But we didnt stop with office buildings San Antonio is home to countrys first air-conditioned bank, hotel, and Catholic Church. So many bizarre things (all about headless chickens) and some very authentic things (George Washington's hair). . It officially became a public park in 1852. Join our newsletter for exclusive features, tips, giveaways! 11. San Antonio's first center for the mentally ill was the Southwestern Insane Asylum (San Antonio State Hospital) and was established on April 6, 1892. But in Texas, the heavy influence of the Latin culture has also spawned stories of La Llorona, or the phantom banshee. You can find out about some interesting San Antonio facts, as well as San Antonio secrets in our list below. Like the French Quarter that rests alongside the Mississippi River, the King William District also lays along a river (the San Antonio River). 10. . . SeaWorld San Antonio is the largest marine-life park in the entire world. The Japanese Tea Garden. Paranormal investigators flock to places like the Menger Hotel or Military Plaza; and at any time of night, people can be seen standing by the illuminated Alamo, wonderingjust maybeif they might spot the specter of Davy Crockett who defended the historic church against the Mexican General Santa Anna in 1836. Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2017-2021. A vintage postcard showcasing the Hot Wells resort in its original form. Come and check it out. The man was horrified. The AC system kept temperatures to 80 degrees, a welcome relief for all those workers doingwhatever people did in offices decades before the first desktop computers. San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is home to four of the citys five Spanish missions outposts that date back to the 17th century. San Antonio surpassed Dallas as the second biggest city in Texas after the 2010 census count. First - we cannot stress this enough - do not trespass. So obsessed, in fact, that a local high school made 17,106 tamales thats 2,420 pounds in 10 hours during a tamalada. One of these poor souls was Chuauhtemco "Chino" Garcia, just nineteen-years-old, but a big boy, weighing in between 180-190 pounds. Military City, USA. Two years prior to the nursing shortage, there was another sign of trouble, when a lawsuit was brought by a disability group, rightfully arguing that mentally ill prisoners were sitting in jail rather then being placed at SASH. to non-locals, of course. Outlaws made themselves home in San Antonio's saloons, gaming hells and dance halls, where excessive drinking led to violence and violence almost always led to death. 41.7%. They arrived at the Mission San Antonio de Valero, and realized that if they were to survive it was necessary that they dig canals, plant food, and protect themselves from anyone they deemed the enemy. 10. Fritos were invented in SA, we have the oldest park in Texas and hold the world record for most tamales made. Aldridge's nervous condition was only getting worse, so he committed himself to the SASH as an ultimate last resort. He also had a nervous condition that needed to be attended to. . Every year the Texas Cavaliers River Parade takes the term parade float and interprets it literally. Learn strange and interesting facts about San Antonio's history and find out the basics of paranormal investigation and spirit communication. Muscles began to spasm and tire easily; the pain in your lower back rendered you useless. Depending on whom one might have asked in the eighteenth century, smallpox was both the best and worst thing to ever happen to the burgeoning city of San Antonio at that time. If you do, you're dumb and you probably deserved to be arrested. mengerhotel.com. Menu Close. Stories such as these are told and re-toldfor the locals of San Antonio, it's no secret that the nearly three-centuries-old city is rife with paranormal phenomena. +. Below are just a few tales from the past. After spending over a decade in the asylum, William Browne, was once again free to live his life. Download the Rent. Many people from across the city participated in the event that was put together by the culinary program at Lanier. These stories told by and revealed by the press ultimately spurred Coke R. Stevenson to open an investigation into the hospital's actions. 1. San Antonio Serves the Best Tex-Mex in the World. Now you can spend an evening here exploring local art, gawking at opulent mansions, and sipping a cold one at Blue Star Brewing on South Alamo. Her name is Beatrice, and it's known about the restaurant that she isn't the kindest of spirits. Aldridge was discharged from the Army on May 11, 1942, because of a bad heart. In fact, men like Bob Augustine were so feared that even after committing murder all he had to do was inform the jury and judge that if they deemed him guilty, Augustine would return and kill each and everyone of them. While it's kind of surprising that Texans didn't make a bigger Stonehenge, they did make up for it with the World's Biggest Cowboy Boots ever made, found towering outside the North Star Mall. 42 Best Bedroom Paint Color Ideas for 2023. 12. 5. Each of these animals found in the wild are hiding disgusting, terrifying, or down right spooky secrets. Spanish is the second-most spoken language in San Antonio, but with a diverse population, German, Polish and Czech are also popular languages in the region. However, to hear the whole story about San Antonio's most haunted places, take a ghost tour on your next trip to San Antonio. Local Adventures Explore, shop, drink and dine like a local. The 2,311 seat theatre was designed in 1929 by architect John Eberson, and was home to San Antonio's Symphony from 1989 to 2014. Shelly Duvall, best known for her Earth-shaking screams in Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," lives in nearby Hill Country. The San Antonio Spurs have won five championships and are the only former ABA team to win an NBA Championship. Stonehenge II is in Ingram, northwest of downtown San Antonio. 1) The Menger Hotel. Seek medical attention if the bite looks serious. A number of Valley people died under mysterious circumstances at the San Antonio State Hospital, ranging from teenagers to the elderly. . New You.". In this week's Throwback Thursday, we look back at the unique story of the "World's Largest Cowboy Boots" at North Star Mall. The cathedral was founded in 1731 by a group of families from the Canary Islands. It is said that a widow fell in love with an incredibly wealthy man. For decency's sake, the road skirts around the paved-over cemetery so as not to disturb the dead. The first center established in Texas for those suffering from mental illness was the Texas State Lunatic Asylum (later assigned a more, shall we say, politically correct misnomer: the Austin State Hospital), though the site did not begin operating till May of the year 1961, when Dr. Beriah Graham admitted the inaugural 12 patients. davenport, fl crime rate P.O. "The staff is rude and unprofessional. If youve been to South Texas, youre probably familiar with our thing for tamales. The San Antonio Museum of Art, which opened in 1981 in the old Lone Star Brewery complex, may not serve up local brews, but its collection of 30,000+ objects spanning 5,000 years will probably quench a different kind of thirst. Go on a ghost tour to learn about the city's haunted history and hear some spooky stories. The new Spanish settlers had been told the land was fertile, which hadn't been the case at all. Party held to celebrate Mission World Heritage status. (To be fair, Central Market is a bit pricier than H-E-B but is a little cheaper than Whole Foods.). But for some strange reason, San Antonio, Texas, never seems to make the cut for being one of America's Most Haunted Cities . It was reported on March 6, 1910, that a man was held at the asylum for twelve years. The highest temperature ever recorded was 111 F on September 5, 2000. You can't talk about the most haunted places in San Antonio without mentioning the Alamo. The famous vampire is actually based on a historical figure, Vlad Tepes, or Vlad Dracula, who was a Romanian ruler in the 15th century who liked to, er, stick his enemies on spikes. . Part aquarium, part thrill-packed theme park, SeaWorld San Antonio lets visitors get closer than ever to tons of marine life, including dolphins, penguins, and polar bears, get splashed by killer whales, and then get an adrenaline rush reaching speeds of up to 50-miles per hour on sea-themed themed thrill rides. The Alamo City is packed with ha. Been there for 8 years. It's a good habit and a San Antonio fact to shake your shoes out before you put them on. Staff cared for two stray cats and buried them on-site with their own gravemarkers when they died. It was the place of "Manifest Destiny," which brought countless of America's roughest citizens west to the open expanse of Texan land. 11 facts about San Antonio, TXSan Antonio is having a birthday, and it's a big one the Alamo City is turning a whopping 300 years old. It doesn't seem to matter if you're downtown, out at one of the Missions, or in the out-laying areas, you're never far from somewhere haunted. Lanier High School holds the world record for the most tamales ever made. The respective tribes were warriors who reportedly stole their horses, their goods. DoSeum's Redo Recess Night. We believe fully that the ghosts of San Antonio have their own story to tell and we hope to do the city's history justice in doing so. You can find a great apartment for rent in San Antonio there or check out these other great places to live in San Antonio. Yes, San Antonio has a museum dedicated entirely to artsy toilet seats. The district's history of hauntings even predates its conception, reaching back to when the area was nothing but farmland. Who is haunting this hollowed ground? He should have never been out on the streets. 210-223-4361. Plain and simple. It seems that no matter where one turns in the historic San Antonio district, ghosts have been sighted. If you want to learn more about the most haunted locations in San Antonio, please browse through the pages below. San Antonio Fact Sheet San Antonio at a Glance The River Walk More to Explore Eat A food and drink scene bursting with flavor and fun. Recently the park also introduced the states tallest, fastest and longest wooden coaster, the Texas Stingray. The spirits of San Antonio are some of the strangest out there. (Well, maybe a buck-fifty these days.) There, she drowned them both. Or are the souls here so desperately restless than visitors really should head the sign: Do Not Trespass? If you're interested in living in Countdown City," you can find lots of great apartments for rent in San Antonio. 14. With a history as murky as the San Antonio State Hospital's, reports of haunting are undoubtedly believable. Read more about the best haunted hotels in San Antonio, Read more about the haunted Spanish Governor's Palace, Read more about the haunted San Fernando Cathedral, Read more about the real story behind the Haunted Railroad Tracks, >Read more about the urban legend of La Llorona, Read more about the ghosts of the Alamo Street Theater, Read more about the strange events and ghosts of the San Antonio State Hospital, Read more about the ghosts of the Majestic Theatre, Read more about the Urban Legend of Midget Mansion, Read about the hauntings and legend behind The Devil's Bridge, Read more about the ghosts of the Institute of Texan Cultures, Read more about The Ghosts of the Empire Theatre, Read more about The Ghosts of the Aztec Theatre, Read more about The Haunted King William District, Read more about The Haunted Chinese Graveyard, Read more about The Huebner-Onion Homestead. There is some debate though that Frito pie was actually invented in New Mexico. The San Pedro Park is home to so much history. 16. Just south of San Antonio , Texas, is the site of Texas' most famous ghost story. The hospital was now able to administer modern treatments for the patients, but just a year later the hospital became overcrowded yet again, surpassing capacity at 2,308. 34. His reasoning is the city's closeness to water, which might act like a spark or energy-source for paranormal phenomena. 5. Aldridge called out to him for help. Only, Dr. Braragons diagnosis and condemnation of Browne was done without an adequate examination and the proper process of law. It was only after Judge Phil Shook ordered Williams release from the asylum in 1910 that he realized that he should have accumulated a whole lot of money from the holdings and land ownership. . 24 Haunted Hotels in America - Most Haunted Hotels in the US. San Antonio Is the Original American Melting Pot. 4. In fact, its the second-biggest city in Texas. See the haunted side of San Antonio on this ghost-themed bus tour. The four abandoned buildings near the site of the hospital actually belonged to the Bexar County Juvenile Home for Boys. . San Antonians know a thing or two about heatwhich prompted us to learn about cold. 6. The root of this was caused by a shortage of nurses, as explained by Carrie Williams, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services (which oversees the San Antonio State hospital): We have a total of 83 nurse positions at the hospital (SASH), and 12 of those are vacant, plus we have several nurses out for an extended period of time due to medical reasons. she then added. So, in an effort to fulfill the need for scariness in your life, we rounded up some of our city's many creepy AF urban legends. The hospital was essentially a self-sufficient village with crops, livestock and a lake for fishing. 9. They say that museums are sometimes the most haunted places in the world--and San Antonio's very own Institute of Texan Cultures is no different. Tourists flock to San Antonio for delicious food, the River Walk, and the bright atmosphere which makes the city so lively and beautiful during the day-but for visitors interested in spooky legends, there are plenty of haunted places in San Antonio to explore after dark.. With 300 years of turbulent history since its beginning in 1718, it is no surprise that San Antonio is one of the most . San Antonio is home to America's second oldest park San Pedro Park is the oldest park in Texas and the second-oldest in the nation. 27. Home; About; Program; FAQ; Registration; Sponsorship; Contact; Home; About; Program; FAQ; Registration; Sponsorship . The number one haunted place is the Driskill in Austin. San Antonio is home to the nations first all-digital library. Not once did he stay for longer than a period of ninety days, which begs the question: if the Hospital had kept Patrick institutionalized, would he have been driven by some unseen force to brutally stab his mother and father? But though it has a fine reputation nowadays, patients who were once sent to the former Southwestern Insane Asylum were considered to be on "the March of Death." Early Spring Flowers Will Combat the Winter Blues. He would have raving spells, following which he would become depressive. San Antonio, Texas. Except that the mother and daughters had not been dead. Dracula is based on a real person. It's not just the Texan soldiers who died there in a stand-off with the Mexican army in 1836. mobile app. The Menger is considered the oldest hotel west of the Mississippi and one of the most haunted places in San Antonio. The Menger Hotel. This San Antonio walking ghost tour is for you if: You're looking for a high-quality ghost storytelling performance full of dark history and chilling ghost lore.