What Everyone Should Know About Haunted Places in Austin, TX
Austin Pizza Garden – located in a historic, 100-year old building at 6266 Hwy 290W in Oak Hill, there are stories of faces appearing and disappearing in the walls.
Austin State School – this old place was built over a cemetary, which contains the bodies of the patients that expired in the early 1900’s. Several of the school’s buildings have had sightings and sounds heard by staff members. One time, a coffin popped out of the ground next to one of the condemned buildings.
Bedichek School – Billy was playing the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera. He was on the new catwalk in the auditorium and the rope slipped. He fell, hanging himself. Billy’s ghost is said to push students off the catwalk, and also to help them remember their lines.
Buffalo Billiards – located at 201 East Pecan Street, it was rumored to be a brothel, as well as a boarding house in the 1860’s.
A cleaning woman is said to have been tapped on her shoulder, but the place was closed. She screamed and ran out of the building, never to return. A night bartender noticed a gentleman in strange attire on the second floor. When he asked the man if he could help him, the man turned and smiled and walked to where a door had once been before the building was remodeled, and vanished.
Carrington’s Bluff – sister inn to the Governor’s Inn, it is located at 1900 David Street. This was part of the original homestead of the Republic of Texas. There have been reports of a TV that turns off and on (it has no remote), and one gentleman claims to have had his hair shampooed by a ghost.
Clay Pit – formerly a general store, and then home to Bertram’s Restaurant, it is located at 1601 Guadalupe. There was a tunnel in the basement that conveniently led to the brothel next door. Several occurances of strange “party-like” noises have been reported coming from the upstairs dining room, but nothing is ever found upon investigation. Witnesses note the appriation of a small child on the second floor. Bertram had a your son that died of typhoid fever in the 1800’s.
Crockett High School – the story is said that there is a little girl who roams the basement in search of her family. Reportedly, when teachers have worked late by the big gym, the little girl is heard crying and walking up and down the hall.
503 Neches Street – was formerly the David Grimes Photography Studio. Across from the Salvation Army, many homeless sleep on the porches and yard of this vacant building. Mr. Grimes learned that the building was, at one time, a mortuary. The owner had been murdered and the building is rumored to be haunted. Mr. Grimes claims to have seen the apparition of a woman, on numerous occasions, standing in a doorway of the oldest part of the building.
Driskill Hotel – named after cattle baron, Jesse Lincoln Driskill, the hotel has been renovated and is located at 604 Brazos Street. Some say that Driskill still makes his presence known by the smell of cigar smoke. Another apparition is the four-year old daughter of a U.S. Senator. She haunts the grand staircase leading from the mezzanine down to the lobby. History reports that she fell to her death while playing ball on the stairs. In the 1990’s, a woman shot herself in the bathtub, in Room 29. She reportedly still resides in Room 29.
Eanes-Marshall Ranch – the house serves as a studio for local artist, Bruce Marshall. The ranch is said to be haunted by two horses pulling a riderless wagon and seven distinct ghosts. One evening when attempting to contact any of the ghosts, it is said that three psychics fell to the floor unconcious.
Fado Irish Pub – located at 214 W. 4th Street, in the historic district, the building formerly was home to Capital City Playhouse before being closed by the IRS. There are stories that some of the actors are still hanging around the old theatre building.
Garrison Park – located next to Crockett High School on Manchaca Road, it is said that if you drive down the road that takes you around the park, you can see ghostly apparitions putting flowers in the graveyard that is in back of the park. There are three gravyards that have historic people buried in them.
Governor’s Mansion – built in 1856, it is located at 1010 Colorado. Occupants have reported seeing the former Texas hero, Republic of Texas president, and Governor, Sam Houston in his bedroom in the mansion. He is said to lurk in the area where he once hung his hat. Another notable haunt here is the nephew of Governor Pendleton Murrah. Shortly after midnite in 1864, he committed suicide with a pistol; he was 19 years old, and heart-broken over a marriage proposal refusal. Sounds of footsteps, moaning, and doorknobs turning, as well as cold spots, have been reported.
The Hideout – a local coffee house at 617 Congress Avenue. It is also home to a theatre and host to Austin Ghost Tours. Stories have it that faucets turn off and on, locked gates open. Three separate ghost tours are offered by Jeanine Plumer, owner of Austin Ghost Tours.
Mug Shots – formerly the Highlife Cafe, located at 407 E. 7th Street. It may be the ghost of Fanny Davis, who ran a boarding house here in 1886, sometimes depicted in a beautiful blue dress. Another is the story of one of the owner’s hearing a classical music piece called, Oboe Concerto #9, playing over and over.
Inn at Pearl Street– lights are said to come on, even when there is no power to the building. An apparition, believed to be Stella Snider, has been seen carrying and rocking a very ill child.
Jacob’s Hill – there is a bridge on a road beyond IH-35, to the east, off of Wells Branch Parkway. If you put your car in neutral, and turn everything off, your car will roll across the bridge. Supposedly, the ghosts of two children who were killed by their father in the area, push your car away from their dangerous dad.
Littlefield Building – built in 1910 by George Littlefield, and designed by C.H. Page, the building was among one of the most prestigious of its time. Most of the occurances here consist of elevators shifting through the floors in the dead of the night, doors closing, and faint conversations from empty floors. The building has a “seventh and a half” floor, normally locked to the public. It was the roof, until Littlefield added the 8th and 9th floors. Figures have reportedly been seen moving through the windows of the “half-floor”, but nobody is ever there.
Littlefield Home – built in 1893 by Major George Littlefield, ghost tales about the home abound. Most of the stories are of Alice Littlefield, George’s wife. Some say that Major Littlefield locked Alice up in the attic when he was away, so she would not be grabbed by Yankees strolling the area, oblivious to the fact that the Civil War was over. It is said that while she languished in the attic, she was attacked by bats, and her shrieks of terror reverberate in the mansion to this day. Others say she went insane, and that her ghost still roams the attic.
Neill-Cochran House – located at 2310 San Gabriel, this building was owned by Colonel Andrew Neill, and then Judge T.B. Cochran, hence its name. At one time, the building was a hospital for Union prisoners. Col. Neill has been seen riding his horse around the mansion, and having tea on the front porch with a spectre identified as Robert E. Lee. Footsteps have been heard at night when no one is there. This house has had reported ghost sitings for as long as anyone can remember.
Old Stone Ridge Rd. – if you drive down this street at night, with your lights off, enroute to the old children’s cemetary, strange things are said to occur. Supposedly, the Donkey Lady is responsible for the hauntings. The woman was badly mangled and killed when her friends were driving down the road one evening without their lights on. It is said that she haunts the woods around the area, and protects the souls of small children buried in the cemetary.
Omni Hotel – located on E. 8th Street, the hotel has been home to numerous “jumpers”. One notorious jumper, Jack, is said to have never paid his room tab, so his name stays on the computer log as the guest. Night maids have said to have heard hims in his room roaming around.
Paramount Theatre – home to vaudeville, silent movies, music, dance and Broadway shows for over 90 years. The theatre is rich in its history, as well as performers. Employees today have no shortage of stories of moving props, strange lights, and unseen hands. One employee reported an “old hag” experience in the projection room.
Richard Moya Park (Moore’s Crossing Bridge) – this bridge was originally part of the Congress Avenue bridge, and was later moved to Moore’s Crossing to replace the low water crossing on Onion Creek. The bridge is closed today, but many still risk the walk across it for the chance of seeing ghosts. It has been reported that many have seen apparitions in out of date clothing. This bridge is very close to my home. One Halloween nite, my roommate, son, and daughter-in-law ventured to the bridge. They walked out onto the bridge, and my roommate saw the ghostly image of black man hanging from a tree, saying “I didn’t do it”. I have been unable to find any records, as yet, that might indicate who this man was.
The Tavern Restaurant – located at 12th and Lamar, the building was erected to be used as a pub, but prohibition was in effect, so was opened in 1921 as a grocery store. Modeled after a German public house, it was later made into a restaurant. Some say it was used during the “roaring twenties” as a speakeasy, and that more than what was on the menu was served upstairs. The tavern is said to be haunted by Emily, and possibly her daughter. Emily was said to have had a less than savory occupation. One night, a fight broke out between two men. Emily and her daughter were caught up in the middle of it, and neither lived to tell their story.
University of Texas Tower – probably the most infamous story of hauntings. On August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman went on a shooting rampage from the observation deck of the Bell Tower at the university. It is said that Charlie still haunts the tower and campus
Zachary- Scott Theatre – has typical, theatre-style ghosts that haunt the aisles, move prop lights, steal and secretly replace actor’s belongings.
