Galveston may be home to beautiful beaches and charming Victorian architecture, but did you know that it’s also one of the most haunted places in America? Galvestonians have experienced lots of tragedies in their history, including multiple devastating hurricanes, yellow fever epidemics, and the Civil War. While these events may be long passed, many who perished have apparently never quite moved on, and you’ll find many locals with a ghost story or two to tell.
I absolutely love anything haunted or spooky, so of course I had to check out some of the most eerie places during our visit to Galveston! Here are 5 spooky places in Galveston we recommend you check out that are guaranteed to give you the heebie-jeebies!
Hotel Galvez
At first glance, you probably wouldn’t guess that this stunning hotel has quite the haunted history. One of the legendary ghosts of Galveston dwells within – the Lovelorn Bride, Audra. The story goes that she checked into room 501 in 1955 to await the return of her fiance, a mariner who was called out to sea days before their wedding. His ship was lost to a storm, and poor Audra hung herself from one of the turrets of the hotel in despair.
Audra’s spirit haunts the halls to this day, including the women’s restroom where you might catch a hint of her gardenia-scented perfume. Strange occurrences have also been reported in room 501, such as the phone ringing all night and staff not being able to open the door to the room at all.
Tremont House Hotel
One of the haunts on the Strand in Galveston is The Belmont Hotel, now a part of the Tremont House. During the Civil War, many Confederate soldiers made their home there – and some of them never left. One infamous Confederate ghost is said to be seen marching up and down the lobby to the beat of one of his battalion’s marching songs. His presence has also been seen at the bar and dining areas of the hotel.
Many ghosts have been reported at the Tremont House, but one in particular is known to cause some mischief. Rumored to be a male victim of the 1900 hurricane, the entity is especially active during heavy rain and will make showers turn on and off, and moan loudly when there is thunder.
Hutchings Sealy Building
During the Great Storm of 1900, the water rose so high that it reached the level of many of the 3+ story buildings on the historic downtown Strand. On the top floor of the pair of buildings that make up the Hutchings Sealy Building, a schoolteacher bravely reached out the window and pulled in those caught in the rushing waters of the storm. She then stayed in the building for several days following the storm, selflessly tending to the sick. Tragically, Sara eventually succumbed to disease herself.
To this day, Sara can often be seen dressed all in white on the staircase connecting the two buildings. Most of the locals are not afraid of Sara, however, and she has built a reputation as a friendly ghost.
Broadway Cemetery
This massive cemetery is definitely no stranger to spooky stories and ghosts. Among the many lost souls buried here is Elize “Lizzie” Roemer Alberti, who poisoned her four children in 1894, thus earning her the moniker “the demented mother.”
The infamous soldier Nicaragua Smith is also buried here, although you won’t find his grave. Smith was executed by firearm on January 8, 1863, and was buried in an unmarked grave right where he fell. It is rumored that you can hear the echoes of the gunshots that killed him if you are near the cemetery on January 8.
A lesser known yet morbid fact about this cemetery is that it is three graves deep, with many coffins buried on top of other coffins in three layers.
Bishop’s Palace
This beautiful architectural masterpiece is one of the biggest draws to Galveston, and it’s easy to see why. While its nine turrets, marble columns and large stained glass windows make the building one of the most attractive in all of Texas, perhaps it’s not all that shocking to know that many ghosts want to make the palace their home.
The lady of the home, Josephine Gresham, was an exceptional artist who loved to travel, and kept all of her postcards in a large, elaborately ornate box in the home. That same box is rumored to mysteriously move locations frequently throughout the palace. Colonel Walter Gresham – the head of the house and husband of Josephine – has also been spotted frequently by locals and visitors pacing around the porch and the grounds of his home.
The palace housed around 600 people during the hurricane of 1900, so it’s no wonder that many other spirits have been sighted along the grounds of this beautiful building.
Exploring Haunted Galveston
If you like haunted history and spooky stories as much as I do, I highly recommend ordering a copy of the book Ghosts of Galveston by Kathleen Shanahan Maca or taking a guided ghost tour along The Strand, where there are several other reportedly haunted buildings.
More Fun Things to Do in Galveston
If you’re looking for more fun things to do in Galveston, check out this list of our top 20 favorites!
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