In the midst of Oxbow Lake on the University of Texas/Texas Southmost College is an island that was once a National Cemetery. However, in 1909, some 3,800 bodies were unearthed and moved to Alexandria, Louisiana. After the cemetery was moved, the island became a mecca for hotels and retail stores. However, it was later taken over by the college campuses and now houses a number of dormitories and is known as the "Village at Fort Brown."
The old fort morgue, was joined with a storage building in 1940, and now serves as Texas Southmost College office space. During the forts heyday's, the morgue was used extensively by Dr. William Gorgas, who dissected bodies in order to study the Yellow Fever disease in a futile attempt to find a cure. In any event, small objects leaping into the air, staff who have regularly felt a presence within their midst, and one who even had her hair pulled by an unseen entity. Others report anomalies in their photographs including a solid dark image.
At the former Post Hospital, now called Gorgas Hall, and serving as the Administration Building for the campus, more strange events occur regularly. Here, numerous patients with Yellow Fever were treated in the 1880's, as many of whom, unfortunately, died. A ward on the second floor of the building was used for violent patients. The most often anomalies are the face of former patients peering from the windows and captured on film, though that are apparently not seen with the human eye. Witnesses have also claimed to see a "face" appear on the surface of the brick wall.
Others have reported seeing spirits roaming throughout the building including a doctor, a couple of nurses, and mourning woman dressed all in black. The sounds of faint voices, footsteps, and other unexplainable noises are consistently heard in the building. Other unearthly happenings include door knobs that seemingly move of their own accord, as well as objects transporting themselves.
In 1904, Commissary/Guardhouse building, now used as an art building, also has a record of hauntings. Its basement continues to display the metal grated cell gates where prisoner's were once held. Unfortunately, for the art students, their projects are often found to be missing or damaged. Others report feeling cold drafts, hearing distant voices, having been touched by unseen entities, and the sounds of scraping metal on the outside of the building.
The Little Chapel, which dates to 1868, also has its share of tales. Though it was moved from its original location, the move evidently brought its spectral phenomena with it. Here have been heard unearthly footsteps and inexplicable shadows and movements have been reported.
Tales of the Arnulfo L. Oliveira Memorial Library date back for decades. One of the oldest storiest is of a night janitor who was startled when he stepped outside of the library to witness what appeared to be the full fort still in action.....cavalry soldiers on horseback and infantry soldiers marching on the former parade grounds. Can you imagine seeing that!!! That would be soooooo cool. Oh back to the story....Other claims include the spirit of a young girl, appearing in 19th century attire, who appears on the second floor.
More reports tell of a malevolent phantom of an adult male who also appears on the second floor as well as a dark shadowy figure. Staff also report items being mysteriously rearranged, mysterious chills, fans that turn on and off of their own accord, the sounds of creaks and rattling on the second floor, and more.
And I can't help but to tell you about the "ghostly puppy". A little stray puppy is said to follow groups of people as they walk from class to class but when they sit down to pet the puppy it literally disappears!!!!! aaaawwww.... And this story has been told by many of the students over the years.
This is defiantly one on my "top 5" list to visit this year...so stay tuned...... Have a great week everyone.....and if I haven't said it lately.....thanks for taking the time to sit down and read by "not so politically correct" blog on the crazy world of the paranormal. :)
Soon after, the first reports of a ghostly apparition referred to as "The Lady in Gray" began. The first to report the sighting was Rebecca (great name don't ya think? lol), a visitor to Liberty Hall who stayed the night in Margaretta's old bedroom. She awoke with a start to find a woman standing next to the fireplace. She was so terrified she hid beneath her covers. When she regained her courage, she stole a peek, but the woman was gone. She's vanished into thin air. Many visitors who have slept in the haunted bedroom have had similar experiences. Other visitors to the museum have reported seeing "The Lady in Gray" peering out of the upstairs windows. A skeptical college professor in search of an explanation for the odd occurrences stayed overnight. To his surprise he was awakened by a gentle touch upon his shoulder and confronted by the transparent image of a woman smiling down at him. The professor's perception of the paranormal was changed that night, by "The Lady in Gray".
