital he was not physically ill, but a mere three days later he died. That's a San Antonio fact! The building which houses the institute a striking example of Brutalist architecture. scary facts about san antonio. Everything is bigger in Texas, and thus, you'll find large spiders in San Antonio called Jumping Spiders. Neighborhood: Hot Wells. 5. When Darkness Falls: Tales of San Antonio Ghosts and Hauntings Docia Shultz Williams Ghosts of San Antonio (Cold Spots) Scott A. Johnson 0 Christus Santa Rosa Hospital San Antonio, Texas 75 miles from Uvalde, TX Allegedly haunted by a headless nun. The Emily Morgan undergoes a multi-million dollar renovation and joins the DoubleTree by Hilton family. So, too, was the fact that there were no survivors following the crash. San Antonio's first center for the mentally ill was the Southwestern Insane Asylum (San Antonio State Hospital) and was established on April 6, 1892. Neighborhood: Central San Antonio. Shaq played high school basketball at Cole High School and his team went 68-1 in two seasons and won the 1989 state championship. and looked just like a fantasy Mediterranean Sea. Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar. Been there for 8 years. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. So much culture, history and fun can be had here. According to the Churchs website, George W. Church opened the location in 1952. The settlers placed the poor on the outskirts of the city, in hope that the tribes would take the belongings of the impoverished . Yes, San Antonio has a museum dedicated entirely to artsy toilet seats. While it's kind of surprising that Texans didn't make a bigger Stonehenge, they did make up for it with the World's Biggest Cowboy Boots ever made, found towering outside the North Star Mall. 24. Those who are admitted may have done so voluntarily, but more often than not the choice was not theirs to make. Alyssa Medina is the Video-On-Demand Producer and has worked at KSAT since 2016. The previous record was 13,000 tamales. Take a peek inside the Menger Hotel, the "Most Haunted Hotel in Texas," and just a block away, peer into the Emily Morgan Hotel, one of the city's first hospitals and where many men and women lost their . Racial desegregation began at the hospital in 1964, as the first African-American patient was admitted. In 1928, the 21-story Milam Building in downtown San Antonio became the first air-conditioned high-rise in the US. Easterseals San Antonio Rehabilitation Center Reach us at 2203 Babcock Road, San Antonio, TX 78229 Phone: 210-614-3911 Contact Us Visit Our Other Locations Still, we tell you all about its less than respectable past. A ghostly hearse, bathrooms that bleed blood, and the spirit of a poor soul only account for some of the paranormal phenomena which occurs regularly at the Institute. Local Adventures Explore, shop, drink and dine like a local. 1. This San Antonio walking ghost tour is for you if: You're looking for a high-quality ghost storytelling performance full of dark history and chilling ghost lore. Military City, USA. Cemeteries are known for being the final resting places to many souls - but no cemetery in San Antonio, Texas, has gives off quite the level of dispair as the Chinese Graveyard? 31. Since that harrowing day, locals and visitors alike have attempted to reconnect with the lost souls who died in the crash, for that crossing at Shane and Villamain is said to be one of the most haunted locations in all of San Antonio. Something to Remember. Depending on whom one might have asked in the eighteenth century, smallpox was both the best and worst thing to ever happen to the burgeoning city of San Antonio at that time. This popular area has been around since the 1700s. New You.". It was originally opened in 1929 and is now a historical landmark. The Cadillac Bar & Restaurant is said to be one of the most haunted places to eat in all of San Antonio, Texas. The cathedral was founded in 1731 by a group of families from the Canary Islands. or if that uncomfortable sensation of being watched kicks up. There was further progress in the 1970s with the San Antonio State Hospital (SASH) becoming accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals; outreach clinics becoming established in other nearby towns, (which helped in reducing the hospitals population to 1,836); and with renovations and additions that modernized the hospital. Pterodactyls in San Antonio? In 1979, a 300-pound man named Patrick O'Brien (a 36-year-old recluse), told police after his arrest that he was the son of Hitler and the father of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. You should be wary when walking around the neighborhood at night, as you never know when you might encounter one of the ghosts of La Villita. The Myrtles Plantation. The area was an early settlement dating back to 1729 when the Canary Islanders settled in San Antonio. Your guide, a sinister fellow who proclaims to be in tune with the afterlife, leads you on a chilling exploration of the city's famed haunted sites including the Menger Hotel, the old Red Light District, the former Bexar County Jail, an historic cemetery, and more. Its seen its ups and downs, but after being designated the first historic district in the state, its been rebuilt and reborn. President Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson got married at St. Marks Episcopal Church in downtown San Antonio. Most commonly, her spirit is seen kneeling on the ground, her arms submerged in the water as she searches for her children. It's not uncommon to hear that New Orleans is haunted, or that Savannah is teeming with paranormal activity. 33. Dr. Bremont elaborated by saying that Raul's mental illness condition would not have caused his death. Checkout. Pope John Paul II visited San Antonio in 1987 and held a mass where more than 350,000 people showed up. He was promptly acquitted and released from prison, though not before a gathering mob came and brought him right back. 70-79: 5%. The share holdings would have made William a fantastically wealthy man. O'Brien was arrested by the police for murdering his parents, William and Mary, who were reportedly stabbed so many times that they looked like they had each been blasted with a shotgun. Speaking of big, how could we forget Buc-ee's, the favorite waystation of Texas travelers? It was purchased from near Charolotte, TX in 1988. Of course, San Antonio has its famous River Walk, which is a great place to enjoy a nice meal or stroll with a loved one, but many other fun happenings abound in this city in south-central Texas. She was so desperatedesperate for his love and a possible marriagethat the widow took matters into her own hands. For over a decade William fought for his freedom, only to be selfishly blocked by those (his siblings) who were interested in keeping him locked away. Spurs Nation. A current employee said of the SASH, "I work there. The worst was yet to come. Learn about our 160 years in business as the oldest continuously operating hotel west of the Mississippi. So, while The Cadillac Bar might be known for its delicious Mexican food and fresh margaritas, don't be alarmed if you happen to see something skirt past you . The term O'Niner" refers to residents of the exclusive 78209 ZIP Code that includes the upscale neighborhood of Alamo Heights. But what it has been known for in the last century is for being home to many of San Antonio's ghosts. For hundreds of years, ghost stories have been told by the locals in San Antonio. No cause of death was given in the report or his obituary. The Superintendent of SASH recognized that the hospital was at its breaking point, and that it was in desperate need of additional facilities. Just south of San Antonio , Texas, is the site of Texas' most famous ghost story. . San Antonio surpassed Dallas as the second biggest city in Texas after the 2010 census count. Thankfully, Browne was successful in answering all of inquiries to the judge's satisfactionhe thus was legally restored as a sane man. The reason why this is important to note is because most spiritual experts say that ghosts can not cross over water. Once the military fortification for the famous Alamo, the Spanish Governor's Palace was never actually home to Texas's governors. Pope John Paul II visited San Antonio in 1987, where he held mass in . It was built in hopes of attracting an NFL team. 11. According to its former owners, the living are very protective of these energies. The Menger Hotel. Security guards in Alamo Plaza have seen the ghosts of what must be hundreds of people. For decency's sake, the road skirts around the paved-over cemetery so as not to disturb the dead. Discover Old San Antonio's most haunted places and uncover the history that lies waiting for those who dare to enter their doorways. And then there's La Llorona, the "Weeping Woman," who lingers near the water. The term Alamo" actually means cottonwood in Spanish, named for the cottonwood tree where Spanish monks planned and decided to build the Mission San Antonio de Valero, the original name for the Alamo. The murder victim, identified as Elizabeth Short, was a young actor, and the public became entranced with the murder, nicknaming her The Black Dahlia. Hippos kill more people in Africa than lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, and rhinos combined. They have seen soldiers, cowboys, Native Americans, and priests. 3. 23. Technically, the bird itself is a San Antonio rumor, not a San Antonio fact, but people do claim to see this strange bird. The San Antonio Stockshow and Rodeo reuse the same dirt every year. His reasoning is the city's closeness to water, which might act like a spark or energy-source for paranormal phenomena. Here at Ghost City, we are proud to offer our ghost tours in Texas' most haunted city!