Take A Ghost Walk Through Jefferson, The Most Haunted Small Town In Texas
By Katie Lawrence|Published October 01, 2019
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Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
October is officially upon us, which means it’s time to start planning out your Halloween itinerary. There are countless festivities to choose from here in Texas, but our plethora of ghost towns would be a good place to start.
Jefferson, a small town hiding in far East Texas, is an infamously haunted destination whose past is long and tragic. The Jefferson Ghost Walk takes you to all the spots most notorious for paranormal activity, including a cemetery, 200-year-old hotel, and a historic home often regarded as the most haunted place in America.
The ghost walk is held every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. It leads through the town square and past a number of additional buildings, each one with its own unique haunted history.
Cameras will be set up in a variety of locations to document any paranormal activity. Raw footage doesn't lie and it just might confirm unexplained phenomena you tried so intently to write off as imagination or tricks of the light.
You'll be led around the town's darkest alleyways and emptiest courtyards while listening to stories of the abundant tragedy, murder, and paranormal activity in Jefferson's past. Abandoned buildings with shattered windows and dilapidated infrastructure contribute a heaviness that remains omnipresent throughout the entire tour.
The Grove, an 1861 property listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has been referred to as the most haunted place in America — in fact, all of its former residents were driven out in record time by vengeful spirits. Among the entities you'll see are a woman in a white dress, a man in the garden, and a malevolent entity in the basement.
Oakwood Cemetery is a place no sane person would find themselves after dark. Its oldest headstone belongs to a man who died from cholera in 1850, and the remaining burial plots possess the remains of Confederate soldiers and many others who died tragically.
If you plan on sticking around a while and need somewhere to stay, look no further than the notoriously haunted Excelsior House. By far the oldest hotel in East Texas, it dates back nearly 200 years. Noteworthy people such as Oscar Wilde and Ulysses S. Grant have been guests... but the jury is still out on whether or not they actually left.
While much has changed about the hotel's appearance, it still harbors the very same dark secrets from two centuries ago. Some of the most commonly reported sightings include a headless man on the second floor, a woman wearing all black holding a baby, and a young prostitute who was murdered for the diamonds she wore.
Excelsior House may have inspired the iconic film, "Poltergeist" after its director, Steven Spielberg, spent the night and awakened to a small boy at the foot of his bed. If you're brave enough to sleep here with the curtains drawn and room darkened, a similar experience just might unfold.
Tours depart from the sandwich shop on the corner of Austin and Vale. Visit the tour’s website or Facebook page to learn more and purchase tickets.
Have you ever taken the Jefferson Ghost Walk? If so, let us know all about the experience — including any unexplained occurrences, of course. Check out our previous article for more haunted places to explore this month: This Haunted Road Trip Will Lead You To The Scariest Places In Texas.
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