5 Horrifying Austin Stories You Didn’t Learn About In History Class

In April 1990, water levels gushed over the Austin dam, causing the structure to give way. The disaster killed several people and left the city of Austin without electrical power for several months.

Want to know more about this catastrophe? Check out our feature article here.

You've no doubt seen the unusual moon towers across the city, but do you know their origin story? In the 1880s, a crazed serial killer known as "The Servant Girl Annihilator" terrorized Austin. His macabre ways caused mass chaos, so city officials built moon towers to create light and keep Austin safe. By the time they were actually put up, the killer had fled. Some believe he escaped across the pond and cultivated a new nickname: "Jack The Ripper."

You can learn more about this chilling tale by reading our feature article here.

In June 1930, State Comptroller Robert. M. Love was murdered inside his own office. Former employee William Hill handed Robert Love a letter before shooting him twice in the chest. Chief bookkeeper J.W. Stephens heard the attack and ran after Hill. After a struggle, Hill was accidentally shot that same day.

This is perhaps the most bone-chilling tale to come from the haunted Driskill Hotel. According to legend, room 525 is the setting of the story of the suicide brides. Two women, twenty years apart, took their own lives in the bathroom while on their honeymoon. Though some say this tale is nothing more than a campfire ghost story, there's no denying the spooky energy radiating through the Driskill Hotel. Even singer Annie Lennox has reported a ghostly encounter in room 525.

In 1922, Austin residents witnessed something nightmarish. Powerful twin tornadoes ripped through the city, causing destruction and fear. One twister was estimated at an F2 and the other was a howling F4. Parts of the University of Texas, St. Edwards, and East Austin experienced severe damage. It's estimated that construction cost $400,000 which, in the 1920s, is especially expensive.