Haunted in San Antonio (Mission, Alamo: construction, camper, fence)

[Dube665]

Anybody ever sneak around the Hot Wells Hotel? That was creepy (on acid) hehe. Anybody remember acid, geez. Damn those new fangled pharmaceuticals. Damn those big durg companies!

[irnag]

There is a discussion of the Midget Mansion on pg. 2-3 of the GBNF thread. We really need an index for that thread. I think the road the mansion was on was Donore.

[ArizonaTexan]

Originally Posted by Dube665

Anybody ever sneak around the Hot Wells Hotel? That was creepy (on acid) hehe. Anybody remember acid, geez. Damn those new fangled pharmaceuticals. Damn those big durg companies!

We used to go there after a heavy night of drinking and walk around. It used to be pretty cool. Original paint was still on some walls...I think one read "Pool" or "Sulpher Springs"...I can't remember.

[SimTek]

Originally Posted by irnag

There is a discussion of the Midget Mansion on pg. 2-3 of the GBNF thread. We really need an index for that thread. I think the road the mansion was on was Donore.

I used to remember it as Mockingbird Rd...just like "The Munsters" address.

[hhwolfman]

Originally Posted by ArizonaTexan

We used to go there after a heavy night of drinking and walk around. It used to be pretty cool. Original paint was still on some walls...I think one read "Pool" or "Sulpher Springs"...I can't remember.

The rumor on the soutside was the Hot Wells hotel, Had Giant Rats like from Sumatra or something.

[wCat]

The's a local book called "Spirits of San Antonio" and some sequels by Docia Williams on haunted locations. She's not a fabulous writer, but she tells good "stories". Lot's of details left out that I wish I had time to follow up on.

Here are a few more locations that are famously haunted in SA:

Menger Hotel
Bexar County Courthouse
Gunter Hotel
The Milam Building
The Mansion on Grayson Street
St. Anthony Hotel
Milam Park
the basement at Santa Rosa Hospital downtown
Victoria's Black Swan Inn

all still standing and active!

feel free to add to the list!

[mexicajun]

The Midget Mansion was on Donore Pl. and Tupelo Ln. off Fredericksburg Rd. The first time I heard about this place was around 1985-86 when one of the local TV stations did a story about the rise in ‘teen-satanism’ where they showed footage of the decrepit house and the graffitied swimming pool. In the early 90’s a friend and I went to go see if the mansion was still there only to find it had been torn down. The property was fenced off but there was a big hole made in the fence right where the driveway started. I recall the pebble driveway curved up the hill and went around what would’ve been the main house, but at that time was just a slab foundation, and then curved back onto itself. In the back part of the property was the foundation slab of what I assumed to be the servants’ quarters or guesthouse. The swimming pool had long since been filled in and there were still some good-sized oak trees and a small crumbling fountain. In what was once the front part of the house was the main double stairway that was built into the hillside and curved down with a fountain and niches built into it. From where the house was at you would’ve had an awesome view of downtown San Antonio. It didn’t take much to convince me that whoever owned the property had to be really wealthy. Friends of mine told me they went there back when the house was still up and they said it was the perfect place to get stoned and sacrifice a cat to Ozzy. The property was indeed sold some years ago and now these big 3-story white apartments take up the hillside. You can still see part of the original driveway entrance on Donore Pl. Whether or not the place was ever owned by midgets and a murder occurring there is a question that has yet to be answered. I’m just as curious as anyone else.

As for the house that was on Callaghan + IH10 where the Lowes is now at, that was not the Midget Mansion like some folks think. I remember it being abandoned for quite sometime and regret never bothering to check it out. It was on my list of abandoned houses/buildings to photograph, but I just never got around to it. Although, the really sad part about it was the beautiful old oak trees on the grounds that were cut down for a big box store like Lowes. How lame.

I did go to the Hot Wells Hotel once. About ten years ago after it had the last arson fire I went by there to see what was left of the place and, sadly, found most of it to be in ruins. The place was very burnt out. The swimming pools still had some water and you could still smell the rotten-egg-like sulphur in the air. Part of what looked to be the main building was still standing and I went around back to get another view of it and went into an entrance that went down into the basement. It was fairly dim in there but since it was daytime I had enough light bounce in there to make my way around. Walking around in there was pretty creepy I’ll admit. Ghosts and all that weren’t on my mind, I was more afraid of running into some pistol-packing gangster kids hanging out in there or even the structure collapsing onto me. What I found was a lot of dirt, some trash and other assorted debris, but it was mostly empty. Nonetheless I had my camera on me and took some pics that day. Once I scan them I’ll post them on here for people to see. I recently found out there are plans to try an bring back the Hot Wells as a resort- Home Page (broken link)

I used to always be on the lookout for spooky places to visit. Anytime I’d say to my friends “Let’s go creepin’…”, they knew what I meant, so we’d jump in the car and drive out to some abandoned structure at night to wander around in.

[princessbethanie02]

Originally Posted by ArizonaTexan

What an awesome short piece! Does anybody know exactly where that insane asylum is located at? I grew up and lived on the southside for 20+ years and never heard of it. That would be an awesome place to go with friends on Halloween night. Take some sleeping bags, cold beer and you have a very creepy evening. Spooky!

went there early evening this wednesday. there's a man that lives across the street that is rumored to own some of the land that the asylum's on. we didn't get very far. he shot at us with a 12 gauge.he's got good aim too. were not the first he's shot at. i might have found a back road though that leads to the back entrance. gonna check it out this weekend. let u know of results.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by princessbethanie02

went there early evening this wednesday. there's a man that lives across the street that is rumored to own some of the land that the asylum's on. we didn't get very far. he shot at us with a 12 gauge.he's got good aim too. were not the first he's shot at. i might have found a back road though that leads to the back entrance. gonna check it out this weekend. let u know of results.

You're joking, right? And you are going back?

The Hot Wells Property where the hotel is located is owned by Hot Wells LP. The address is 5503 S Presa. Since this property is being developed, and has had a rough history with over 4 fires in the last 100 years, the neighbors are probably very antsy about trespassing. If what you're saying is true, and a neighbor is part owner, he is within his rights to shoot.....and the law would be on his side if he hurt or killed someone. Please be careful!

[Dube665]

This guy definitely shoots!