There’s no denying that San Antonio is a popular tourist destination with riveting sites like the Alamo and the River Walk. But if headset tours really aren’t your thing (are they anyone’s?) and drunkenly perusing our so called “river” doesn’t get your excitement juices pumping I’ve got some haunted city legends that, come this Halloween, might work up more of a spooky sweat than that “Halloweentown” marathon you had planned.
Turns out that San Antonio is like “¦ really haunted. Just Google search “San Antonio haunted legends” and you could read on and on about how so and so died and how now they haunt the premises because their soul is lost, blah blah blah. Well, let me tell you, I did a fair amount of research and decided that these four haunted locations ranked the highest on my scare-o-meter.
First is the infamous haunted ghost train tracks. Located at the corner of Shane and Villamain Rds. just outside Loop 410, these tracks get their infamy from an accident that took place in the 1940s. A bus full of children was struck by a speeding train when the bus stalled on the tracks. The reason this location is so popular today? It’s said that if you put your car in neutral just before the tracks, the ghosts of the little children will push your car safely over the tracks. Many have put baby powder on the back of their car and claim to find little children’s handprints. You mean to tell me cute, little dead kids will physically push my car over some train tracks? Sign me up!
Second is the Menger Hotel. Located at 204 Alamo Plaza, the Menger is famous for its famous apparitions including Sallie White, Richard King and Teddy Roosevelt. While the ghost stories associated with the Menger are much less intrusive than the children of the ghost tracks, the employees, as well as the guests, claim to see the apparitions roaming the hotel halls or getting drinks at the bar. Just your typical, average dose of booin’ and boozin’.
Third, the Donkey Lady. I’ll be honest with you, as a pure bred San Antonian I had no clue what the heck this legend was “” but just by the title alone, I had to find out. Apparently, there are a couple stories that explain the half woman, half donkey beast-like creature (both of which are extremely too scary to recall to you all) but the ghost story goes that if you honk your car horn on the bridge at the end of Jett Rd. it will summon the donkey lady and her taste for vengeance. One thing is for sure, this lady is not happy and if you willingly roam into her vicinity, you and your hooved-up car won’t be either.
Finally, the Sheraton Gunter Hotel. Located at 205 East Houston St., the Gunter Hotel is said to be haunted by a blonde woman brutally murdered in room 636 by a man named Walter Emerick. Her full body was never found though parts of her flesh were found throughout the room at the scene of the crime. It is thought that her body parts were partially flushed down the toilet and buried in the wet cement surrounding the downtown San Antonio area. Besides her spirit roaming the hotel, there have been reports of hammering coming from the haunted room. Sleepover in room 636? Pfft, no thank you. Where’s that “Halloweentown” marathon happening, again?
