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| | The
bridge from the hotel to the pool
Photo courtesy Jason Grant |
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| Author's
Note: I
am a professional Firefighter with a degree in Fire science and a certified Fire
Investigator, therefore, I believe just about everything can be explained if one
looks hard enough. That was before I began to research a few north Texas ghost
stories that are difficult to explain...... |
THE
GHOSTS OF THE BAKER HOTELThe
Woman on the Seventh Floor
The stories of ghosts and hauntings began in the Baker
long before it ever closed. A porter who worked there during the 1950's and 1960's
was the first known to witness the ghost of the woman on the seventh floor. She
was possibly the mistress of the hotel manager. Distraught from her affair she
jumped to her death from the top of the building. The year of the incident has
not been verified but the room she stayed in, apparently quite comfortably, was
a suite on the southeast corner of the seventh floor. Many have reported smelling
her perfume and her spirit is said to be quite flirtatious with men she may fancy.
Recently a woman, who worked as a maid in the hotel, reported that on several
occasions she found glasses in the room with red lipstick stains on the rims.
This took place at times when no one was staying in the room.
Jane Catrett
who is assisted by Ronny Walker now manages the building. Ronny manages tours
of the building on weekends when time allows and is quite knowledgeable on the
history of the hotel as well as the reports of a few sightings of disembodied
guests.
Ronny reported one night he was near the main lobby on the first
floor when he heard the distinct sound of a woman in high heals walking across
the lobby. Thinking the footsteps to be those of Jane Catrett he yelled out her
name; however, the footsteps faded away and upon further inspection, Ronny found
himself all alone. Later he discovered that Jane had not been in the building
that day.
On another occasion, Ronny reported being on the 7th floor
re-setting an electrical breaker to the Christmas lights, which continuously tripped
every night during display. As he was inspecting the fuse box, attempting to locate
the breaker switch, he heard the footsteps of an unseen person walking up to his
left - quietly - as if not to bother him. A bit startled, he turned to look and
saw no one. Ronny spoke to the possible ghosts and assured them he meant no harm.
After that night the lights never tripped off again. |
| | The
hallway of the 11th floor
Photo courtesy Jason Grant |
|
The "Brazos Room"
Another incident occured during a tour of the
hotel by a group of W.W.II
veterans and their spouses. As the group entered the "Brazos Room" on the first
floor, which was the main dining room and dance area, a couple suddenly stopped.
The woman looked at her husband and asked, "Do you hear that?" He replied,
"Why, I certainly do". About that time several other people in the group began
to hear sounds of dishes and silverware clanking as well as people talking with
orchestra music in the background. Most of the people there reported this event.
It has never happened before nor since - according to the source - but the witnessess
were sure they were experiencing the ghostly echoes of a time long past. |
| | Outside
the Cloud Room
Photo courtesy Jason Grant |
The
Fresh Air Ghosts
A young woman who worked at a local
drive-through bank in the early 1990's reported that she and other tellers had
their workstations facing the huge hotel. During slow times they noticed hotel
windows open on various floors. Later they would notice these windows closed and
others would be open. After awhile they began to take note and count which were
opened and closed. The pattern changed.
One of the girls told the others
"it must be the man who lives in the building and takes care of it". After that,
the interest ceased and they stopped noticing. The strange thing is, no one has
ever stayed in the Baker at any time since its closure in 1970. There never was
a caretaker. So just who was opening and closing the windows?
Mineral
Wells Hotels > Book Your Hotel Here &
Save |
The
Anonymous Psychic, Nostalgic Ghosts and a Shaggy Dog
In the spring of 2000, I spoke with a local Mineral
Wells woman
who claimed to be a psychic. She has wished to remain anonymous for fear of ridicule
in such a small town and I, for one, certainly understand.
She told
me, ever since she was a young girl, she has had the ability to see spirits. She
said she had been in the Baker many
times and had even managed a shop on the outside first floor back in the early
1980s. She said the stories are true. The Baker
is very haunted - but not like we think. Most ghosts didn't necessarily die at
the Baker, but returned after death
because the hotel represented a wonderful time in their lives.
She went
on to say that most of the spirits in the hotel
do not want to be seen or heard with the exception of a small child. A little
boy, about six to eight years old, was the only one to communicate with her. He
told her he died in a hotel apartment in 1933 when his parents were seeking medicinal
treatment for his leukemia.
She reported a large shaggy dog always accompanied
the child. He also bounced a ball to get her attention and " he was watched by
an unknown older woman who was always near him."
The psychic went on
to tell me the spirits don't necessarily look the age they were when they died.
Some were employees of the building. One she said, for reasons she doesn't understand,
was a helicopter pilot who attended basic flight training at Ft. Wolters in the
1960's. He was killed in a helicopter crash while at Ft. Rucker, Alabama. He had
returned to the Baker with his body
in the same traumatic state that resulted from the crash. next
page
Page 2 - Ghosts
of the Baker Hotel - Investigation
Page 3 - Baker
Hotel Story
- The
stories of ghosts and hauntings began in the Baker long before it ever closed.....
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