driskill hotel haunting
Music: Seefeel: Polyfusia (1993)
Last night the haunting seminar seminarians spent a seminal evening in the Driskill Hotel, touted by some as the most haunted hotel in Texas. Perhaps, but the only spirits I saw went into my liver. In any event, people have been asking about the evening, so I thought I'd recount a bit of what happened but, of course, not reveal all (as that would not be "building a mystery," with props to Sarah).
We arrived at the Driskill around 4:30, checked-in, and regrouped at the hotel bar where we related our own ghost stories a bit. Then, with coupon props to Meghan Dunn, we dined at Manuel's---a chic Mex-fusion joint on Congress---and had margaritas. After full and a bit less uptight, we regrouped at the hotel for a hour-long tour of the place by Kevin from Austin Ghost Tours.
Kevin told us lots of stories about this hotel, which built in the wild west days circa 185-something and apparently "serviced" all the mucky-mucks, politicians, and folks-who-could-afford-it. The hotel failed many times and closed for years at a stretch (and was once deeded to someone at a poker game). The bar across the street, Buffalo Billiards, used to be a brothel and there were also all kinds of little rooms upstairs in the Driskill for the back-room inclined to get it on. Anyway, I won't relate all the stories because it will ruin the fun for readers who want to do it; suffice it to say some people died in the Driskill, a few rather tragically, and they don't know that they are dead. "The Sixth Sense got it right," said Kevin at one point. "Most ghosts just want to be acknowledged and then they'll leave you alone."
After the tour, we regrouped for some more spirited discussion, and then a few brave folks broke-off to go wandering around with a camcorder. The rest of us talked and then Brooke fashioned a make-shift talking board. We rejoined the others, who had found a really charged spot in the Carousel Room (we were told this is where old timers tried to get their secret society aspirations on). No ghosts wanted to chat with us. So then we snooped around in search of another charged-feeling room, but were soon called back to the Carousel Room, wherein Will, Maggie, and Adria had located a chatty spirit in the mood to talk.
The ghost identified herself as "Baby" or "Bebe," we could not tell (she was not a very good speller). She was 34 and said she was angry and really didn’t want us to let her go. (The room was very, very cold by the way--some say uncannily cold.) I speculate she was a prostitute ghost and want to fuck (with) us. After she stopped chatting, we left and Maggie and Will and Meghan closed out with some peaceful prayers.
After that, we went to Buffalo Billiards and talked to a couple of bartenders about their ghosts. Some of their stories were pretty creepy, too. I pooped out at midnight (It was a very long and continuously LATE---though delightfully happy---weekend, but details about that later). The rest of the folks did various things; some continued to explore until 3 a.m., others went to bed. I had a sound sleep and awoke at 7:30 a.m. refreshed and unspooked. I hear Adria, however, was quite creeped out . . . (or creeped herself out)! A great start to what I think will be a fun seminar clique!
Oh yes, I bet you want to see the full photo gallery.