San Antonio Texas Urban Legends & Hainted Places
San Antonio, Texas, is abundant with history from the Battle of the Alamo to the first missionaries who settle to evangelize the local natives. With such a rich history, it is no wonder that San Antonio, Texas is the perfect stage for many ghosts and haunted hot spots.
Some San Antonio haunted locations are prohibited, and some with permission. If you decide to do your ghost investigations in any of the sites mentioned, consult with the local owners and be respectful of the places you plan to investigate. For further interest in the paranormal, check out some links to local paranormal groups.
Please post if you’re in San Antonio or the surrounding areas and have a story. I’d love to read your story.
San Antonio Haunted Ghost Tracks
If you are from San Antonio, Texas, you must have heard this story as a child. The story goes that one day a school bus was on its way to drop off the children when the bus got stuck in the middle of the railroad crossing.
The bus was struck by an oncoming train, and all passengers were killed by the speeding train. The date when this bus incident has never really been determined.
Many who live by the tracks have stated that they have heard children’s laughing and playing at night by the tracks.
The legend goes if you park your car on neutral, your car will be pushed to the other side by the ghost children.
Others have put powder on their car’s back and stated that tiny fingerprints appear in their car. I had a friend who had done this years back, and he told me there was a line of tiny handprints on the back of his car. I’m sure there are skeptics, but just to let you know, they ran a story on this urban legend and debunked a few of the ordinary occurrences.
The car rolling over on its own was determined that the slop on the track is an optical illusion, and if you put your car in neutral, your car will roll on its own to the other side.
The second is the powder. If you put powder on your car, chances are there will be fingerprints.
With all this said and done, some still say that those fingerprints are of small children.
Although there were not able to debunk the laughter of children by the tracks.
Just a word of warning. If you plan to place your car on the tracks, you may get a ticket if caught! Too many people have gone to the tracks, and now it’s illegal.
The story varies depending on who you ask, but this is my version of the ghost tracks, so check out the Ghost Track Story below.
The Ghost Children and the Train Tracks
In October 2009, my girlfriend and I decided to go on the Alamo Ghost tour downtown. If you are ever downtown, check it out sometime. But this is not really what this story is about. We invited a few friends of ours to go on the tour with us if they would like to. One of our friends was a little hesitant to go with us, but we assured her that the tour was an outdoor tour and no cemetery visits would be present during the tour.
We decided to carpool, and when we got to the parking lot downtown, our hesitant friend told us why she was afraid to go with us. She began telling us a story of her cousin who, with friends, decided to go to the train tracks and test all the urban legends. Usually, you don’t take your children along when you go to the tracks, but she did. If you are thinking about doing this, I want to let you know it’s illegal to park your car on the tracks to discourage anyone from trying.
So the story goes like this: In October of 2007, her cousin was invited to go with a few friends to test the train tracks. Now it wasn’t on Halloween night since almost everyone would try to test the tracks.
They drove to a gas station to place the powder on the back of the car. And if you know the ghost story, you know that people do this to see evidence of the children’s handprints when the car is pushed over the tracks. They then head to the train tracks, and there is no light where the tracks are. They put the car over the tracks on neutral when they hear children giggling as the car is pushed off the tracks.
What was unusual about the story is when the cousin’s child kept pointing towards the end of the car and saying ouchy. Remember that the child had no idea about the urban legend of the stalled school bus hit by a train. She would turn and look at the end of the car from the window and point as though someone was behind pushing the car.
After the ordeal, they drive off to a gas station where the light was apparent; they then pull into the gas station to see if there were any fingerprints. On the back of the car was a roll of handprints in a uniform order. When the cousin got off with her child, her child looked back, waved to the top of the car, and said bye to whatever was on top. It seems as though the child saw something that was not there. Could it have been a ghost child who followed them? We don’t know, but this is one of many stores of the Ghost Children at the Train Tracks in San Antonio.
Mission San Jose San Antonio Texas
This is Mission San Jose which is located on the South Side of San Antonio. Very well worth touring and free to visit. There are a few other missions besides the Alamo that you can check out on the Mission Trail. Although the history at the location will not tell you, you may want to ask the park ranger about the urban legends surrounding these historic missions.
Texas Urban Legends
Texas is a state full of culture, history, and mystery. Many urban legends have been passed down through generations, and each has a unique story. One of the most famous Texas urban legends is the legend of the Vanishing Hitchhiker. According to the legend, a young woman is seen hitchhiking along a lonely stretch of highway late at night. She is said to be wearing a white dress and is looking for a ride home. However, when the driver pulls over to pick her up, she mysteriously vanishes without a trace. This legend has been around for decades and is still told today.
Another popular Texas urban legend is the legend of the Hook Man. According to this legend, a young couple is parked in a secluded area when they hear a scratching sound on the car door. When they look out the window, they see a man with a hook for a hand trying to get into the car. The couple is said to have been driven away in terror, never to be seen again.
Finally, there is the legend of the Ghost Lights of Marfa. According to this legend, mysterious lights appear in the night sky near Marfa, Texas.
Here are some uniquely San Antonio urban legends…
Donkey Lady Haunted Bridge
This story of the Donkey Lady Bridge has evolved or varies depending on who you ask in San Antonio. The story goes that a lady who lived by a bridge took care of donkeys. She lived alone, and many people felt she was a witch because of her odd appearance. One night someone lit her house on fire while she was asleep.
Some say her appearance took on the form of a donkey in some aspects. The new Toyota plant on the Southside of San Antonio belongs to the bridge.
The story goes if you flicker your lights on the bridge, you can summon the donkey lady. Click the link to read more about this urban legend.
Haunted Midget Mansion Explained
A wealthy man who happens to be smaller in statute one day decides to murder his family and then hangs himself. Believe in having been haunted.
Before the mansion had been torn down, it was said people would perform satanic rituals and believe in having many negative energies there.
The location is no more since much development has been made around the location. I remember a few years back; they would say when you went by the building, little people would throw rocks at you to ward you off. I believe now the location has become a Lowes. I’m curious to know if anyone has had paranormal experiences while working there.
Ghost Stories around San Antonio Texas
A shortlist of ghost stories in San Antonio. If you want to read more about San Antonio Ghost stories, it’s worth looking at.
Alamo Haunted Tour
To get to the ghost tour, go to the Alamo in Alamo Plaza at 8:00 pm. It’s a really good tour and provides some of the best histories along with the hunt. You will see individuals with shirts that have the Alamo Ghost tour. The tour guide once worked with TAPS, so he gives a good perspective on the stories and his real-life experience searching for ghosts or hauntings.
Old Haunted Missions in San Antonio Texas
Mission San Jose
According to national parks and services, Mission San Jose and other Missions around San Antonio were established around 1718. These missions’ purpose was to Christianize the local native people and also to serve as protection against rebelling natives as well. Most, if not all, the walls have come down, but a few have mission walls that secure the church.
Today these small and large missions serve as places of catholic worship. Even if you are not religious, these sites are worth visiting; best of all, it’s free to see them.
As far as San Antonio Urban Legends surrounding these missions:
I have heard stories from friends that a black dog and a headless priest roam the courtyard at night at Mission San Jose. I have been there at night but have never seen a black dog. Maybe next time, he will make his appearance.
The other neighboring missions have also seen similar sightings of a large black dog. Some say it’s a Native American spirit that still lurks on the Mission grounds and comes at night in the form of this black dog.
If you are ever in San Antonio, a trail will take you to all the missions on the south side of San Antonio, Texas, besides the Alamo.
Mission San Jose is an active church, so it’s worth looking at if you’re ever in the San Antonio, Texas, area.
One of the stories I have heard of is at the San Jose Mission on the south side of San Antonio. There is a section of the Mission building called the Rose Window. Legend states that a woman appears near the window area by the window sometimes seen inside and outside of the mission.
Mission San Jose
6701 San José Drive
San Antonio, Texas, 78214
Visit the Missions in San Antonio Texas
Everyone who has heard of San Antonio has heard of the Alamo, but many tourists don’t know that San Antonio has a mission trail with all the historical Missions. Remember, since it’s free, provide a small donation as a thank you. Just a word of warning. Since these structures are really old, you may want to check the accessibility if you or a loved one uses a wheelchair.