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Haunted Travel

Mineral Wells: Did I Hear Ghosts in Elmwood Cemetery?

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I heard children giggling when I took this photo! (photo by Tui Snider)
I heard children giggling when I took this photo! (photo by Tui Snider)

Two Paranormal Investigations in Mineral Wells, Texas

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post about Haunted Hill House, my husband and I spent last weekend with with our dear friend and talented psychic, Teal Gray, over in Mineral Wells, Texas for a writing research trip. Part of that research included participating in two different paranormal investigations.

The first investigation took place at Phil Kurchoff’s Haunted Hill House. You can read all about by following the link I shared above. The second investigation was at the Crazy Water Hotel. This historic venue is not open to the public and difficult to gain entrance to, so I leapt at the invitation extended to me by Greg Stephens, a founding member of Texas Research & Investigation of the Paranormal (a.k.a. TxRIP) to participate in a paranormal investigation at the historic Crazy Water with his team. I will share more about that experience in the future. I’m waiting until Texas RIP has a chance to review all the evidence they gathered, which can be a time-consuming process!

Until then, suffice it to say that I saw an anomalous ball of light whizzing around with my naked eyes at one point. Meanwhile, the team’s cameras caught a vortex spiraling over my head immediately after I stood up to investigate a strange noise we all heard. Weird stuff, indeed!

Since Haunted Hill House and the Crazy Water Hotel are both notorious paranormal hot spots, I expected the unexpected during my visits. I did not, however, expect a paranormal encounter while visiting Elmwood Cemetery in Mineral Wells…

Why do people expect graveyards to be haunted?

Even though I constantly read and hear about haunted graveyards, a part of me resists the idea. Of all places, why on earth (literally!) would a spirit hang out at a cemetery unless they had spent a lot of time there in their life, as a groundskeeper, or something like that?

Haunted theaters, hotels, ballrooms, and houses, on the other hand, make sense to me. Of course, I realize there is no cosmic rule saying that paranormal activity must make sense to little ole me before it can happen. I just wanted to clarify that although I visit historic cemeteries on a regular basis, I rarely go there expecting to see, or in this case hear, ghosts. I usually visit historic graveyards for research purposes, to clarify the spelling of a person’s name, for instance, or to photograph interesting cemetery symbols.

Historic Elmwood Cemetery in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Historic Elmwood Cemetery in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

My Paranormal Experience

On this particular day, Teal Gray, Larry, and I were traipsing through Elmwood Cemetery in Mineral Wells, Texas on a mission to fulfill photo requests for members of Findagrave.com. (If you’ve never checked out Findagrave, you’re missing out!) Here’s the deal: sometimes after folks figure out where their ancestors are buried, they live too far away to visit the graveyard in person. They will then put in a photo request on Findagrave, hoping that someone nearby will fulfill it. I’ve used Findagrave so much for historic research that I figure it’s about time I started giving back by fulfilling some of these photo requests. (And, hey, if you are on Findagrave, be sure to friend me! I only recently made my public Findagrave profile there.)

As the three of us fanned out and started looking at headstones, Teal pointed to one and told me to check out its epitaph. The headstone is quite faded and hard to read, but from what I could tell, it describes a man named Richard Dyckerhoff, who was born in Germany and died in Mineral Wells, Texas. Mr. Dyckerhoff’s epitaph reads, “The orphans true friend.” Isn’t that intriguing? I’m curious to learn how he earned such an impressive title.

But here’s the fun part: as I knelt in the grass and steadied my camera to photograph Mr. Dyckerhoff’s headstone, I heard children giggling. The laughter seemed to be coming from about 10 feet away and slightly to my right. It was quite loud!

I immediately stood up and looked over, fully expecting to see little kids. As I rose, a mental picture flashed through my head, too. It was brief, but quite detailed: I “saw” 3 little kids ranging in age from 5 to 7 standing behind a nearby tree with their hands up to their mouths to stifle giggles.

The sound was so convincing that I actually walked forward and peered around the tree, then looked all over the place to see if there were any children in the graveyard.

There were not.

Even so, the sound was so “real” that it took me a minute to accept that there were no living children in the graveyard with us. It was so weird! The experience didn’t make me feel creeped out or scared – just baffled.

I finally returned to take another photo of the headstone and as I did so, I once again heard a brief giggle, but not as lengthy this time. In retrospect, I should have taken a few photos of the area where I heard the sound coming from. Maybe I would have caught something anomalous on film!

We remained in Elmwood Cemetery for another half an hour and in that time, I didn’t hear any more giggling or see any other people there besides my husband and Teal Gray.

Beautiful trees at Elmwood Cemetery in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Beautiful trees at Elmwood Cemetery in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Have you ever seen or heard a ghost?

The experience reminds me that while people often ask, “Have you ever seen a ghost?” I have heard strange things way more often than I have seen them. I suppose that this could mean that of The Four Clairs, I tend more towards clairaudience than clairvoyance.

What about you? Have you ever seen or heard a ghost? Which of the Four Clairs is dominant for you?

Want to read more?

To read about more weird, offbeat, and overlooked places, check out my best selling travel guide: Unexpected Texas.
For ghost hunting hot spots, check out my best selling travel guide to haunted places: Paranormal Texas.
For a strange-but-true tale of Texas history, check out: The Lynching of the Santa Claus Bank Robber. Happy travels!

Hey, you! Want to come along for the ride?

For updates on my offbeat travels, books, & other fun stuff (such as postcards from the road!) subscribe to my author newsletter using the form below:

Tui Snider having fun on a Texas road trip!
Tui Snider having fun on a Texas road trip!

Filed Under: Blog on Writing & Life, Cemeteries & Symbolism, Haunted Travel, Historic Cemeteries, Travel Photo Essays Tagged With: author Tui Snider, graveyards, haunted history, historic cemeteries, Mineral Wells, Paranormal, Texas

Ghost Hunting in Mineral Wells, Texas: Haunted Hill House & So Much More!

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FREE Cemetery Symbols Guide:

Would you like a FREE guide to historic cemetery symbolism? If so, click the image below:

Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Writing Research Trip & Ghost Hunting

Even though I wrote a chapter on Mineral Wells in my first book, Unexpected Texas, I keep learning interesting things about this historic Texas town. (So much so that I’ve got another book underway – but that’s another story for another day!) Meanwhile, there’s so much on my Mineral Wells to-do list that I recently took a writing research trip there. My husband, Larry, and my pal, Teal Gray, came along for the ride.

We had a great time!

Paranormal Hot Spots in Mineral Wells, Texas

For a small town, Mineral Wells packs a lot of offbeat history per square inch. In fact, my second book, Paranormal Texas, includes a chapter on Mineral Wells because when there’s so much offbeat history, there’s bound to be haunted lore!

The Baker Hotel is just down the street from Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
The Baker Hotel is just down the street from Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Haunted Hill House Investigation in 2014

One of the haunted hot spots I describe in Paranormal Texas is known as the Haunted Hill House. Last August, I attended a paranormal investigation there with Shelly Tucker (a.k.a. Denton’s Ghost Lady) in conjunction with FEAR Paranormal. It’s a long story, but although we were booked to spend the entire night, everyone in our party bailed by midnight.

I was so disappointed!

Shelly Tucker & I gave Phil Kirchoff copies of our books last year (photo by Tui Snider)
Shelly Tucker & I gave Phil Kirchoff copies of our books last year (photo by Tui Snider)

Mysterious Whispers Caught on Tape

Even so, my digital recorder caught some mysterious whispers. I can’t understand what is being said, but the tiny, whispering voice on this audio file does not belong to any of the living who were present that night. It’s *very* brief, but after listening to 45 minutes of me wandering around the house chatting, this strange little whisper really stood out. I’ll save you the tedium and me the embarrassment of listening to the whole clip, but here is the snippet that contains the tiny whisper. What do you think?

Listen to the mysterious whisper by clicking here:

https://tuisnider.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/HHH-combo-clips.wav

The other “head scratcher” during my first visit to Haunted Hill House came while a group of us sat in a circle around a Spirit Box. As I excused myself to attend the local Baker Hotel Ghost Walk, a man’s voice came through and with no static at all, said, “Bye, Tui!”

The voice was so clear, that without thinking, I reflexively responded with, “Bye!” before exclaiming, “Hey, did that gizmo just call me by name?”

The same voice came through again and simply replied, “Yes.” When I asked if he wanted me to come back after the haunted history tour, that same voice came through again with another, “Yes.”

While I must admit I have very little experience with the Spirit Box, I found that brief exchange rather interesting!

Shelly Tucker had quite an emotional experience at the Haunted Hill House, but I feel that it is her story to share and not mine – if she even wants to share it! So, I’ll leave it at that.

I’ve been wanting to return to Haunted Hill House ever since! Last weekend, I finally got my chance – and it did not disappoint. But before I dive into all that, here’s a little background about the Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas:

The team checking out the cameras at Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
The team checking out the cameras at Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Brief Background Info: Haunted Hill House a.k.a. The Kyle House

Built in 1892 by local pharmacist C.F. Yeager, the Haunted Hill House sits a few blocks east of Mineral Wells’ historic (and infamously haunted) Baker Hotel. For many years, the home was known around town as “the Kyle House” because Fannie Yeager Kyle and her sister lived there until the late 1920’s.

According to the Haunted Hill House website, after the sisters passed away, things turned a bit shady. There are rumors of a brothel as well as the production of illegal booze during Prohibition, but none of this has been substantiated.

In 2013, Phil Kirchhoff bought the historic home. He planned to remodel the place and retire there. Due to the high level of paranormal activity, however, Phil abandoned that idea and turned it into a paranormal research center, instead.

According to investigators, Haunted Hill House has at least nine distinct entities residing there. Exactly who they are has not been determined, but the most well-defined appears to be the ghost of a 6-year-old boy.

The home is now available for ghost hunting groups as well as those who simply want to experience a bona fide haunted house in person. For details, check out the Haunted Hill House website.

The other side of the monitor at Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
The other side of the monitor at Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Teal Gray Worldwide Investigations

I should mention that Teal Gray, Larry, and I are part of a paranormal investigation team called Teal Gray Worldwide Investigations. Different groups have different specialties, and we are no exception.

For one thing, while most ghost hunting groups have at least one member described as being “the skeptic,” Teal Gray Worldwide Investigations includes a complete non-believer! My husband, Larry, does not believe in the paranormal and is convinced that every anomaly can be explained away if you look hard enough.

Teal Gray, on the other hand, is a talented psychic medium of the “I see dead people” variety. Meanwhile, I’m no professional psychic. I’m just a bit sensitive, for lack of a better term. (If anything, I tend to hear dead people from time to time!) That said, all three of us strive to find the most logical explanation for any seemingly paranormal phenomena we encounter.

Case in point, the glowing tombstone at Veal Station Cemetery over in Springtown, Texas. You can see what Larry and I discovered on our investigation there by reading this post: Glowing Tombstone in Springtown, Texas

I should also add that while our team enjoys ghost hunting, we focus on the actual history of an area as much as we do on gathering paranormal evidence. One of our main goals is to promote awareness of and respect for regional history.

We had a good K2 session in this room at Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
We had a good K2 session in this room at Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Teal Gray Worldwide Investigations at the Haunted Hill House

Larry and I showed up at the Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells a few minutes ahead of Teal, thanks to her moody GPS. This gave us a chance to catch up with the man who owns the house, Phil Kirchoff.

As I mentioned earlier, Phil Kirchoff originally purchased the house with the intention to fix it up and retire there. It may surprise some readers, however, to learn that Phil Kirchoff is a scientist!

That’s right, folks. Phil Kirchoff is an archaeologist specializing in the Pleistocene Era. He was even involved in the discovery of a new dinosaur named Hadrosaur discovered a few years ago near Arlington, Texas. Pretty cool, eh?

Prior to buying Haunted Hill House, Phil was not particularly interested in ghosts. The past two years, however, have been a crash course in all things paranormal.

Since Larry is a mad scientist and chemistry teacher, he and Phil hit it off right away. In fact, “the boys” hung out in the air-conditioned kitchen watching all the cameras and fiddling with the technical equipment while Teal and I roamed the house looking for ghosts.

The first impression Teal Gray picked up on was of several “ladies of the evening” hanging out in the sitting room. I didn’t feel anything, but there was a fan there, so I was happy to set the K2 meter on the couch and see if we could make contact.

Long story short: no luck!

Teal and I wandered slowly from room to room. For some reason, I didn’t take as many photos as I usually do. I just kind of “forgot,” which is weird for such an avid shutterbug as me! The same thing happened last time I visited Haunted Hill House. (Note to self: take lots of photos when visiting paranormal hot spots!)

I thought we might feel something upstairs, but aside from being hot and humid, we didn’t pick up on much there, either.

We tried the K2 in several different rooms at Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
We tried the K2 in several different rooms at Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

A Lively K2 Session & an Inexplicable Chill

We had a lively 10-minute K2 session in one of the front rooms on the main floor, however. It was still pretty hot, and there were no fans or open windows, but at one point a freezing cold chill snaked its way up our arms. It didn’t last too long, maybe 30 seconds, but it was very noticeable.

As for our K2 session, we were able to ask questions and get a strong response for roughly 10 minutes, before we both felt as if the energy was done. Through a series of yes/no questions, we were told that 8 entities were with us, and that they liked Phil Kirchoff.

Since Phil had mentioned seeing a “shadow man” the night before, we asked about that and discovered that none of them liked the shadow man, either!

One of the strongest K2 responses came when I asked if those present would like for me to do more research into the history of Haunted Hill House. Hey, I love any excuse to do more research!

None of my photos picked up any anomalies, nor did I get any potential EVPs this time. I was a little worried, too, because I used the bathroom while recording. I figured Murphy’s Law would cause me to pick up a mysterious voice while I was “EVP-eeing!”

All in all, it was a fun visit! I look forward to visiting again.

Me & Teal were sweating like crazy in the attic at Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Me & Teal were sweating like crazy in the attic at Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Teal Gray Worldwide Investigations at the Crazy Water Hotel

Shortly after our visit to Phil Kirchoff’s Haunted Hill House, the three of us accompanied Greg Stephens as guests with his team, Texas Research & Investigation of the Paranormal (a.k.a. TxRIP) for our second paranormal investigation of the day over at the historic Crazy Water Hotel in Mineral Wells, Texas! As a history buff, I’ve been wanting to visit the Crazy Water Hotel for ages, but like the Baker Hotel, it is not easy to gain access (Thank you, vandals, for ruining the good stuff for everyone else – grrr!)

The three of us had quite an adventure at the Crazy Water Hotel. I actually saw something with my naked eyes that I’m still puzzling over, and the TxRIP team caught some bizarre anomalies (including a large, swirling vortex) on video! So… stay tuned for my upcoming blog post about our crazy time at the Crazy Water.

Spooky room at the Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Spooky room at the Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

One More Paranormal Encounter…

And, lastly, come back tomorrow to read about a completely unexpected paranormal experience I had in Mineral Wells, Texas. This strange experience was one of my favorite moments of the whole weekend, but did not occur during any of our ghost hunting expeditions! (You can also keep up with me and my blog by signing up for my newsletter: just scroll down to see how!)

FREE Cemetery Symbols Guide:

Would you like a FREE guide to historic cemetery symbolism? If so, click the image below:

Want to read more like this?


To read about more weird, offbeat, and overlooked places, check out my best-selling travel guide: 
UNEXPECTED TEXAS: Your Guide to Offbeat & Overlooked History, Day Trips & Fun Things to do near Dallas & Fort Worth
.

For ghost hunting hot spots, check out my best-selling travel guide to haunted places: 
PARANORMAL TEXAS: Your Travel Guide to Haunted Places near Dallas & Fort Worth
.

For a strange-but-true tale of Texas history, check out this bizarre piece of West Texas history: 
The Lynching of the Santa Claus Bank Robber

 


white-line-separator

Hey, you! Want to come along for the ride?

No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui's books can take you on a FUN adventure!
No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui Snider’s books can take you on a FUN adventure!

FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: For updates on my offbeat travels, books, & other fun stuff (such as postcards from the road!) subscribe to my newsletter using the form below. Each week, I’ll let you know the Historic Cemetery Symbol of the Week, who Teal Gray & I are interviewing on our show that night, and any other fun or interesting news. You can also mix & mingle with me by clicking this link & “liking” my Facebook Author Page:

Filed Under: Blog on Writing & Life, Haunted Travel, Travel Photo Essays Tagged With: author Tui Snider, evp, ghost, ghost hunting, haunted history, history, Mineral Wells, Oct15, paranormal, paranormal texas, spirit box, Texas

Catch Me on the Radio: Close to Death with Selena Roane

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selenas-show-pic-me-550

Radio Host: Selena Roane

Tonight I’m going to be a guest on a really interesting paranormal radio show! The program is called Close to Death and it’s hosted by the fabulous Selena Roane. I met Selena at the 2014 Granbury Paranormal Expo, where she gave an excellent presentation on her journey as an empath and all the ups, downs, and confusion it has caused in her life. She also played one of the best EVP’s I have heard for the audience. (None of that indecipherable staticky stuff that people pass off as electronic voice phenomenon so often. This EVP was the crystal clear recording of a man speaking – in a room where there were no men. Well, no living men!)

As a result of her own strange experiences, Selena Roane help found an investigative group called FEAR Paranormal (great name, eh?) Here is her full bio:

Selena Roane is the founder of FEAR Paranormal Society, a paranormal investigation team. She is also the host of Close to Death, an internet show about virtually anything paranormal.

In addition to her paranormal team and show, she is an empath and is currently working on developing and enhancing that ability. Selena attends and speaks at various conferences and has led numerous investigations. She was included as an investigator on the “Shadows of 66” documentary with Chip Coffey, Brad and Barry Klinge in 2013.

The paranormal is Selena’s passion. She is continuously researching and learning in an effort to deepen her knowledge and enthusiasm for the field.

You can listen to Close to Death every Tuesday at 6pm CT - 7pm ET
You can listen to Close to Death every Tuesday at 6pm CT – 7pm ET

Close to Death Radio

Selena Roane hosts Close to Death each and every Tuesday from 6:00 – 7:00 pm Texas time (that’s 4pm on the west coast and 7pm on the east coast!) She gets some amazing guests, too. Last week, she spoke with Bishop James Long,  a fascinating man who has participated in numerous exorcisms. (She’s having him back for a special 2-hour interview. I can hardly wait!)

This week, on June 9, 2015, Selena will be interviewing me! We will talk about the weird and wacky research I do for my books, my personal paranormal experiences, and why I decided to create a field guide to cemetery symbolism. We will also discuss a couple exciting Texas paranormal expos we are both speaking at, and how you can participate!

How to listen to the show

You can tune into the Close to Death radio show by going here: Close to Death radio, then clicking on the big red button that says, “Listen and Chat.”

Once again, the show airs at 4pm Pacific, 5pm Mountain, 6pm Central, and 7pm Eastern. If you live in another time zone, you can go here to find the time for you to join us: World Time Zone Converter. 

Come chat with me *before* the show!

Whether or not you can listen in, I invite you to come chat with me before and after the show. Close to Death radio has a chat room that you can join by following this link: Close to Death – Listen & Chat Once there, just scroll down a little and you will see a box that says, “Rambler Web Chat.” You can simply hit enter and you will be in the room as “Guest.” If you want a certain name or nickname to show up for you, you can do that, too.

I will join the online chat room at 5pm Central time, and I invite you to come by, too. Chat rooms can be a lot of fun. Plus, if you have any questions, this is a great way to let us know what they are. Don’t be shy!

Want to read more?

To read about more weird, offbeat, and overlooked places, check out my best selling travel guide: Unexpected Texas.
For ghost hunting hot spots, check out my best selling travel guide to haunted places: Paranormal Texas.
For a strange-but-true tale of Texas history, check out: The Lynching of the Santa Claus Bank Robber. Happy travels!

Hey, you! Want to come along for the ride?

For updates on my offbeat travels, books, & other fun stuff (such as postcards from the road!) subscribe to my author newsletter using the form below:

Tui Snider having fun on a Texas road trip!
Tui Snider having fun on a Texas road trip!

Filed Under: Blog Posts, Cemeteries & Symbolism, Haunted Travel, Media Kit, Travel Photo Essays Tagged With: author news, author Tui Snider, interview, Paranormal, radio

Brandy Herr’s Haunted Granbury

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The following is an adapted excerpt from Paranormal Texas my fun travel guide to haunted places near Dallas and Fort Worth. Check it out if you like reading (and even visiting!) haunted locations:

Haunted Granbury

When it comes to haunted lore in Granbury, Texas, Brandy Herr is my go-to gal. It’s no secret that I relied heavily on Herr’s book to plan my research trip to that town for my travel guide to haunted places in north Texas. Thanks to Brandy, I knew where to look!

That’s why I say Herr’s Haunted Granbury is a must-have for any ghost hunter’s library, especially here in north Texas!

Granbury's stately courthouse (photo by Tui Snider)
Granbury’s stately courthouse (photo by Tui Snider)

Granbury Paranormal Expo

I had the pleasure of meeting Brandy Herr in person at the Granbury Paranormal Expo, a lively annual conference for fans of the unexplained. Brandy is one of this event’s key organizers. She does a great job!

Since Granbury is such a small town, I didn’t expect too many people to attend the Granbury Paranormal Expo.

Was I ever wrong!

Everywhere I went, the people of Granbury were buzzing about their Paranormal Expo. Nearly every shop on the town square had a paranormal-themed window display. I even saw a Ouija board prominently displayed in an antique store! The special guests and speakers were top notch and included Janice Oberding, Dean Haglund, and Selena Roane.

Me & Dean Haglund. (Yes, I was a little star struck!)
Me & Dean Haglund. (Yes, I was a little star struck!)

Granbury’s Haunted Town Square

Nearly every building in Granbury Square (100 E Pearl St, Granbury, TX 76048) has a ghost story to go along with it. So if you’re struggling to convince a friend or family member to traipse through old graveyards and track down haunted bridges, this little town makes a good compromise.
As you and your companion peruse the unique stores along the perimeter of Granbury’s historic town square, you can ask the store owners and locals to share their paranormal experiences with you. There are even haunted places to dine and stay the night.
In fact, when the desk clerk at our hotel found out my husband and I were coming for the Granbury Paranormal Expo, she asked if we wanted to stay in a haunted room or not!

The Little Faceless Girl of Granbury, Texas

One of Granbury’s resident spirits has been spied in several buildings around the square, mainly along the west side. Known simply as the Little Faceless Girl, this ghost first appeared to a man staying in some apartments along the square. She earned her earned her nickname because the man could describe the girl’s outfit in great detail, but was unable to see her face clearly.

Is Jesse James buried in Granbury, Texas? (photo by Tui Snider)
Is Jesse James buried in Granbury, Texas? (photo by Tui Snider)

Granbury Ghosts and Legends Tour

No one knows exactly who the Little Faceless Girl is, but according to local lore she was either left behind by circus performers or fell to her death while watching the circus pass through town.
To learn more about the Little Faceless Girl as well as other spooky details about this town’s history, take the Granbury Ghosts and Legends Tour, which Brandy Herr co-founded. (She’s certainly a busy bee, isn’t she?)
I wasn’t able to take the downtown tour, but my husband and I enjoyed Brandy Herr’s late night tour of Granbury’s historic cemetery. In fact, we stayed out so late both nights we were in Granbury – between ghost hunts, seances, and other fun stuff – that if anything paranormal occurred in our haunted hotel room that weekend, we slept right through it!

Brandy Herr (photo provided by the author)
Brandy Herr (photo provided by the author)

Brandy Herr’s Bio

For more about Brandy Herr, here’s her official bio. Check it out, then go grab a copy of Haunted Granbury :
“Brandy Herr is the co-founder of the Granbury Ghosts and Legends Tour and the annual Granbury Paranormal Expo. In February 2014, her book, “Haunted Granbury,” was released by The History Press as part of their Haunted America series. She is a member of Research and Investigation of the Paranormal and has participated in several ghost hunt investigations in the Granbury area. Born in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area, Brandy attended the Pennsylvania State University where she received her Bachelor’s degree in public relations. She currently lives in Granbury with her husband, their rescued dog, and two rescued cats.”

Want to read more like this?


To read about more weird, offbeat, and overlooked places, check out my best-selling travel guide: 
UNEXPECTED TEXAS: Your Guide to Offbeat & Overlooked History, Day Trips & Fun Things to do near Dallas & Fort Worth
.

For ghost hunting hot spots, check out my best-selling travel guide to haunted places: 
PARANORMAL TEXAS: Your Travel Guide to Haunted Places near Dallas & Fort Worth
.

For a strange-but-true tale of Texas history, check out this bizarre piece of West Texas history: 
The Lynching of the Santa Claus Bank Robber

 


white-line-separator

Hey, you! Want to come along for the ride?

No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui's books can take you on a FUN adventure!
No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui Snider’s books can take you on a FUN adventure!

FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: For updates on my offbeat travels, books, & other fun stuff (such as postcards from the road!) subscribe to my newsletter using the form below. Each week, I’ll let you know the Historic Cemetery Symbol of the Week, who Teal Gray & I are interviewing on our show that night, and any other fun or interesting news. You can also mix & mingle with me by clicking this link & “liking” my Facebook Author Page:

Filed Under: Haunted Travel, Travel Photo Essays Tagged With: Brandy Herr, Dean Haglund, ghost, ghosts, Granbury, Granbury Paranormal Expo, haunted, haunted cemetery, haunted history tours, hautning, Janice Oberding, Selena Roane, Texas

Jefferson, Texas: Simple Pleasures, Ghosts, & Bigfoot in the Little Easy

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The following is an adapted excerpt from Unexpected Texas – my best-selling travel guide to quirky, offbeat and overlooked places near Dallas and Fort Worth. Check it out if you enjoy learning quirky facts, or are looking for offbeat road trip ideas in north Texas.

Jefferson, Texas aka the Little Easy

With its brick streets, horse drawn carriages, wrought iron railings, and abundance of Greek revival architecture, a visit to Jefferson, Texas can make you feel like you’ve stepped onto a movie set for New Orleans in the late 1800’s.

This town’s resemblance to the “Big Easy” is no mere affectation, but a genuine part of its heritage.  In fact, Jefferson has so much in common with New Orleans that it’s sometimes called the “Little Easy.” They’ve even been celebrating Mardi Gras for over 100 years.

Wrought iron detail in Jefferson, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Wrought iron detail in Jefferson, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Riverport to the Southwest

While it’s a small town now, from 1845 to 1872 Jefferson was a major Texas port, second only to the port of Galveston! Steamboats laden with cotton and other goods powered upriver all the way from New Orleans, thereby earning Jefferson the nickname, “Riverport to the Southwest.” Shortly after the Civil War, Jefferson was the sixth largest city in Texas with a population of 30,000.

Historic downtown Jefferson, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Historic downtown Jefferson, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

 

Then they Blew it – Literally!

In 1873, the Army Corps of Engineers used explosives to remove a huge raft of logs downstream from Jefferson. As a result, the water level in the bayou dropped so much that big steamboats were unable to make it to town. At the same time, transportation by railway was becoming the norm, and before long, Jefferson’s life as a major Texas port came to an end.

Bed & Breakfast Capital of Texas

Although the population has shrunk to a mere 2,000, this wee little town is bustling and active. At any given time there are between 50 to 80 bed and breakfast inns operating to keep up with the demand for lodging.

Coffee is still a nickel at the Jefferson General Store (photo by Tui Snider)
Coffee is still a nickel at the Jefferson General Store (photo by Tui Snider)

Festivals Galore –  including a *real* Mardi Gras

Every year, Jefferson plays host to a variety of festivals and community events, including a historic homes tour, the Diamond Bessie Murder Trial reenactment, the History Haunts & Legends festival, an antique car show, Mardi Gras, and much more. (Please note: If you plan to visit during Mardi Gras, book your hotel several months in advance. It’s a big deal here, attracting thousands of tourists every year!)

Jefferson, Texas has a reputation for being very haunted! (photo by Tui Snider)
Jefferson, Texas has a reputation for being very haunted! (photo by Tui Snider)

Most Haunted Small Town in Texas

If you wonder why the SyFy, Travel, and Discover channels all describe Jefferson as the “most haunted small town in Texas” consider taking the Historic Jefferson Texas Ghost Tour to see for yourself.

Led by local historian and self-described skeptic, Jodi Breckenridge, this walking tour takes you by several haunted locations in the historic downtown. Each trip is different, but Breckenridge strives to take participants inside at least one paranormal hot spot on every tour.

Tours last a good 90 minutes and are a great way to stretch your legs after a big meal. The night I attended, there was a crowd of 75+ people.

I must confess that no orbs appeared in the photos I took, nor did our group experience anything anomalous. I was surprised, however, at how many people in the tour were repeat customers. Several of them had eerie tales to share about things they experienced on previous excursions with Breckenridge.

I should add that my husband, Larry, doesn’t believe in anything the slightest bit woo-woo, but he thoroughly enjoyed the ghost tour. He described it as an entertaining after-hours tour of historic downtown Jefferson, and I must agree. Still, the next time I go (and there will be a next time) I hope to see a ghost.

Plan your trip to the Historic Jefferson Ghost Walk
Website: jeffersonghostwalk.com
Address: Corner of Austin and Vale Streets, Jefferson, TX 75657

The Grove

If Jefferson is such a haunted town, then it should be no surprise to find more than one ghost tour available. Not only did several people on Jodi Breckenridge’s tour insist that The Grove is a must-see, but as of this writing it rates as the number one tourist attraction in Jefferson, Texas on TripAdvisor. The Grove has been featured on numerous TV shows, including “William Shatner’s Weird or What?” “If Walls Could Talk,” and “Penn & Teller: Bullshit!” as well as being named “one of the top twelve most haunted houses in America” by “This Old House.”

There are a couple of major differences between The Grove and most other paranormal tours. First of all, The Grove concentrates on a single dwelling, the Stilley-Young House which was built in 1861 and is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. Secondly, tours of The Grove take place during daylight hours, rather than after dark. This increases your chance of taking ghostly photos because you won’t have to use a flash. Also, if like me, your spouse doesn’t believe in ghosts, The Grove is a lovely tour of a historic home.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to book a tour with The Grove during our research trip to Jefferson, so I cannot report on it firsthand. It comes so highly recommended from other sources, however, that I am including it here, anyway. If you take the tour, let me know what you think.

Since our visit to Jefferson, however, I’ve read Ghosts of North Texas, by Mitchel Whitington. Whitington, it turns out, owns – and lives in – The Grove. After enjoying his well-written book, I am even more pumped up about taking a tour of his haunted home.

Plan your trip The Grove
Website: thegrove-jefferson.com
Address: 405 Moseley St, Jefferson, TX 75657

Steven Spielberg’s Ghostly Encounter

Still don’t believe that Jefferson, Texas is haunted? What if I told you that Steven Spielberg is on record saying that of the two haunted hotels he has stayed in his life, one of them is in Jefferson, Texas? (The full story is pretty long, so I will go into detail in a later post, then link to this page when I do!)

Historic downtown Jefferson, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Historic downtown Jefferson, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

East Texas Bigfoot Sightings

Ghosts aren’t the only mysteries associated with this area. Whether you call them Sasquatch, Bigfoot, or wood apes, the piney woods of east Texas are a hot spot for sightings of big, hairy creatures. If nothing else, this undocumented hominid has captured the local imagination to the extent that several monster movies have been filmed near Jefferson, Texas including the “Creature from Black Lake,” “Legend of Boggy Creek,” and most recentlym east Texas’ answer to “Sharknado,” entitled “Bigfoot Wars.”

Because of this, Jefferson has hosted several Bigfoot Conferences over the years, however there is no set location for this annual event, so keep your eye on the North American Wood Ape Conservancy (NAWAC) website for details.

Jefferson General Store

All ghosts and cryptids aside, there is plenty to see and do in this cute little town even if you pop in for a day trip when no festivals are happening. Since Jefferson is highly walkable, I highly recommend an aimless ramble while you are there, as well as a visit to the Jefferson General Store.

Yes, I know. It’s a store. But it’s a fun, old-fashioned store, much like the “five and dimes” that were once a common feature across America.

I enjoyed every inch of the Jefferson General Store, from the bar stools along its soda fountain to its creaky wood plank floors. The store carries everything from homemade pickles and jams, to toys, hats, games, clothing, kitchen wares and more.

The vast candy selection includes a wide variety of long-forgotten brands in vintage style wrappers, to barrels of saltwater taffy and strange new candies I had never heard of. The Jefferson General Store also sells ice cream in waffle cones made on-site, and as of this writing a cup of fresh coffee still goes for a nickel per cup.

Plan your trip to the Jefferson General Store
Website: jeffersongeneralstore.com
Address: 113 E. Austin St. Jefferson, Texas 75657

Want to read more like this?


To read about more weird, offbeat, and overlooked places, check out my best-selling travel guide: 
UNEXPECTED TEXAS: Your Guide to Offbeat & Overlooked History, Day Trips & Fun Things to do near Dallas & Fort Worth
.

For ghost hunting hot spots, check out my best-selling travel guide to haunted places: 
PARANORMAL TEXAS: Your Travel Guide to Haunted Places near Dallas & Fort Worth
.

For a strange-but-true tale of Texas history, check out this bizarre piece of West Texas history: 
The Lynching of the Santa Claus Bank Robber

 


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Filed Under: Haunted Travel, Travel Photo Essays Tagged With: bigfoot, east Texas, featured post, haunted, historic, jefferson, Jefferson General Store, Oct15, road trip, sasquatch, Texas, Texas Travel, Tui Snider, unexpected Texas, wood ape

How to Visit the Munster Mansion Replica in Waxahachie, Texas

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The following is an adapted excerpt from Unexpected Texas – my best-selling travel guide to quirky, offbeat and overlooked places near Dallas and Fort Worth. Check it out if you enjoy learning quirky facts, or are looking for offbeat road trip ideas in north Texas.

Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Munster Mansion replica by day in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Munster Mansion Replica

While there is no official address for, “1313 Mockingbird Lane,” in north Texas, there is an excellent replica of the Munster family home over in the town of Waxahachie where, in 2001, Sandra and Charles McKee built a replica of the house depicted in the classic TV sitcom.

Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Since it’s a fictional house, the pair watched and re-watched all 70 episodes of the show in order to create their building plans. They really did an amazing job.

I can’t show you any photos from the interior, since they don’t allow people to take pictures inside the Munster Mansion replica, but trust me – they went all out!

They even have a fire-breathing creature under the main staircase. Some rooms, such as the bathroom, were never shown in the series, so they were able to wing it in those sections.

Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Who are the Munsters?

For those who don’t know, The Munsters is an American TV sitcom from the mid-1960′s with a really catchy theme song. The show followed the antics of a quirky-but-harmless monster family.

While the father was Frankenstein-esque, the grandfather and the mother were vampiric. Meanwhile, the son was a bit of a vampire/werewolf blend.  This, in contrast, made the Munster’s pretty blond niece into their family misfit.

Bottom line: it’s a very playful, silly, 1960’s show!

Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Texas Munster Mansion not an official tourist attraction

While Sandra and Charles McKee have clearly put a lot of effort into their Munster Mansion recreation, it is not meant to be a year-round tourist attraction or museum.

For them, it is simply a fun project!

Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Munster Mansion Annual Halloween Charity Event

Even so, the house draws so much attention that since 2002, Sandra and Charles McKee have sponsored a two-day Munster Mansion Open House in October with all proceeds going to local charities, such as the Ellis County SPCA, the Salvation Army, and the Waxahachie Senior Citizen Center.

Since the annual open house attracts so many visitors and parking is limited out in the countryside where the Munster Mansion is,  the McKee’s use a shuttle bus to ferry visitors back and forth.

When you go, be prepared to wait in line for up to 2 hours before getting a tour of the inside! It’s a good idea for family members to take turns waiting in line, while the rest of the crew enjoys all the fun and games on the front lawn, including a Munster Koach replica, snacks for sale, carnival style entertainment, and more!

Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

Celebrity Guests at the Munster Mansion in Texas

Besides all the hard work the couple puts into setting up this open house, the McKee’s always try to have at least one actor from the original show attend the party.[Update: 2016 will be the *last* time Pat Priest will attend this event!]

In 2012, Butch Patrick (who played Eddie Munster) showed up to greet the crowd and tour the mansion. In 2013, Pat Priest (who played Marilyn Munster) pulled up in a limousine, signed autographs, and chatted with fans as you can see in the photo above.

Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)
Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

How to visit the Munster Mansion in Texas

For more information, such as the exact dates of this year’s Munster Mansion Halloween Open House, as well as an excellent video interview with the Sandra and Charles McKee, check out the official Munster Mansion website:

Website: Munster Mansion replica in Waxahachie, Texas

Please note: While all the above information is accurate as of this writing, please be aware that it is subject to change.

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No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui's books can take you on a FUN adventure!
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FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: For updates on my offbeat travels, books, music & other fun stuff (such as postcards from the road!) subscribe to my newsletter using the form below.  You can also mix & mingle with me by clicking this link & “liking” my Facebook Author Page:

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Filed Under: Blog on Writing & Life, Blog Posts, Haunted Travel, My Reviews, Travel Photo Essays Tagged With: Halloween, Munster Mansion, Oct15, q1, quirky, Quirky Travel, replica, road trip, Texas, Texas road trip, Texas Travel, Tui Snider, Waxahachie

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