10.22.24
San Antonio Donkey Lady Bridge
Natives believed mysterious creatures lived along the rivers and creeks of San Antonio. Urban legends and creatures have long been a part of the culture of the city. Often the legends were passed down through oral tradition. These stories have been celebrated throughout time. Some San Antonio citizens may remember the story of the donkey lady along the Medina River.
The story is that of a woman who was trapped in a house fire. Some versions say her husband started the fire and she was trapped inside with her kids. Yet others mark the culprit as a young rich kid who was hassled by the woman’s donkey, so a mob of the young man’s affluent friends set fire to the barn and the woman was burned trying to save the donkey.
In either case, she was horribly mutilated in the fire. The poor woman was forced to live the rest of her life in poverty among the Medina river. She is said to haunt the area to this day. Legend has it that if you honk your car horn three times while at the donkey lady bridge, within moments you’ll hear the loud sound of hooves land on the top of your car.
Photo of Doc Anderson, a woman believed to have inspired the legend of the Donkey Lady. From the San Antonio Express News, published August 20, 1965
The city of Live Oak, Texas believes the story of the Donkey Lady might have originated within Live Oak from the 1950's-1960's. The legend of the donkey lady may have been inspired by a woman named Doc Anderson. Doc was known as the "skunk lady" because she found employment extracting skunks from people's houses. She was known to raise pink donkeys, a rare breed, and squat on properties to live with her animals. After a series of unfortunate events, she would end up falling into the hands of Bexar County social services, who committed her to a nursing home, where sadly she would be separated from her beloved animals. Doc Anderson just might be the woman behind the legend.
The area of the Donkey Lady Bridge is said to be haunted and has long been a hot spot for paranormal enthusiasts and investigators. During the weeks leading up to Halloween, you’ll be sure to find folks exploring the haunt for themselves. Some say that a group of occult practitioners meet at the spot to perform rituals.
Despite the rumors, when arriving at the Donkey Lady Bridge after dark one can’t help but feel a sense of dread.
You can visit the Donkey Lady Bridge for yourself and hike its adjacent trail. Just maybe you’ll find yourself immersed in the legend.
The Donkey Lady Bridge is located on Applewhite Rd, San Antonio, TX 78264.
It’s coordinates are 6CWX+P5 San Antonio, Texas
-Fred Garza-Guzman
10.17.24
The Grave of “A Single Man”
Amongst old oaks and towering palm trees lay a cemetery just east of downtown San Antonio. The cemetery has occupied the land since 1853.
The land that the cemetery occupies was once referred to as Powder House Hill. The hill was part of San Antonio’s original land grant and was named for buildings constructed there by the Spanish Military to store gunpowder. Council designated 20 acres for the new cemetery and began to sell individual lots. Land was donated or sold to fraternal organizations, churches and military organizations to bury their dead. By 1854, Alamo Masonic Lodge and the International Order of Odd Fellows had opened cemeteries adjacent to City Cemetery #1.
Not far from the entrance of City Cemetery #1 is the grave of Jack Harris. His memorial is striking for several reasons. One, his memorial photo depicts a rather stern and dapper gentleman. Two, his epitaph is short and sweet, “A Single Man." Lastly, the towering historical marker created by the “ Friends of Jack Harris Committee” and donations by the citizens of San Antonio, installed on July 11, 1982, catches the eye.
Jack Harris was a San Antonio businessman and political leader. He was born in Connecticut. He went to sea at age twelve and ten years later was a member of the Nicaragua expedition of filibuster William Walker. He traveled to Texas, joined a scouting party for the army, then made his way to San Antonio in about 1860 and joined the police force. When the Civil War started, he enlisted in the Second Texas Cavalry.
After the war, he returned to San Antonio and the police force. In 1872 he leased a saloon at the corner of Soledad and West Commerce on Main Plaza and named it Jack Harris Vaudeville Theater and Saloon. In 1882 he became the first subscriber to the new San Antonio Electric Company, and he was also becoming one of the most politically powerful men in the city. His saloon became the most popular gathering place in town. The establishment consisted of a stage, which presented plays in addition to the usual vaudeville acts, and the adjoining 101 Club, a gambling hall.
In 1880 Ben Thompson, noted gunslinger, gambler, Austin saloonkeeper, and a former army buddy of Harris, he spent an evening at the theater, gambling at a table with Joe Foster as dealer. He lost heavily and left in a bad mood, voicing loud threats of revenge even after his return to Austin. Though Harris had not been present, Foster was his close friend and employee, and Harris let it be known that Ben Thompson was no longer welcome at his saloon. On July 11, 1882, Thompson, the city marshal of Austin, returned to San Antonio, proclaiming that he was going to close down Harris's theater.
Heated remarks were exchanged, and before Harris could raise his shotgun Thompson pulled his six-shooter and fired through the swinging door. The bullet cut along the wall and hit Harris near his heart. He lived only a few hours. Harris's obituaries in the local papers commended "his liberality, shrewdness, and tact," which "made him the real leader of the democratic party," and stated that "There is no city officer, and hardly a county officer, that does not owe his office to this man's influence and sagacity, from the mayor of the city down, and from county judge to the court bailiffs."
Jack Harris was remembered by his community. The historical marker that towers over his grave was installed for the Centennial of Jack Harris‘s murder. Harris would be fondly remembered and honored by his community 100 years after his passing.
The burial of Harris is unique and situated in a calm and shaded area of City Cemetery #1 in San Antonio, located at 1901–1919 E Commerce St., San Antonio, TX 78203
-Fred Garza-Guzman
10.10.24
What happened to the bodies of the Alamo defenders?
Over the years as a tour guide in San Antonio, TX. I’ve often been asked, “where are the Alamo Defenders buried.” Honestly, it’s complicated and mysterious. I’ll do my best to explain.
After the battle of the Alamo in 1836, Mexican Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna ordered the defenders' bodies burned on three large pyres near the mission, now present day Commerce Street. All bodies of the defenders were said to be cremated, except for one.
Upon Juan Seguin’s return to the Alamo, in February 1837, the only remnants of habitation Seguin encountered were ashes spread out in three different piles. These remains were believed to have been those of Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett, William Travis and the rest of the slain defenders of the Alamo. The honor of caring for the ashes and burying them was bestowed upon Juan. The following is From: San Antonio Express newspaper, April 21, 1889, Sunday.
Colonel Juan Seguin, who commanded a company of Mexicans in the battle of San Jacinto and who, after the dispersion of Santa Anna's army, was ordered with increased authority and rank to the command of San Antonio de Bexar, has settled the question in a recent letter, the translation of which is as follows:
Laredo de Tamaulipas, Mexico, March 26, 1889.
General H. P. Bee, San Antonio:
DEAR SIR;
In reply to your inquiries in behalf of the Alamo monument association, I authorize you to state that the dead of the Alamo were burned by order of General Santa Anna, and when I took command of that city after the battle of San Jacinto, I collected together the charred and small fractions of the bodies that were scattered around, placed them in an urn, and deposited it in a grave which I had dug inside of the cathedral of San Fernando on Main plaza of San Antonio in front of the altar, close to the railing, near the steps, where they now are.
Respectfully,
JUAN N. SEGUIN.
In 1936, excavations within San Fernando Cathedral uncovered a small coffin containing human remains. Debate ensued over their identity; the Archbishop of San Antonio, Arthur J. Drossaerts, concluded that the remains were of the Alamo defenders, and ordered their ceremonial reburial in San Fernando on May 11, 1938. The remains are located in the front left vestibule
Another possible location of the remains of the Alamo heroes is the Odd Fellow's Cemetery, located on Powder House Hill, just east of the Alamo.
The Alamo Defender's Descendents Association seems to think so. The society erected a monument on March 4, 2004.
August Beisenbach, former city clerk of San Antonio states that when he was an 8 year old boy playing on the Alameda (Commerce St.) he witnessed the exhuming of bodies or remains consisting of bones and fragments of bones, of victims of the siege of The Alamo that had been interred near the place where the bodies had been burned and originally buried, and saw their transfers from that place to Powder House Hill in the Oddfellows Cemetery. This, he states, happened in 1856. The fragments of the bodies had been first buried in 1836 and some in 1837. Mr. Beisenbach states that these bodies are buried midway between the monuments of Capt. R.A. Gillespe and Capt. Samuel H. Walker.
You can visit both possible locations of the remains the Alamo defenders. It’s definitely worth a visit.
San Fernando Cathedral
115 Main Plaza, San Antonio
(Features stone sarcophagus with human remains thought to be that other defenders of the Alamo)
Odd Fellows Cemetery
401-451 Paso Hondo St
San Antonio, TX
(Features a Historical Marker, establishing it as a possible burial place for the remains of the defenders of the Alamo)
-Fred Garza-Guzman
10.07.24
The Haunting History of the Majestic Theatre, San Antonio, Texas
The Majestic Theatre has haunted Houston Street in downtown San Antonio since 1929. The theatre is popular among tourists and locals. The Majestic does have a past that includes segregation and unexplained apparitions.
The theatre was designed by architect John Eberson, famous for his theatres throughout the United States. The Majestic Theatre was built on the site of the 1909 Royal Theatre.
The theatre’s ceiling is painted to resemble the sky. Guests can spot tiny lamps recreating celestial constellations. Eberson was the architect most associated with the style, and 16 of his theatres are still in operation throughout the United States, the San Antonio Majestic being one of them. The Majestic is considered one of his best examples.
When the Majestic theatre opened it was the first theatre in Texas to be fully air-conditioned, the largest theatre in Texas, and the second largest theatre in the United States, boasting 3,703 seats across Orchestra, and two balconies. Seating was said to be over 4,000 at the time of opening.
The Majestic’s dark side includes segregation and ghosts. A 1929 report on the San Antonio Majestic proclaims: “The upper balcony is reserved for the colored patronage and is reached by separate stairways and elevator through a separate lobby entrance”. Segregation was required by Texas state law in the 1920s.
Nettie Hinton, NAACP San Antonio branch member, was born right in the middle of the historically black East Side of San Antonio in the early 1900’s
She accounted “The Majestic Theater had a balcony off College Street, which then was essentially an alley. Black people had to go to the box office in the alley and get on a service elevator up to the highest balcony.” That balcony at the Majestic is no longer accessible because it’s now used for the theatre’s lighting system.
The Majestic Theatre is no longer segregated, but there are reports of strange happenings and haunting in the building.
It is rumored that there was a ballet troupe that at one time performed at the Majestic’s stage. Somehow, they return to the theatre for a ghostly performance. While there is no history of a ballet troupe being killed or dying at the theatre, the apparitions have caused a stir over the years. I was told by a former employee that he, on more than one occasion, experienced janitorial staff quitting after seeing the unexplained site.
The phantom ballerinas supposedly still haunt the stage, performing into eternity.
A another well documented spirit is that of woman who’s been seen on the Majestic’s second level, facing center stage. I once heard a story of a medium visiting the Majestic who saw a ghostly presence enjoying the performance. The medium said he her name was Magdalena. It’s said that Magdalena was a fan of the theatre and chooses to spend her afterlife in a place she loved and admired.
The Majestic theatre in San Antonio is stunning. The theatre offers a variety of performances, including Broadway Across America. From time to time they offer tours of the property. You can visit the theatre and the Texas State Historical Marker at 224 E. Houston, San Antonio Texas. We recommend a visit to this beautiful but haunting location.
-Fred Garza-Guzman
07.31.24
Join us for the 7th Annual Paranormal Fest at the historic Victoria's Black Swan Inn. This unique Paranormal Festival combines history, mystery, ghost stories, lectures, shopping, and food. We have a limited number of tickets available, and even a more limited amount of VIP tickets. This year’s VIP ticket comes with an exclusive True Crime Bus Tour! Get your tickets early!
Tickets available at:
bit.ly/paranormalfest2024
7th Annual Paranormal Fest 2024
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 2-11pm
VIP Events: Friday, September 20, 2024, 4pm-11:30pm (See schedule below)
Guest Speakers Include (More to be announced!):
Dustin Pari (dustinpari): Author, Motivational Speaker and Spiritual Researcher featured on Ghost Hunters & Ghost Hunters International.
Ryan Buell (@theryanbuell): Producer, Author & Paranormal Investigator. Host of the TV A&E show Paranormal State and executive producer for the feature film, American Ghost Hunter.
Joe Franke: Joe Franke is Board Chairman and Chief Investigative Officer for the Warren Legacy Foundation
Ken Gerhard (@therealkengerhard): Cryptozoologist & Author featured on Ancient Aliens, Legend Hunters, The Unexplained Files, True Monsters & More
Chris & Dee Moon (@mooniepix @deeparanormal321): Ghost Box Experts & Owners of Magick Moon Metaphysical. The pair will be sharing their expertise on the Ghost Box, and will be doing a gallery reading for audience members, bringing forth messages and voices of family and friends that have passed.
Paulette “Mamma” Moon: Renowned psychic empath and spiritual medium. She is best known for her work on the series "Spirited Chat" and "The Ghost Box Chronicles". She is a Master Tarot Card Reader as well as many other forms of divination. Catch her regular sessions on TikTok @psychicmammamoon
Paranormal Putas (@paranormal.putas): A pair of Spooky Tejana Hermanas from East Austin, TX who highlight stories of all types of cucuys and share a full Ghost Adventures rewatch on their hilarious podcast.
Emily Valdez (@emily.valdez.medium): A psychic medium, modern eclectic witch, and the owner and founder of The Witch Project
Vanessa Irino (@vintageapparition): Guinness World Record holder for largest collection of Casper memorabilia.
Tickets:
$40 - Early Bird Regular Adult Admission (Ages 16+): Access to Paranormal Fest on September 21, 2024, 2pm-11pm
$45 - Regular Adult Admission (Ages 16+): Access to Paranormal Fest on September 21, 2024, 2pm-11pm
$55 - Regular Adult Admission (Ages 16+) Plus T-shirt: Access to Paranormal Fest on September 21, 2024, 2pm-11pm AND official Paranormal Fest T-Shirt
$10 - Regular Child Admission (Ages 8-16): Paranormal Fest on September 21, 2024, 2pm-11pm
$155 - VIP PLUS:
Enjoy a True Crime Bus Tour, Dinner on the Property catered by a local food truck. Access to VIP investigation on Friday, September 20, 2024 an extra hour of investigation time on Friday. Plus access to the festival on Saturday. Comes with a T-Shirt and cap. Friday, September 20th investigation and tour 4pm-11:30pm$120 - VIP:
Enjoy a True Crime Bus Tour, Access to VIP investigation on Friday, September 20, 2024, plus access to the festival on Saturday. Comes with a T-Shirt. Friday, September 20th investigation and tour 6pm-11:30pm
VIP PLUS Schedule for September 20, 2024
Check in 3:30pm -4pm
4pm -5:30pm True Crime Bus Tour
5:30 Return Back
5:45 Catered Dinner from food truck
7:00 Tour the Property
8:00 Investigation begins
10:00 (30 min) Spirit Communication Session on stage with special guest Psychic Medium Vic Andrea
11:00 (30 min) Spirit Communication Session on stage with special guest Psychic Medium Vic Andrea
11:30 Investigation ends
VIP Schedule for September 20, 2024
5:30 pm Check In
6:00pm -7:30pm True Crime Bus Tour
8pm Ghost Tour Victoria’s Black Swan In.
9pm Investigation Begins
10:00 (30 min) Spirit Communication Session on stage with special guest Psychic Medium Vic Andrea
11:00 (30 min) Spirit Communication Session on stage with special guest Psychic Medium Vic Andrea
11:30 Investigation ends
For questions:
What to expect at Paranormal Fest on Saturday, September 21, 2024:
• Tours of the Haunted Property
• Artist & Artisan Vendors
• Complementary Bar/ Free Adult Beverages
• Spooky Snacks
• Oddities by Gifts from the Attic (@giftsfromtheattic) & Others
• Readings by permanent resident psychic/mediums, Elsa (@americantarotstory) and Beya (@threewitches13)
• Herbs and candle work
• Local & Regional Paranormal Investigator Teams
• Guest Lecturers
• Gallery Readings
• Psychics, Mediums, and Palm Readers.
• Ghost Photo Booth just for Fun!
• Paranormal and True Crime Podcasters
• Food Trucks
• Specialty Cocktails
• DJ
• Free Parking
06.25.24
Do you like true crime? dark stories? morbid history, and haunted locations?
We have traveled the world exploring dark, historic and paranormal destinations. Our travels inspired us to start our own tour company, and the Morbid Travel guide to offer our own travel tips and recommendations. Curious Travels Podcast, a morbid travel guide is for those interested in the darker parts of history and sightseeing.
Travel with us starting June 25th every other Tuesday till December 10. We’ll explore destinations associated with True Crime, Dark Stories, morbid histories and haunted locations.
Journey to destinations of death, destruction, scandal, and more. Explore like a dark tourist. Listen on all major podcasts platforms.
We have some exciting episodes coming.
6/25/2024
Episode 1: Visiting Cemeteries 101
Cemetery Tourism. Top 3 Cemeteries in the US.
Bonaventure Cemetery | Savannah, GA.
St Louis Cemetery No. | New Orleans, LA.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery | Los Angeles, CA.
7/9/2024
Episode 2: Houston Texas
Explore the grounds of a bloody mutiny in the heart of Houston. The murders of Timothy, O’Brien and the children of Andrea Yates. Plus a top dark tourist destination, the National Funeral History Museum.
7/23/2024
Episode 3: Circus Circus Hotel and Casino
One of the oldest hotels and casinos on the Las Vegas strip has an intriguing and over the top theme. Its history is both dark and colorful. Its walls have connections with the mob, wild and exotic animals, injured circus performers, murders, suicides, and hauntings.
8/6/2024
Episode 4: Dallas, TX
Were visiting Dealey Plaza and the 6th Floor museum to explore the assassination site of President John F. Kennedy.
8/20/2024
Episode 5: Las Vegas
Mob Museum, Tunnels of Las Vegas, Curse of the Luxor hotel, deadly beatings on the strip, a double homicide at Planet Hollywood, mass shootings at Mandalay Bay, and one of the worst hotel fires in American history.
9/3/2024
Episode 6: Biloxi
Hurricane Katrina disaster, Civil War, slavery, and disease.
9/17/2024
Episode 7: Atlanta
1996 Olympic Bombing, hurricane disaster, and dark a history of Coke a Cola.
10/1/2024
Episode 8: Fort Worth Stock Yards
Red Light District
10/15/2024
Episode 9: Occult Designations LA
This episode connects people with occult history in America and in California.
10/29/2024
Episode 10: Halloween Episode
A history of Knott's Scary Farm attraction and Knott’s Berry Farm and the Queen of Halloween, Elvira
11/12/2025
Episode 11: Cisco, Texas
History of the zoo trail and the abandoned Cisco zoo. A dark and haunting history of Zoos and animal trade in America.
11/26/2024
Episode 12: Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam
Death, survival skills, true crime, disaster and native displacement in the Grand Canyon. Building mishaps, natural disasters, and the mob at Hoover Dam.
12/10/2024
Episode 13: Evil Santa in Texas
Our Christmas Special. Grapevine Christmas Day Massacre, and the Santa bank robberies.
Learn more about us, our tours, and podcast at Curioustwins.com and the Morbidtravelguide.com
06.03.24
Have you Visited Munster Mansion in Waxahachie (pronounced wawk-suh-hach-ee), Texas? We recently took a tour of this replica of the house portrayed in the 1960’s sitcom, “the Munsters”.
The Munster Mansion is the proud home of Sandra and Charles McKee. It has been painstakingly recreated, room by room, through watching and re-watching footage from the show. Many pieces in the house are items or exact matches of items from the show.
The tour was fun and informative. We were walked through the house and given plenty of time for photos. The tour guide shared information about the construction of the house, and which items were replicas and which were original to the TV show. It was such a treat to be able to tour the mansion and hear the stories behind the objects found inside.
In addition to tours, the property also hosts murder mystery dinners which include a tour of the mansion, dinner, complimentary drinks, and an evening full of Murder Mystery excitement.
Visit the Munster Mansion for a spooky good time! The Munster Mansion is open for private tours by appointment Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm. Book your tour by emailing munstermansion@gmail.com or find full information at www.munstermansion.com.
05.20.24
Founders Memorial Cemetery, Houston TX
I’m a native Texan. I grew up taking Texas history in elementary school and in middle school. I often share about Texas history as a tour guide and on social media because it’s a general interest of mine. At one time Houston, Texas was the capital of the Texas Republic. For that reason I’ve wanted to visit Founders Memorial Cemetery, also known as Founders Memorial Park, in Houston’s Fourth Ward. The cemetery is steeped in Texas history.
The cemetery is on the small side, amongst large buildings, apartments and condominiums. The cemetery is well kept and features countless odes to the founding of Texas. The cemetery is home to victims of tragedy such as small pox, yellow fever, the battle of San Jacinto, and more.
Check out full blog post at morbidtravelguide.com
05.07.24
“A Cave Without a Name”, but with a story.
I recently visited a Cave Without a Name. Caves have always been mysterious places where mystery and science meet. Quite literally caves are dark places. Caves lead us to total void of light. Complete darkness. There are parts of A Cave Without a Name that are yet to be explored, because of the water that runs through the cave.
It’s believed that the first human contact with the cave began in the early 20th century, when a small ranch animal became trapped in the small external opening of the cave, known as a sinkhole. The cave went largely unnoticed again until the 1920s during the era of prohibition , when a small moonshine distillery was installed in the uppermost cavern. It again fell into obscurity until three local children went exploring beyond the location of the abandoned sinkhole in 1935. These children are believed to be the first who entered the main chambers of the cave.
Check out full blog post at morbidtravelguide.com
01.08.24
More than 130 years ago, the property behind us belonged to a pair of German immigrants, Christian and Emilie Zizelmann, who ran a bakery in downtown San Antonio. But their house is steeped in mystery. Why did the Zizelmanns build a house so far from their business? What was their relationship to the land and water now part of Government Canyon? Today the house is preserved and off the old Joe Johnston trail. The house today is a mystery and a fun marvel that you can see for yourself!
12.04.23
Who is Krampus?
This December we will share the traditions and history of Krampus with guests who join our Haunted Christmas Costume Cocktail Party & Krampus Photo Opp as well as our Haunted Tour With Electronic Séance.
Krampus is a common figure in Central and Eastern European folklore. He is St. Nicholas' counterpart, and instead of bringing presents, he punishes naughty children. Krampusnacht, or Krampus Night, is celebrated on December 5, the eve of St. Nicholas Day in Austria and other parts of Europe. Public celebrations have many Krampuses walking the streets in parades looking for people to scare.
Krampus was used as a tool to encourage good behavior in children. He may look like a devil, or like a wild beast, depending on what materials are available to make a Krampus costume. The tradition is still spreading beyond Europe. Many cities in America have their own Krampus Nights. Movies, comics, cards and clothing all celebrate Krampus today.