Location: Jefferson, Texas
Architectural Style: Victorian
Built: 1850-1851
We’re off to the Lone Star State as our search continues for the most haunted places. The seemingly inconspicuous Jefferson Hotel, situated in the small town of Jefferson, Texas near the Louisiana border has served as a cotton warehouse, brothel and a speakeasy. Today it’s a lovely historical hotel, though it seems some of the hotel’s guests will be staying indefinitely.
Cotton Comes to Jefferson
After the original building was constructed in 1850, the now Jefferson Hotel was initially designed to be a cotton warehouse to accommodate the area’s booming industry. For over two decades, riverboats bound for New Orleans made their way down the Big Cypress, stopping at Jefferson to load up on supplies for the last leg of the journey. Being a major port along the bustling riverway for travelers of all sorts, it was only natural that the warehouse was eventually transformed into a brothel and hotel.
The Jefferson Opens Its Doors
While there’s some uncertainty when the Jefferson Hotel first originally opened, it was a resounding success when it did. Weary travelers looking to rest their eyes were inclined to stay longer by the women that worked at the hotel, who would stand on the second floor veranda to draw in customers.
A Prohibition Palace
During the Prohibition Era, the Jefferson operated under the moniker “The Crystal Palace” and served as a casino and speakeasy. High-rolling gamblers played the night away in the ballroom, and others danced to lively piano music, all the while, enjoying contraband beverages.
Ghostly Guests at the Jefferson
Having served different roles throughout the town’s history, the Jefferson Hotel has seen its fair share of death and sadness. Guests have recorded various sightings throughout the building in the hotel’s “book of the dead.” They’ve reported disembodied voices, knocking, objects moving, flickering lights and even being locked in their rooms.
The Mill Children
Believed to be the spirits of a young boy and girl who died in the cotton warehouse, these two roam the halls in period clothing laughing and playing. Keep an eye on your pockets though, as they love to snatch small items and pull pranks on guests.
Vanishing Man
Not much is known about this mysterious figure that resides in the Jefferson, other than that he’s hard to miss. The Vanishing Man wears a long coat and tall boots and will appear in rooms throughout the night for hours at a time. Guests have noted that he’s so life-like, they’ve followed the figure trying to catch his attention, only to lose the Vanishing Man around a corner or witness him disappear into a closed door.
Room 19 and Judy’s Mirror
Room 19 is one of the most active locations in the entire building. These quarters are said to be occupied by the distraught spirit of a teenage girl, killed in the bathtub during the hotel’s brothel days. She appears in the steam of the shower and leaves notes, oftentimes warnings or pleas for help, in the condensation on the mirror.
Libby in White
The ghost of golden-haired girl, nicknamed Libby, appears in a beautiful bridal gown and is seen floating across the floor. There are two known deaths of women scorned on their wedding day at the hotel, each having hanged themselves on their headboard almost 50 years apart. The ghost of Libby has haunted the same bed she hanged herself in, following it to rooms 12, 14 and even the infamous 19.
The Jefferson Today
Having recently undergone renovations, the Jefferson Hotel is back open for business. You can book a stay in one of the famed haunted rooms, but you may have more roommates than you checked in with.
Photos by Nicolas Henderson, licensed under CC BY 2.0
