Galveston is a popular coastal town to visit during the warmer months, but this historic town just might be the most haunted place in Texas. Galveston may be known for its beautiful beaches, amusement parks, and scenic views, but you’d be surprised at how many of these historic spots around the island are paranormal hotspots.
1. Ashton Villa
From the outside, the Ashton Villa looks fairly normal. Sure, the ornate iron veranda and Victorian/Italianate does catch your eye, but your first thought when viewing this 3-story building probably isn’t, "I bet it’s haunted." The house was built in 1858 by James Brown, the 5th wealthiest man in Texas at the time. His two daughters, Bettie and Tilly Brown are the two souls that are believed to haunt the house today. These aren’t your average sweet southern belles, though. Both were known for their unconventional habits, like smoking cigars, racing carriages, and traveling around unchaperoned. There’s even a rumor that Tilly Brown murdered her husband. While we may never know if the’s true, we can’t deny that countless staff and guests have experienced unexplained events so often, many believe the place to be haunted. Dresser drawers lock and unlock on their own, even though the key has been missing for decades. Lights turn on and off on their own, as well as ceiling fans. In one rare instance, a caretaker woke up in the middle of the night to the sounds of a piano playing. When he went to investigate, he saw the transparent apparition of a female wearing 19th-century clothes playing the piano before disappearing right before his eyes.
2. Old City Cemetery
Galveston’s Old City Cemetery is roughly 200 years old, making it the oldest burial ground in Galveston. Cemeteries are generally spooky, but this one, in particular, is extra spooky. For starters, several of the graves are three graves deep, meaning there are graves stacked on top of graves, a rather unconventional practice. It’s also the merging of seven different cemeteries, including the final resting place for many of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane victims. Disturbing cemeteries can often lead to rumors of waking the dead, and since this cemetery is the final product of merging seven different cemeteries, you can imagine how many spirits have been disturbed. It’s also the final resting place of the "Demented Mother," Elize Roemer Alberti. Alberti poisoned her four children in 1894 and then took her own life after being sent to the San Antonio Asylum. She is surprisingly buried in the same plot as her children, one of the rare cases where the murderer is buried alongside the victims.
3. Hotel Galvez
The ghost stories surrounding Hotel Galvez are almost as old as the hotel itself. The most haunted room in the hotel is undoubtedly room 501. The ghost who checked into this room and never checked out is known as Audra, a bride-to-be in the 1950s who often stayed in this room while her partner was off sailing around. She would often sneak up to the roof of the hotel to watch for her husband’s ship to arrive, but one day she was informed that his ship had capsized during a storm. Unable to cope with the loss of her love, she hanged herself in the west turret of the hotel. In a rather Shakespearean twist, the groom arrived at the hotel a few days later, he had survived the storm after all. If you find yourself staying in room 501, strap in for a spooky night. Guests have reported electronics have mysteriously stopped working in this room, particularly the key card to access the room, as well as seeing lights flicker, televisions mysteriously turn off and on, and more.
If you've ever had a paranormal encounter at one of these haunted places in Galveston, share your experience in the comments below. For more haunted adventures, gas up the car and take this haunted road trip in Texas.
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