Hauntings: Railroad Crossing in San Antonio

Railroad Crossing (San Antonio, Texas)

Mostly an urban legend rather than verifiable fact, the story about the Haunted Railroad Crossing by Shane Road, south of San Antonio, is well known in the area – and really creepy!

It’s said that in the 1930s, a school bus stalled on the railroad tracks.  Before they could escape, a speeding train smashed into the bus, killing the ten children and the bus driver.  Since then, if any car stops on the tracks it is pushed by unseen hands across to the safety of the other side.  People claim it’s the spirits of the children who push the cars to prevent a tragedy like their own.

Even today, cars line up at the haunted intersection to see if the legend is true.  The driver stops the car near the tracks and puts the car in neutral.  And even though it appears that the road is on an upward grade, the car begins to roll.  It rolls slowly first, then gains speed, rolling up and over the tracks to the other side.

But that's not all.  People who have sprinkled powder over their car's trunk and rear bumper before their car is pushed across the tracks have then discovered tiny fingerprints and handprints in the powder - the prints of the ghost children who push them to safety.

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Hauntings: Galveston

 Galveston (Texas)

In 1900, a hurricane swept in off the Gulf of Mexico and pounded the Texas coast with winds up to 135 mph -- a "Category 4" storm in modern terminology.  Galveston suffered a 15-foot surge of water, which easily swamped the 8.7-foot-high island.  Together, the wind and the water destroyed almost everything in their path and created the worst natural disaster in America's history.  Between 6,000 and 12,000 people died.

The storm surge knocked buildings off their foundations and the surf pounded them to pieces.  Over 3,600 homes were destroyed and debris covered the ocean for miles.  The few buildings that survived were the solidly built mansions and houses along the high class Strand District, like the Hotel Galvez, Tremont House, Bishop’s Palace, and Ashton Villa. 

The most haunted places in Galveston:

The Galvez Hotel was a showpiece when it was built in 1911 and played host to U.S. presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson.  In Room 505, a guest committed suicide after hearing that her fiancé had died in a shipwreck.  She’s been seen so many times, the staff calls her the "Lovelorn Lady." People have seen other apparitions and glowing orbs, too.

The original Tremont House was torn down, but a hotel of the same name was built in 1980 and replicates the original’s Victorian style.  Three apparitions haunt the Tremont House. A Civil War soldier haunts the first floor lobby, dining room, and lounge areas.  He’s usually seen marching as if guarding the hotel.  The “Lucky Man” is a Victorian era apparition who haunts the fourth floor.  He was a gambler on his way to his room with his winnings when he was viciously murdered.  It's said he hunts for his killer to this day.  The third apparition, “Jimmy,” haunts the back alley and the bar.  Guests and staff have seen glasses and bottles move when Jimmy is around.

The Bishop’s Palace (or the Haunted Castle of Galveston) is a stone mansion completed in 1893 at a cost of $250,000 -- an exorbitant sum at the time.  The owner, Walter Gresham had stained glass windows put in, along with many fireplaces, one of which is lined in silver.  Whenever Galveston is threatened by a hurricane, Walter Gresham’s ghost appears to warn the inhabitants of his house.
 
In 1859, Ashton Villa was the first brick house built in Texas.  Brick was expensive, but thought to be stronger than wood and would weather hurricanes better—and it did.  The ghost of Miss Bettie, a former resident of Ashton Villa who died in 1920, has been seen standing on the second floor landing of the grand staircase.

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Hauntings: Driskill Hotel

Driskill Hotel (Austin, Texas)

In 1886, wealthy cattle baron Jesse Lincoln Driskill opened the Driskill hotel in Austin, Texas.  It became a popular meeting place for the area’s politicians and celebrities.  Mr. Driskill loved his luxurious hotel so much it's said his spirit remained after he died.  Several people have seen his ghost over the years.  Plus, he was an avid cigar smoker, and the smell of cigar smoke has been often reported even though no one is smoking.

And he’s not the only one haunting the place --

In 1887, the four-year-old daughter of a senator chased a ball near the Grand Staircase and fell to her death.  Since then, the sound of a ball bouncing and a child’s laughter has often been heard by guests.  Her portrait hangs on the fifth floor, and people have reported seeing the painting's expression change -- the little girl smiles at them.

In Room 525, a young bride killed herself in the bathroom, and twenty years later, another did the same thing.  Such an atmosphere of despair permeated the room that it was closed off for many years.  When the hotel was renovated, it was reopened, but troubles continue to plague the room like unexplained noises and plumbing leaks.

A female spirit has been seen multiple times on the fourth floor.  It’s believed to be the ghost of a woman who committed suicide there.  Guests and staff alike have heard a woman whispering and heard weeping, but never found the source of the noises.

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