My Favorite Haunted Road Trip Project

Periodically someone will ask me what my most and least favorite book projects have been and the answer to both questions is the same: my most recent one.

As contradictory as that might sound it is very true. My latest project is inevitably the one I have been most excited about and engaged with recently, for which the endorphin rushes received from finishing the various elements are most immediate, for which any exciting fieldwork I did is most memorable. That project is also the one for which I have suffered the most recent stress, for which I can most acutely feel physical rigors like lost sleep, for which other things have suffered because of my disproportionate use of time and other resources. This is the strange dichotomy of book authorship.

Its immediacy aside, I can nonetheless say that, of all the projects I have worked on for the America's Haunted Road Trip series of travel guides, Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country has definitely been my overall favorite. This is true for a variety of reasons.

One is my love for the American Southwest of which Texas is a part and the unique, violent, and colorful history that makes it such a fun subject for research, writing, and roadtrips and a likely locale for haunted places. Good subject matter counts for a lot.

Another reason is the almost iconic distinctness of the places I selected for inclusion in this book, which include everything from wilderness areas that have existed for time immemorial to ancient missions, grand hotels, and great public buildings. This variety of locales made the book stimulating to work on and that is the sort of thing that translates into a into a more enjoyable experience for readers.

Finally, a big reason is the improvements we have made in the format of this book so that it would be even more useful resource for the people using it as a guide on their own haunted road trips. Foremost among these improvements is a robust section of Additional Haunted Sites, which contains entries on 60 locations and effectively triples the number of places covered in earlier books in the series.

All these things have made not just me feel good about what I have accomplished with Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country — they have also made me very confident that the effort I have put into it will make it a valued resource for readers and one of their favorite volumes in the series as well. 

Texas Capitol (Downtown Austin)

"Few if any places in a particular state are cauldrons of so many conflicting passions, beliefs, and motivations as their capitol buildings and there is not one that has not over the years acquired a reputation for being haunted. It should thus hardly be surprising that the capitol of a state that has historically been so marked by violence, corruption, and zealous ideologies as Texas should have a wealth of ghostly lore and strange phenomena associated with it. 

'The capitol is haunted day and night,' Fiona Broome, a psychic, ghost hunter, and author of The Ghosts of Austin, Texas said in a 2008 interview. 'If you've got a nice, misty day there, people see ghosts walking up the path to the capitol building all the time.'" 

Those are the first two paragraphs of my chapter on the Texas Capitol for the Austin section of Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country! Below left, the statue of David Crockett in the south foyer of the capitol building with the rotunda in the background; below center, the floor of the rotunda, a whispering chamber where the spirits of workers killed during construction are sometimes seen; below right, the domed ceiling of the rotunda more than 300 feet above. 

  

The X-Phile #1: Introduction to Ghosthunting

Following is the first installment of "The X-Phile," a column that I conceived of and write for Brutarian Magazine. In that this publication is dedicated to providing "degenerate art" and "trash culture for intellectuals," this piece is perhaps more pointed and a little harsher in tone than a lot of what I write. Suffice it to say, however, that I stand by the sentiments it expresses. I have also modified it slightly for use here. 

Several years ago, I was getting ready to climb the highest mountain in the “Lower 48” United States and went to an REI store in Northern Virginia to buy some of the gear I would need. When I got there, the doughy sack of turds who waited on me immediately began throwing around all sorts of technical terms I couldn’t understand. When he saw that I didn’t know what he was talking about, he apparently decided I wasn’t worth dealing with as a customer and assumed a very unhelpful demeanor. Mind you, this fat douchebag had probably never climbed anything higher than a stepstool to get a bag of chips off the top of the fridge, but because I couldn’t understand his mountain fairy dialect, he assumed a moral high ground and treated me like I was the poser. 

This episode went a long way toward helping me to understand some of the attitudes I ended up dealing with when in late 2007 I began writing travel guides to haunted places for the America’s Haunted Road Trip series, first Ghosthunting Virginia and then Ghosthunting Maryland. This allowed me to pursue professionally something I had already been doing to one extent or another for about three decades. 

What I found when I undertook ghosthunting as public rather than a private activity was that far more people than I ever imagined had become involved in the pursuit, inspired for the most part by the wave of television shows dedicated to it. What was even more surprising to me, however, was the uniformity of their attitudes, motivations, methodologies, and vocabularies — which, generally, slavishly followed those of the “professional” ghosthunters they were watching on television shows. “Back in the day,” what is now called ghosthunting had been undertaken only by a tiny minority who had to figure out just about everything on their own, relying on things like the limited number of relevant texts that were available and comparing notes with fellow investigators. Today, the number of people involved in ghosthunting is phenomenally larger, but most of them are simply uncritically mimicking the actions they have seen others perform and do not feel the need to actually think for themselves.

So to say that I have mixed feelings about the current state of “ghosthunting” in particular and paranormal investigation in general would certainly be an understatement, and I think a great deal that is both positive and negative can be found in them today.

Pros of the phenomena include that it has allowed people to feel more comfortable discussing their own paranormal experiences than they might have in previous years; that the pursuit has been democratized and vitalized by the inclusion of so many people; and that more tools and practical information now exist and are more readily available than ever before.

Cons include that the relatively new phenomena of ghosthunting has become overly standardized; that it has in many people’s minds been dissociated from the broader field of the supernatural, which has certain dangers associated with it; and that too many people pursue ghosthunting as if it were comparable to a mundane activity like paintball, geocaching, or golf. 

Television shows and other media devoted to ghosthunting and paranormal investigation have, of course, contributed to both the upsides and downsides of the pursuit. 

It may well be that you have considered attempting ghosthunting or some other sort of paranormal investigation. If so, here are a few pieces of advice based on my own experience that might make such an endeavor more productive and enjoyable for you: 

* Don’t fixate on equipment (which I once inadvertently offended one ghosthunting chick by referring to as “toys”). One reason the Germans and other technologically-oriented nations almost always lose at war is that they are fixated on paraphernalia and other bullshit and do not understand that flesh always trumps steel. If you want to use equipment, that’s fine, but remember two things: the equipment alone will not make you a paranormal investigator and that the lack of will not keep you from being one. Speaking personally, I generally use a flashlight, a digital camera, and a digital recorder in the course of my investigations, and depending on your needs you could certainly use less or more (e.g., EMF meters, thermometers). In any event, your mind is your most important tool and the only one for which there is no electronic or mechanical substitute. 

* Don’t make “proving” anything your biggest priority. Skeptics and even other investigators will sometimes challenge others’ experiences by claiming that they don’t prove anything. Well, they don’t need to. Your ghosthunting and paranormal investigations should be about personal growth and improvement. If it is all about proving things to other people … Well, it probably isn’t going to work anyway. What you experience should be meaningful primarily to yourself; secondarily to your friends and loved ones, who presumably trust you to at least some extent; and least of all — or not at all — to the world at large. 

* Don’t be a dick. It is amazing the lack of respect many paranormal investigators show everyone around them, to include both property owners and the spirits of the dead. Approach this pursuit with the good manners that it warrants and avoid “ghost-baiting,” wrecking other peoples’ stuff, or making light of the people — living or dead — who you may be interacting with. I can’t promise that anything bad will happen to you if you don’t follow this last bit of advice … but I certainly hope it does. 

That’s it for now! Hopefully, this will all help you find your own way into, through, and back out of the unseen world. And feel free to touch base with me at ghosthunting@varhola.com to share your own thoughts about this and related subjects! 

Menger Hotel (Downtown San Antonio)

"In an old and storied state occupied by the ghosts of a colorful and bloody past, one might think that the title 'Most Haunted Hotel in Texas' would be a tough one to live up to. With some three-dozen spirits identified in it, however, give or take a few, the sprawling Menger Hotel has a strong case for making this claim. These reportedly include the ghosts of conquistadores, Indians, Texian and Mexican soldiers who fought in the Battle of the Alamo, cowboys who drove cattle on the Chisholm Trail, a land baron, a U.S. president, a murdered housekeeper, a 'lady in blue,' and a little girl who died by misfortune. As anyone investigating the site quickly learns, the mundane and supernatural histories of the hotel are inextricably linked and span the centuries." 

That is the first paragraph of my chapter on the Menger Hotel, a beautiful San Antonio landmark that has been welcoming guests, and enticing the spirits of some of them to stay indefinitely, since 1859. At right is a picture of the original lobby of the hotel as it appears today. Below is a picture of the current lobby, added during one of the hotel's many expansions. At bottom is a photograph of the Menger Hotel as it appeared in 1865, the last year of the Civil War. 

San Fernando Cathedral (Downtown San Antonio)

"It would not be an over-exaggeration to say that San Fernando Cathedral has, literally, been the spiritual and geographical heart of San Antonio for nearly 300 years, and there is even an official seal set into the floor church affirming this. It is, in fact, the oldest active Roman Catholic cathedral in Texas, one of the oldest in all of North America, and the mother church of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and seat of its archbishop.

As one of the oldest extant buildings in the city and the site of what most people today would consider to be some very strange practices, it is perhaps not too surprising that San Fernando Cathedral would have a reputation for spiritual activity. Phenomena people claim to have witnessed at the site include spectral faces appearing on the walls and the apparition of a white horse galloping across the plaza in front of the church. Inside it definitely does, in any event, have a sacred and even otherworldly atmosphere." 

Those are the first two paragraphs of my chapter on San Fernando Cathedral for Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country! I have visited San Fernando Cathedral a number of times and, most recently, had the privilege of doing so with Allison Schiess, one of the title members of Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours. She is a descendant of the Canary Islanders who built the church and I very much enjoyed hearing her unique and personal perspectives on it. 

 

Top left: the seal marking San Fernando Cathedral as the center of San Antonio. Top right: The sepulcher containing the cremated remains of James Bowie, William B. Travis, and David Crockett. Bottom: A postcard from the era 1901-1914 showing the cathedral and main plaza. 

Sheraton Gunter Hotel (Downtown San Antonio)

"Since 1837, travelers and visitors to San Antonio have often found one of the nicest and most convenient hotels in the city to be located at a particular corner about a hundred yards from the bank of the river. Over the years, this establishment has had many different names, occupied successively larger and more elaborate buildings, been controlled by the armies of four nations, and collectively contributed to a fascinating and colorful history. One of those colors, however, has been that of blood, and gruesome events that have occurred at the hotel are among the things that have led to it becoming a reputed venue for hauntings and paranormal activity."

That is the opening paragraph of my chapter on the Sheraton Gunter Hotel for Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country! Below left is bluesman Robert Johnson, who is said to have made a pact with the devil for musical ability and who recorded an album at the hotel in 1936. Below right is Walter Emerich, who shot, dismembered, and ran a prostitute through a meat grinder in a room at the Gunter Hotel in 1965.  

 

Emily Morgan Hotel (Downtown San Antonio)

Located in one of the largest and most imposing buildings in downtown San Antonio, the Emily Morgan Hotel is one of the city's quintessential lodgings — all the more so in that it is the "official hotel of the Alamo" — and at the same time stranger and much different than any of the others. Its merits as a beautiful luxury hotel aside, it has both a unique and atypical history and as its namesake the woman who may well have inspired the classic song "The Yellow Rose of Texas." 

"The Emily Morgan Hotel was originally developed as a hospital and then in 1984 it was converted into a hotel," Allison Schiess of the Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours told me. "It is named after the woman, an indentured servant, who was 'distracting' Santa Anna when the Texans attacked the Mexicans during the Battle of San Jacinto. So, she helped us win our independence." 

Those are the opening two paragraphs of my chapter on the Emily Morgan Hotel for Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country! Among other things, it explores the history of one of the most colorful and controversial figures in Texas history, the woman known variously as Emily Morgan and Emily D. West. 

Comicpalooza 2014 Paranormal Track Events

Following are the dozen events that America's Haunted Road Trip series editor Michael O. Varhola has organized for the Comicpalooza fan convention being held in Houston, Texas, during Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-26. Our program is even bigger and better than it was last year and we very much hope you will be able to make it out to the convention, whether it is just for one day or all four! 

FRIDAY

Paranormal 101: Introduction to Ghosthunting

Join author Michael Varhola, editor of the “America’s Haunted Road Trip” series of travel guides, and a panel of experts for an interactive introduction to the subject of ghosthunting that will examine the basics of this popular phenomena and answer questions from attendees.
            Time: Friday 2 p.m. (2 hours)

            Requirements: Microphones

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola, Ken Gerhard, Donna Stewart, Christy Briones, Kristen Stout

Paranormal 101: Encounters with Flying Humanoids

Join world-renowned author and cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard of Monsterquest for an examination of flying humanoids, including the Mothman, Manbirds, Gargoyles, and other winged beasts.

            Time: Friday 4 p.m. (1 hour)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Presenter Name: Ken Gerhard

Paranormal 101: Haunted Pub Crawl

Hear about spirits while imbibing spirits in some of the most haunted and historic watering holes in downtown Houston! This walking tour will depart from the George R. Brown Convention Center.

            Time: Friday 8 p.m. (2-3 hours)

            Requirements: —

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola

            Additional Fee: $12

SATURDAY

Paranormal 102: Investigative Equipment

Experts from the local Pasadena Paranormal Research Team and other investigative groups will conduct this hands-on workshop that introduces attendees to the various sorts of equipment used by ghosthunters and other paranormal investigators, including cameras, recorders, EMF meters, digital thermometers, laser grids, and night-vision devices.

            Time: Saturday Noon (2 hours)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola, Ken Gerhard, Donna Stewart, Christy Briones, Kristen Stout

Paranormal 102: Cryptozoology in the Lone Star State

Join world-renowned cryptozoologist and author Ken Gerhard of Monsterquest for an examination of real "X creatures" in Texas, including Bigfoot, the Chupacabra, and many more. 
            Time: Saturday 2 p.m. (1 hour)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Presenter Name: Ken Gerhard

Paranormal 102: Ghosthunting Houston

Join experts from the local Dawn Paranormal investigative group and other organizations for this seminar on some of the most interesting haunted sites in and around Houston — along with things that some of the participants have experienced at them!

            Time: Saturday 4 p.m. (1 hour)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Christy Briones

SUNDAY

Paranormal 103: Open Forum Q&A

Anything goes at this open forum with a panel of professional paranormal investigators! Our experts will address questions about anything related to ghosthunting and other aspects of paranormal investigation.

            Time: Sunday 2 p.m. (2 hours)

            Requirements: Microphones

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola, Christy Briones, Donna Stewart, Kristen Stout, Laurie Olerich

Paranormal 103: Ghosthunting Oregon

Join author Donna Stewart for an exploration of some of the most fascinating haunted sites throughout the state of Oregeon, from hotels and theaters in Portland to cemeteries and lighthouses along the coast. She will also give attendees a sneak peak at some of the things that will be appearing in her upcoming book on the subject!

            Time: Sunday 4 p.m. (1 hour)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Presenter Name: Donna Stewart

Paranormal 103: Haunted Hermann Park

Surrounded by hospitals, the zoo, and museums, Hermann Park has become Houston’s epicenter for paranormal mystery. Join us for a tour where we will recall the history of the Civil War cemetery that lays beneath the park, hear the story of an opera singer who died in Miller Outdoor Theater and still haunts it today, and roll down a hill where many have died — including children who still happily invite you to join them! With animal spirits, history, superstitions, and mysterious and unexplained deaths, it is no wonder Hermann Park is haunted.

            Time: Sunday 7 p.m. (2-3 hours)

            Requirements: —

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola

            Additional Fee: $15

Paranormal 103: Psi-Fi Radio Live!

Join host Donna Stewart, author Michael O. Varhola, and other expert guests for the first-ever live broadcast of the Psi_Fi Para Radio show! As usual, they will be covering a lot of ground on all things paranormal, and will be taking questions from members of the audience throughout the course of the show.

            Time: Sunday 10 p.m. (2 hours)

            Requirements: Microphones

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola, Donna Stewart, Sharon Kincaid, Laura Schier

MONDAY

Paranormal 104: Investigative Techniques

There are almost as many ways of ghosthunting as there are ghosthunters! In this panel discussion paranormal researcher Michael Varhola and members of the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team, Dawn Paranormal, and other groups looks at everything from “naturalistic” means of ghosthunting, to ones heavily dependent on equipment, to those based on psychic ability.

            Time: Monday Noon (2 hours)

            Requirements: Microphones

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola, Donna Stewart, Laura Schier, Christy Briones, Kristen Stout

Paranormal 104: Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country

Join author Michael O. Varhola for an exploration of some of the most fascinating haunted sites in San Antonio, Austin, and the Texas Hill Country and get a first-look preview of some of the things that will be appearing in his upcoming book on the subject.

            Time: Monday 3 p.m. (1 hour)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola

Varhola Appearance on 'The Paranormal View'

If you missed my appearance on the Paranormal View when it aired live Saturday, you can still check it out in archive! Among other things we discussed my books on Virginia, Maryland, and Texas, my upcoming adventures in Hawaii and French Polynesia, and more. I had a great time on this show and know you will love it! 

Comicpalooza 2013 'Paranormal Track' Events

Following are the "Paranormal Track" events I am organizing for the Comicpalooza fan convention, being held May 24-26 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston!

FRIDAY
Cryptozoology 101
Join world-renowned Cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard for an examination of "X creatures" in Texas and around the world, from Bigfoot and Chupacabras, to Yetis and the Loch Ness Monster, and many more. Time: Friday 3 p.m. (1 hour)



Ghosthunting 101: Introduction to Ghosthunting
Join author Michael Varhola, editor of the “America’s Haunted Road Trip” series of travel guides, and a panel of experts for an interactive introduction to the subject of ghosthunting that will examine the basics of this popular phenomena and answer questions from attendees. Time: Friday 4 p.m. (2 hours)



Haunted Pub Crawl
Hear about spirits while imbibing spirits in some of the most haunted and historic watering holes in Houston! Time: Friday 7:30 p.m. (3.5 hours)



SATURDAY
Ghosthunting 102: Equipment
Experts from the local Pasadena Paranormal Research Team and other investigative groups will conduct this hands-on workshop that introduces attendees to the various sorts of equipment used by ghosthunters, including cameras, recorders, EMF meters, digital thermometers, laser grids, and night-vision devices. Time: Saturday 3 p.m. (1 hour)



Ghosthunting Texas
Join experts from the local Dawn Paranormal investigative group and other organizations for this seminar on some of the most interesting haunted sites in the Lone Star State — to include ones in and around Houston and the things that some of the participants have experienced at them! Time: Saturday 4 p.m. (1 hour)



SUNDAY
Ghosthunting 103: Investigative Techniques
There are almost as many ways of ghosthunting as there are ghosthunters! In this panel discussion paranormal researcher Michael Varhola and members of the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team, Dawn Paranormal, and other groups looks at everything from “naturalistic” means of ghosthunting, to ones heavily dependent on equipment, to those based on psychic ability. Time: Sunday 2 p.m. (1 hour)



Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country
Join author Michael Varhola for an exploration of some of the most fascinating haunted sites in San Antonio, Austin, and the Texas Hill Country and get a sneak preview of some of the things that will be appearing in his book on the subject. Time: Sunday 5 p.m. (1 hour)

March 'Michael Varhola Show' on Psi-Fi Radio

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the monthly "Michael Varhola Show" on Psi-fi Talk-Radio! If you missed it live then you can still check it out in archive.

As usual, we covered a lot of ground on this best and quickest two hours of the month. Among other things, we discussed sites I have been investigating for Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country, my latest book project for the America's Haunted Road Trip series of travel guides, to include my recent foray onto the Devil's Backbone, a local haunted highway. We then went on to observe an Easter theme by talking about Bunnyman Bridge, a truly terrifying site in Fairfax County, Virginia, that has a bloody legend associated with it and which I wrote about in my Ghosthunting Virginia; to talk about animal ghosts and what their characteristics might be; and some updates on the "Paranormal Track" programming I am organizing for the Comicpalooza fan convention, being held May 24-26 in Houston, to include booking cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard to run a seminar on "X Creatures" in Texas and beyond.

And thanks to host Donna Stewart for playing Johnny Cash's classic "Ghostriders in the Sky" during the break! That song always gives me a chill and is a great theme song for anyone ghosthunting in Texas or the Southwest.

February 'Michael Varhola Show' on Psi-Fi Radio

Had a great show with Donna Stewart and Kristal Preston during my monthly spot on Psi-fi Talk-Radio! We always cover a lot of ground on this show and it is frequently the best and quickest two hours of the month. Among other things, we discussed my new Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country book project and the kickoff of my research for it, Donna's Ghosthunting Oregon, and the upcoming Comicpalooza fan convention, being held May 24-26 in Houston, and for which I will be running a full track of paranormal seminars and events. We were also pleased to have Comicpalooza founder John Simons join us and talk about some of the other great things he has got planned for the convention this year! Anyone interested in listening to the show can check it out in archive.