The most haunted place in Austin, by most accounts, is the Driskill Hotel, where cattle baron Jesse Driskill still surveys his 1886 property and a jilted bride keeps room 329. The rest of the list suits a state capital that brands itself weird: the Texas State Capitol with its fire-scarred history, Moonshine Patio Bar and Grill beside the flood-prone Colorado, and Oakwood Cemetery, the city's oldest. Ghost tours cover it all by foot, bus, boat, and even hearse. Here are the stories behind each stop.
Haunted Places in Austin
The Driskill Hotel: Built in 1886 by cattle baron Jesse Driskill, the hotel has become synonymous with paranormal phenomena in Austin. Driskill himself is said to haunt the place. Guests have reported seeing the gentleman puffing a cigar while looking out of a bedroom window. There have also been sightings of a child who died when chasing his bouncing balls down the hotel’s staircase. A jilted bride who committed suicidein the 1990s haunts room 329; her spirit has also been seen roaming the hallway outside the room. And then there’s the picture found hanging on the fifth floor. This creepy artwork is based on a painting called “Love Letter” and depicts a little girl with a bouquet of flowers. Visitors swear the picture is haunted and complain of cold chills and a feeling of being watched when they walk past it. Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill: Located near Waller Creek and the Colorado River, this area has been the site of frequent floods throughout the decades. Many believe the amount of death and destruction the waters brought contribute to the hauntings today. Moonshine Bar & Grill is known for its 5-star noshes as well as the paranormal activity that abounds. Guests have been tapped, tugged and whispered to by unseen entities while staff endure rattling noises and cold spots in the building.
Texas State Capitol Building: Like all things Texan, the state capital was built to be the biggest, meanest and most ostentacious of all the capitol buildings in the U.S. And it appears the good people succeeded, altho the elements have occasionally played havoc. There are more than a few spirits that haunt the hallowed halls in Austin, including a young intern who perished in the 1983 fire. It’s said his handprint is found on the window from which he could not escape as the inferno consumed the room. There’s also an apparition of a lady dressed in red who disappears when approached. She’s thought to be the mistress of a long ago politician, returning to search for her erstwhile lover. Oakwood Cemetery: Dating back to the 1850s, Oakwood is Austin’s oldest cemetery. The former City Cemetery is the final resting site for Austin’s rich and poor, famous and infamous alike. Former governors are buried among Civil War veterans, while the indigent share land with those felled by pandemics and worse. One of the Servant Girl Annhilator victims, Eula Phillips, is buried here, and her ghost has been reported running through the grounds. The cemetery has also been rumored to be used by graverobbers who sold the cadevors to a university medical school.
Questions people ask
Is the Driskill Hotel haunted?
It is Austin's flagship haunting. Jesse Driskill, who built the hotel in 1886, is reportedly seen smoking a cigar at a window; a child who died on the staircase and a jilted bride tied to room 329 add to the roster, and a portrait on the fifth floor leaves passersby with cold chills.
What haunts the Texas State Capitol?
Several stories persist: a young intern who died in the 1983 fire, whose handprint is said to remain on the window he could not escape, and a lady in red who vanishes when approached, thought to be the mistress of a long-ago politician.
What kinds of ghost tours does Austin have?
Nearly every format going: walking tours, buses, boats, pedicabs, Segways, and a hearse. Beyond the standard haunted history routes, some companies run vampire and murder-themed walks.
