October is here and Halloween is right around the corner! I’m more of a candy person vs. a haunted house person myself, but if spooky spots are your thing, head to the Lone Star State this October 31st.
The Baker Hotel – Mineral Wells, TX
Once a top-tier spa destination in the 1930s, the Baker Hotel fell on hard times in the 1950s-1970s and finally shut its doors in 1973. Allegedly, the hotel is haunted by two spirits: a bloodied naked woman (said to have been the mistress of the hotel manager who jumped to her death) who roams the seventh floor and the ghost of a man who was killed in the hotel elevator. The Baker hotel is currently under renovation and slated to re-open as retail/rental spaces in 2016.
The Jefferson Hotel – Jefferson, TX
The northeastern Texas town of Jefferson is rumored to be haunted in general, and most of the action takes place at the Jefferson Hotel. Guests have reported that they’ve heard ghosts walking down the hall, knocking on walls, and even throwing objects and trying to lock them in their rooms. Suffice it to say, this could be an especially spooky place to stay over Halloween weekend.
Bragg Road – Saratoga, TX
On a certain stretch of this old logging road that runs through Hardin County, you can see a light flickering in the distance. According to local lore, the light belongs to the ghost of a decapitated railroad worker who is searching for his head. Of course, there are other explanations for the flickering (such as swamp gas), but it’s more fun to imagine the ghost story, especially around Halloween.
Baby Head Cemetery – Llano County, TX
If you drive up Hwy 16 about nine miles past Llano, you’ll reach Baby Head Cemetery. The name of the cemetery and nearby mountain comes from a death that is reported to have occurred in the 1850s. As legend has it, Native Americans kidnapped a child, Mary Elizabeth, from a nearby settlement and she was found dead the next day. Cemetery visitors have reported hearing crying and moaning sounds over the years.
Dead Man’s Hole, Marble Falls, TX
Located just south of Marble Falls in Burnet County, Dead Man’s Hole measures about seven feet in diameter and drops almost 15 stories into the ground. It is said to contain bodies from Civil War – mostly Union sympathizers who were killed and thrown into the hole. With the addition of more recent victims, the total body count is estimated at 35. Ghost hunters have reported hearing voices of the deceased – spooky, indeed!
Have you visited one of these spooky spots? Or have you been to a place even scarier? Upload it to our Spookiest Spots in America Photo Contest or post on Instagram or Twitter with #OTspookyspots! You could win $250 in OneTravel giftcards! Hurry, it all ends on October 30th!
Pic, The Baker Hotel, via Flickr – QuesterMark
