The great state of Texas is famous for its wide-open landscapes and unmistakable sense of independence. Travelers come to explore the Hill Country, experience the energy of cities like Austin and Dallas, or step into the state’s centuries-old history. Texas certainly has plenty of history to explore. Frontier settlements, devastating storms, battles, and booming oil cities have all helped shape the Lone Star State, and where history runs deep, ghost stories often follow.
Across Texas, historic landmarks and old neighborhoods have become the settings for tales of strange encounters. Some ghostly narratives are tied to documented history, while others have grown through generations of local storytelling. From the grand hotels of Dallas and Austin to the storm-battered streets of Galveston, these five Texas cities offer plenty of stories for anyone curious about the darker side of Texas.
Dallas
Dallas began as a small trading post established by John Neely Bryan along the Trinity River in 1841. Railroads transformed the settlement during the late 19th century, helping it become an important center for commerce and agriculture. Today, Dallas is one of Texas’ largest and most recognizable cities, but beneath its modern skyline are buildings with stories that reach back more than a century.
Dallas has a wide range of reportedly haunted buildings, from stories of an apparent gangster spirit at the Old Lawrence Hotel to shadow figures at the Old Dallas County Jail. One of the city’s better-known haunted locations is The Adolphus Hotel, often included among Texas hotels with ghost stories.
Built by Adolphus Busch, the luxurious hotel opened in 1912 and quickly became one of Dallas’ grand landmarks. The building’s own history is impressive, but its ghost stories have added another layer to its reputation.
The most popular tale centers on the hotel’s 19th floor. According to local legend, a young bride was abandoned at the altar and later returned to the hotel, where she died. Guests and employees have reportedly heard a woman’s cries, footsteps in empty hallways, and the faint sound of a music box.
Austin
Austin was officially incorporated in 1839. The new settlement soon became the capital of the Republic of Texas, establishing Austin as the political heart of the state. Today, Austin is better known for live music, food, festivals, and its creative culture, but its historic downtown has plenty of stories with a darker edge.
Many structures throughout Austin are associated with reported spectral encounters, including “The Man with the Cigar” and “The Lady in White” at the Paramount Theatre, as well as stories of two full-bodied apparitions at a mustache-themed drinking establishment in Austin.
Like Dallas, one of the city’s most discussed haunted landmarks is a historic hotel. The Driskill Hotel opened in 1886, when Colonel Jesse Driskill set out to create one of Texas’ finest luxury hotels. More than a century later, the building remains one of Austin’s most recognizable historic landmarks, and its ghost stories and hauntings continue to draw attention.
One of the best-known legends concerns a little girl who supposedly fell down the hotel’s grand staircase while chasing a ball. Visitors have claimed to hear children’s laughter or see a ball moving across the staircase, although historians have found no evidence confirming the story.
San Antonio
San Antonio’s story began in 1718 with the founding of the San Antonio de Béxar Presidio and Mission San Antonio de Valero, better known today as the Alamo. The mission later became the site of the famous 1836 battle during the Texas Revolution.
With that much history packed into the city, it is not surprising that San Antonio has accumulated its share of ghost stories.
The Menger Hotel is among the city’s better-known haunted locations. Built in 1857 near the Alamo, the historic hotel has hosted prominent guests and witnessed generations of San Antonio history.
Stories surrounding the Menger include sightings of former guests and employees, including the figure of Captain Richard King, who died at the hotel in 1885. Another well-known tale involves Sallie White, a hotel maid who was reportedly murdered in the 1870s. Visitors have claimed to hear footsteps, see figures in the hallways, or experience strange activity inside the rooms.
San Fernando Cathedral offers another chilling chapter in San Antonio’s story. The church was built in stages beginning in the 18th century and is considered one of the oldest surviving churches in Texas. Local stories tell of shadowy figures moving around its grounds and mysterious glowing orbs appearing near the cathedral.
Galveston
Once a thriving Gulf Coast port, Galveston became one of the state’s most important commercial centers during the 19th century. Then, on September 8, 1900, disaster struck. A powerful hurricane devastated the city, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying thousands of buildings. Galveston eventually rebuilt, raising portions of the city and constructing its famous seawall.
That tragic history has helped give Galveston its reputation as one of Texas’ haunted coastal cities. Texas has many hotels with ghost stories, and Galveston is no exception. The Hotel Galvez & Spa is perhaps the island’s best-known haunted landmark. Built in 1911, the elegant hotel opened during Galveston’s recovery from the 1900 hurricane.
One of its most famous legends involves the so-called Lovelorn Lady, a woman who supposedly waited at the hotel for news from her fiancé, a sailor lost at sea. According to the story, grief eventually drove her to take her own life. Guests have since reported strange activity around the fifth floor, including flickering lights and sightings of a woman in old-fashioned clothing.
Nearby Ashton Villa has its own ghostly reputation. The mansion was built in 1859, and stories claim that Bettie Brown, daughter of the home’s original owner, can be seen in a window of the house. Some even say the piano in the Gold Room has played without anyone touching it.
In Galveston, ghost stories are woven into a city filled with stories of survival and rebirth. Visitors interested in this side of the city can explore a local Galveston ghost tour by Lizzie Borden Tours.
El Paso
Far to the west, El Paso carries a history unlike any other major Texas city. Spanish explorers reached the region in the late 16th century, and the area became an important route between Mexico and the American Southwest. El Paso’s location along the border and its Old West history have produced plenty of ghost stories.
One of the city’s most famous haunted locations is Concordia Cemetery, established in the 19th century. More than 60,000 people are buried there, including figures connected to El Paso’s frontier past. Local lore claims that Lady Flo and legendary gunfighter John Wesley Hardin are among the spirits associated with the cemetery. Visitors have also reported hearing unexplained sounds after dark, including children’s laughter and hoofbeats.
Downtown El Paso has its own collection of eerie tales. The historic Plaza Theatre is reportedly associated with unexplained lights and the apparition of an older man smoking a cigarette in the balcony.
El Paso’s long history comes to life after dark through stories that continue to attract curious visitors.
Explore the Haunted Side of Texas
From Dallas’ elegant Adolphus Hotel to Austin’s storied Driskill, Texas has no shortage of ghost stories. Yet the most interesting part of these tales may be the history behind them. Every legend is connected to a real place, and every old building has witnessed generations of tragedy, change, and survival.
Whether you’re a dedicated ghost investigator or someone who enjoys hearing a good story after dark, exploring these cities offers a memorable way to experience Texas history from a different perspective. US Ghost Adventures offers tours in several Texas cities for visitors interested in exploring local legends, historic streets, and reported hauntings.
