Top 10 Haunted Places in Dallas
As the third-largest city in Texas, Dallas is known as a bustling, contemporary mecca of culture and commerce. Yet beyond its glossy, modern exterior, a city of ghosts writhes beneath. In this article, we’ll rank the 10 most haunted places this North Texas metropolis has to offer, from jilted brides-to-be to rock-hurling poltergeists.
10. The Coombs Creek Trail
Located in Oak Cliff, this trail offers a serene, scenic path along Coombs Creek for nature lovers to enjoy. Not so serene, however, is the trail’s eerie history. Years ago, a young girl named Mary would ride her bike every day along the trail. But one day, Mary never returned home. It’s still unknown whether Mary drowned in the creek, was struck by a passing train, or was taken, but she seems to have disappeared without a trace. Hikers still report seeing the figure of a young girl riding her bike dangerously close to the edge of the water, but when they call out to warn her, she vanishes into the muggy creek air.
Others have reported seeing the small, ghostly face of a young girl no more than six peeking out at them from behind a tree. When they try and move closer to investigate, the face disappears. The face then reappears further along the trail, inviting the hiker to follow her deeper and deeper into the woods. Could she be trying to lead them to her body? You’ll have to venture down the Coombs Creek Trail to find out!
9. Sons of Hermann Hall
Located in the Deep Ellum, Hermann Hall’s website markets itself as the oldest free-standing wood structure in Dallas, as well as the oldest bar. And for over a hundred years, the Hall has hosted vibrant concerts, parties, and dances. But that’s not all it’s host to, as often the laughter and music of the living mask those of the dead of Hermann Hall. B
Both staff members and guests of the Hall have reported strange occurrences within its walls, especially in the late hours of the night. Some guests have seen paintings fly off the wall as if thrown by some unseen force. Others have heard footsteps in the hallways and seen doors suddenly slam shut. Guests also claimed to hear children laughing, even when no children were present.
Long-time staff members of Hermann Hall report sensing a lingering presence, and seeing flashes of light and shadow. One particular staff member recounts a time he and some other employees saw a couple dressed in Victorian-era clothing walk past them and go upstairs. They assumed the couple was doing a period wedding rehearsal of some kind. But about 30 minutes later when the couple hadn’t returned, the staff went upstairs to find all the doors locked, and no one inside them.
Perhaps the Hall is still a favored meeting spot for Dallas residents even in death. Most of the ghostly sightings seem to be of a peaceful, even celebratory nature, as if the ghosts are enjoying one last dance at their favorite haunt.
Want to know why the big D is so haunted? Click here to find out more
8. The Majestic Theatre
They say that every theatre has its ghosts, and the Majestic Theatre is no exception. The Majestic is located on the ominously named Elm Street in downtown Dallas. In the 1910s, it housed live Vaudevillian performances before transitioning to screening films in 1922. The Majestic remained in business until the 1970s when it closed its curtains rather ironically on the James Bond film Live and Let Die. Thankfully this wasn’t the end for the Majestic, and its doors were reopened for live performances in 1983 after it landed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Some say the theatre’s original owner, Karl Hoblitzelle, still haunts the building, making sure things run according to his liking. One former employee claims he shared office space with Mr. Hoblitzelle during his time there. He reports that one of his responsibilities each night was to ensure that the door in his office leading to the theater was locked. But each morning when he showed up for work, the door was wide open, and a strange chill would permeate the room.
When he mentioned this to his manager, he laughed and explained that this was only Karl, who liked to use this door to get into the theater and check up on things. Weird smells, stage props inexplicably moving, and a light hanging above the balcony illuminating on its own have all been attributed to Karl. His spirit is rumored to linger there to this day, making sure his theatre runs smoothly, and maybe even catching a show or two.
7. Snuffer’s Restaurant on Greenville Avenue
Snuffer’s is a popular local chain serving classic American-style food. But the location on Greenville Avenue serves up more than just burgers. Customers and staff of the Dallas restaurant claim the place is seriously haunted.
Before Snuffer’s, there was the Easy Parlour, the restaurant that predated it. A man was allegedly shot, or stabbed, depending on who you ask, after-hours when a fight broke out at an employee party. He stumbled into the bathroom, where he drew his final breaths.
Years later, once Easy Parlour became Snuffer’s, the managers would sit at the table by the bathrooms each night to finish up closing paperwork. As they sat in the dark, near-empty restaurant, they would listen as agonized, stumbling footsteps made their way to the bathroom, then watch as the door creaked open, seemingly of its own accord. It never shut.
In 2013, the original building was demolished and reconstructed, but reports of strange happenings didn’t stop. Other employees have since reported feeling cold gusts of wind rush by them, and doors slamming shut all on their own.
6. Miss Molly’s Hotel
Located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Miss Molly’s hotel is a cozy, unassuming bed and breakfast with a shady past. In the lawless pioneer days of the old west, Miss Molly’s operated as a bordello, making working girls and their customers among the more common apparitions to appear here.
One such customer even has a room named after him, the Cowboy Room, where he has been frequently spotted by guests and staff of the hotel. Guests can also look through the hotel’s collection of creepy photographs or listen to eerie audio records captured through the years.
Other vestiges of the hotel’s sordid past still linger. According to the hotel’s website, a sign outside of one of the rooms reads: “Street ladies bringing in sailors must pay for room in advance.”
5. Goatman’s Bridge
Next up on our list is the ghastly Goatman’s Bridge, more formally known as the Old Alton Bridge in Argyle. Dating back to the 1930s, locals have told tales of the specter of a strange half-man, half-goat creature lurking beneath the bridge. The Goatman is said to stand over seven feet tall, with big horns and glowing red eyes. Whenever a sighting of this ghostly figure occurs, a string of strange disappearances is sure to follow. Some believe the Goatman remains dormant for years at a time and awakes only to hunt for prey.
Keeping the Goatman company is another spirit, that of a young mother crying out eternally for her lost child. Residents making their way over the bridge late at night have reported hearing her ghostly wails.
Some say the two ghosts are connected, and that years ago, the Goatman stole the young woman’s baby. When she found out, she threw herself from the bridge, and her spirit has haunted it ever since.
4. The Millermore Mansion at Dallas Heritage Village
Dallas Heritage Village is a quaint, secluded Dallas neighborhood in historic Old City Park. Considering it features the largest collection of Victorian and pioneer homes in Texas, it’s no wonder it’s one of the most haunted places in Dallas.
Among these is the Millermore house. This vast greek revival home was constructed by cotton planter William B. Miller in 1861. Having remained largely untouched since its construction, stepping into the Millermore house is like stepping back in time, with all of the original colonial furniture still intact.
Legend holds that restless spirits dwell within, the last ghosty remnants of a once-thriving plantation. Visitors of the home report the strange, eerie feeling of being watched, and that some parts of the house, such as the master bedroom and the nursery, feel much colder than others. Some have even reported catching glimpses of a female apparition lurking near the master bedroom. The ghost is believed to be either Minerva, William Miller’s second wife, or Emma, his third.
Stranger still, visitors and volunteers of the Millermore house claim to have seen birds crash into the windows of the master bedroom, but avoid all other windows in the house. Security has also reported strange lights moving through these same windows late at night. When investigated, the rooms were found empty.
3. White Rock Lake
The Coombs Creek Trail isn’t the only haunted natural spot Dallas has to offer. White Rock Lake is a beautiful, secluded destination perfect for a relaxing day by the water. As long as you head home before nightfall, that is. After dark, the bowed trees and slow, languid air of the place instill an aura of creepiness, and cool winds blowing off the water send a wave of chills up the spine. According to local legend, White Rock is home to the ghost of the “lady of the lake.”
Years ago, a young couple was driving home from a party along the lake late one night. The two were tired and ready to get home and crawl into bed when the wife suddenly screamed at her husband to stop the car. A young woman in a long white gown had appeared in the road before them, illuminated by the glow of the headlights.
The couple asked the woman if she needed a ride, and she accepted. They drove on, and all the while the wife could hear the steady drip, drip, drip of water. But once they reached the address the woman had given them, they turned around to find her gone, leaving behind only a puddle.
Confused, the couple got out at the address and knocked on the door. An elderly man answered. They told the man about the young woman they had just picked up, and he sighed and told them they were not the first couple to come knocking on his door late at night. The woman they had picked up was his daughter, who had drowned in White Rock Lake ten years earlier. The Lady of the Lake has been spotted, and even picked up many times since, and continues to haunt White Rock Lake in her white gown, looking for a way back home.
2. Flag Pole Hill
If you were unfazed by our Lady of the Lake story, here’s another reason to be wary of White Rock Lake. Just adjacent to the lake is a road leading to the infamous Flag Pole Hill, the rumored location of a band of rock-hurtling poltergeists.
Passerbyers report driving through the area late at night only to be pelted by a rain of pebbles. When they got out of the car to chase down the culprits, there were none to be found. Local legend identifies the ghosts as three restless spirits tangled in the dark history of the area. According to the story, a construction worker committed suicide in a house on Flag Pole Hill before its completion, and a hired hitman was later convicted of killing the couple who occupied it.
Could these restless ghosts still linger on the hill, tossing rocks at the living out of anger, or jealousy? Those walking on foot rather than driving past seem to be just as unlucky. Hikers and other residents of the area have reported an unseen assailant pelting them with rocks as they pass by. If you’re bold enough to encounter more aggressive apparitions, Flag Pole Hill is a must-see.
1. The Adolphus Hotel
Built on the former site of Dallas’s original city hall in 1912, the hotel has a reputation as one of the city’s most prominent historical markers. And as the oldest hotel in the city, it’s no surprise it’s also among the most haunted.
The Adolphus boasts a beautiful beaux-arts exterior, elegant dining rooms, and a lengthy list of undead guests. The most famous of these is the spirit of a young bride-to-be, who came to Dallas for her wedding sometime in the 1930s. The bride arrived in her white veil and floor-length lace gown, and the guests gathered in anticipation inside the hotel’s ornate ballroom on the 19th floor. They waited for hours, but the groom never arrived.
Heartbroken, devastated and utterly humiliated, the bride fled the scene. Hours later, her body was found hanging just a few feet above the altar where she was set to take her vows.
Ever since that night, guests staying on the 19th-floor report hearing a woman crying, footsteps running up and down the hall, and even the sound of a rope creaking under the strain of a body.
Staff and guests of the hotel alike report an eerie feeling of being watched, or of a presence in the room with them. The bride’s spirit has been spotted wandering the halls after events and parties, still wearing her white dress and veil. Maybe the jilted bride-to-be searches for her long-lost groom, or perhaps a new one, among the guests.
Sources:
https://dallascityhall.com/Pages/default.aspx
https://www.arlington.org/plan/blog/post/18-of-the-most-haunted-spots-in-dfw/
https://www.dmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2016/10/how-haunted-is-the-adolphus-hotel/
https://whiterocklake.org/white-rock-lake/lady-of-the-lake/
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/ghost-sightings-at-historic-sons-of-hermann-hall/79335/
http://www.panicd.com/millermore-mansion.html
https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/10-stops-to-make-on-a-creepy-tour-of-dallas-7602294
