The ghost of a former bartender named Carl has frequently been spotted at La Carafe. (Sean Davis/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Houston is more haunted than you might think. Here are six spots reportedly frequented by ghosts.
When most people think about haunted areas of the United States, they’re probably thinking about places like New Orleans, Amityville, or Estes Park, where famous ghost sightings have taken place. Houston is, as it turns out, right up there with the rest of them, though. I will detail six spots where supernatural phenomena have been reported, but my list could have been much, much longer.
Houston was founded in 1836, and in the roughly 188 years that have followed, it has seen several specters settle in to call the region home. From libraries to cemeteries, and hotels to cafes, the city harbors its own collection of hair-raising haunts. Many of these alleged paranormal incidents have occurred in historic buildings, forever tying the ghosts to that specific space.
1. Julia Ideson Building, Houston Public Library
Houston Public Library’s Julia Ideson Building was repeatedly referenced in sources as being the most haunted spot in all of Houston. Reddit users have said that it’s not a scary sort of haunting, though. One of the building’s caretakers, Jacob Frank Cramer, passed away in an apartment located in the library’s basement back in 1936. It seems as though Cramer hasn’t been able to let go of the place, as visitors have reportedly heard him wandering the halls of the Julia Ideson Building. The ghost of his German Shepherd, Petey, is often heard following at his heels. Some have even claimed that they’ve heard Cramer playing his violin from certain rooms he used to perform in when he was still alive.
The Texas Co-Op Power notes that when Cramer’s body was discovered in the basement in 1936, no one was able to track down Petey, and it’s still not known what became of the dog. Since Cramer and Petey’s passing, lights have flickered on and off throughout the library, sheet music has been found scattered randomly on the floor, and the elevator sometimes arrives empty, despite the fact that you need a key to operate it. Douglas Weiskopf, who formerly served as a senior library services specialist, told the Texas Co-Op Power, “I thought I heard Pete’s footsteps a couple of times. I only wish I could have heard him [Cramer] playing his violin, like some have when working late on stormy evenings.”
2. Glenwood Cemetery
Glenwood Cemetery is home to several mausoleums and monuments, plus a host of Houston’s elite, including former governors, business tycoons, and mayors. Howard Hughes, the famous aviator, is also buried here, as is actress Gene Tierney. Richard Ambrus, the executive director of Glenwood Cemetery, described it best, saying, “We’re an 88-acre park that happens to have people buried in it.”
The park is well-regarded for its beauty and serenity, but it’s equally known for its hauntings. According to Visit Houston, EMF abnormalities have been consistently reported here. Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are invisible waves of energy that ghost hunters believe are tied to spirits. A specific meter reads EMF at potentially haunted locations, and paranormal investigators then use those transmitted readings to determine if there’s spectral activity at any given location.
Aside from Glenwood being a beacon for EMF abnormalities, a strange case is reportedly tied to the cemetery that also increases the likelihood of it being frequented by ghosts. A previous owner of Glenwood was murdered, and the case was never solved. Apparently, their spirit still haunts the cemetery to this day.
3. Esperson Buildings
The Esperson Buildings were constructed in 1927 and 1941 by Mellie Esperson, who had the buildings erected for her husband, Niels Esperson. Since Mellie’s passing, numerous reports have emerged about her haunting the buildings. Similar to the reports of the Julia Ideson Building’s spirited groundskeeper, Mellie supposedly opens the elevators on her own and even causes them to malfunction sometimes.
Aside from causing electrical complications with the elevator system, Mellie has allegedly been seen walking through the lobbies and halls of her beloved buildings. Don’t worry, though, it seems like she’s a kind spirit!
4. The Rice Hotel
Another haunted spot in Houston is actually tied to one of the most famous moments in history. President John F. Kennedy visited The Rice Hotel on Nov. 21, 1963, one day before he was assassinated in Dallas. Apparently, after the president was killed, guests started to report rattling bedframes and doors, cold spots, and orbs of light throughout the hotel. Many believed that it was the ghost of JFK causing these anomalies.
As if that wasn’t spooky enough, other visitors reported seeing spirits dancing in the Rice Hotel’s ballroom. After it was renovated into the Rice Lofts, tenants have reported seeing ghosts occasionally dancing on the rooftops.
5. La Carafe
La Carafe, located in downtown Houston, was built in 1866 and is reportedly haunted by one ghost in particular. A former bartender, Carl, can still be felt, heard, and seen throughout the wine and dive bar.
Employees have reported cold spots near the bathrooms, and they’ve said that they can hear footsteps, glass breaking, and heavy objects being moved on the empty second floor—even when no one else is around. Others have allegedly seen the figure of a man resembling Carl standing in a window on the second floor after La Carafe has closed for the night.
6. Hotel Icon
According to Hotel ICON, a young woman died in a fire at the hotel during the 1920s. Since then, guests claim to have seen a ghost with long, flowing hair wandering through the halls of the building, and many believe it’s the restless spirit of the woman who died 100 years ago. Not only does she go for a stroll around Hotel ICON, but some people have said that she appears in mirrors at random, too. Now that is spooky!
