The amount of Creepy Texas Urban Legends is remarkable. While many people don’t believe a majority of these stories, there are just as many who believe in them. They may be twisted or unbelievable but there is evidence behind most of the stories that make people second guess how true they are. Regardless if the stories are made up or not, it’s fun to read about them and learn these stories. If you’re feeling brave, try visiting a few of these locations and let me know how it turns out!
Black Eyed Children – Amarillo, Texas
Black-eyed children are an American contemporary legend of paranormal creatures that resemble children between ages 6 and 16 with pale skin and black eyes, who are reportedly seen hitchhiking or begging, or are encountered on doorsteps of residential homes. While tabloid coverage of these creatures has claimed that tales of black-eyed children have existed since the 1980s, most sources indicate that the legend originated from 1996 postings written by Texas reporter Brian Bethel on a “ghost-related mailing list,” relating two alleged encounters with “black-eyed kids.”
Kids are more likely to approach people who already know about them. So on Halloween, as the trick-or-treaters wander by your doorways, keep an eye out for soulless black eyes and that feeling of dread – and if you happen to encounter one of these other-worldly children, don’t let them into your house.
Black-eyed kids, Texas Monthly
The Candy Lady, Clara Crane – Terrell, Texas
Clara Crane was accused of poisoning her husband back in 1895. She gave him some caramels that were laced with some form of poison that killed him. A few years before she allegedly killed her husband, the Cranes five-year-old daughter died. Clara blamed her husband for the passing of their daughter, which is why many believe she killed him.
Clara was placed in the North Texas Lunatic Asylum, now known as the Terrell State Hospital.
In 1903, children started going missing near her old property. Children said candy would be left on their window while they were sleeping. Sometimes there would be notes on the wrappers around the candy. After several children started going missing, the townspeople believed it was Clara, the woman that killed her husband with poisoned candy, who was responsible for the disappearances.
A nearby farmer had found teeth in his fields and the town sheriff was killed. He had forks shoved into his eyes and was found with candy in his pockets. No one really knows what ever came of Clara Crane, but to this day, it is believed the Candy Lady still roams around luring little children with candy, then pulling out their teeth or stabbing them in the eyes with forks.
Demon’s Road – Huntsville, Texas
People that wander off down “Demons Rd” tell tales of disturbing encounters, and an eerie feeling that sweeps over anyone who dares disrupt the spirits said to be lingering down “Demons Rd.” The old road leads to an old cemetery known as Martha’s Chapel Cemetery.
Locals warn curious people who desire to brave the path or to visit the graveyard to not provoke the spirits Many of those warnings are spoken by those who claim that a spirit followed them home after being in the area.
Want to visit Demons Road? Google Bowden Road Huntsville TX – Good luck and don’t pick up any hitch hikers!
The Fang Baby – San Antonio, Texas
Sometime in the 1960’s, in South San Antonio, a car full of friends were out drinking late one night. They were driving home from the bar on the dark, long stretch of Old Pearsall Road when suddenly, Pete (the driver) noticed through his headlights something small in the road. For a split second he saw what he thought was a toddler, about 2 or 3 years old.
The child looked as if he were hurt. He had blood on his mouth, was wearing a small white shirt and a diaper. Pete swerved to avoid it. The white Impala nearly flipped as it ended up in the brush just past the shoulder. All three had grown up together on the southside of San Antonio, all in their early 20’s. As the friends sat in the car recovering from the near accident, the dust settled. “Hey, what was that in the road man?!” asked Juan.
“I saw a baby, man!” insisted Eddie.
“Wasn’t no baby, man!!” growled Pete as he got out of the car to assess the damage.
“No man, we saw a baby!”
“You think you saw a baby? Well then you get out and look… but me and this car…. we goin’ to the house!!” said Pete as he shifted the car into drive and headed off into the moonlight.
Later that morning, Pete had been thinking about what he saw just a few hour before. “Was it a baby?!?” he thought. Bothered by the thought, Pete decided to go back and investigate. He pack a six pack in the cooler and headed back out to Old Pearsall Rd. Suddenly, a tire went flat. Pete cursed as he pulled the car off into the brush. Upon exiting the vehicle, he peered at every tire…. the right rear tire was the culprit. He opened the trunk of the impala, retrieving the spare to replace the flat.
The tire was so badly damaged, he didn’t notice the two small puncture marks on the side. After awhile, the task was finished. Pete opened the doors of the car to air it out and crawled into the back seat retrieving an ice cold Lone Star beer from the blue cooler. After he cracked one open, started to drink, he slowly began to drift off to sweet dreams of beautiful Hortencia…. Oh, how sweet and lovely she was. He dreamt of their walks along the San Antonio River, kissing her soft lips and making love.
Suddenly Pete awoke to a sharp pain in his neck. As the dream of Hortencia pulled away, in his horror, he saw a toddler standing over him in his lap. Mouth bloody, shirt bloody. The baby had two long upper fangs that rested over his top bottom lip.
Sometimes, Pete’s sister Maria says that he occasionally visits her in her dreams asking her for prayers…. and warning her not to travel down Old Pearsall Road after dark.
Story from CreepyPasta
Ghostly Nurse of Bexar County – San Antonio, Texas
Genene Anne Jones (born July 13, 1950) is an American serial killer, responsible for the deaths of up to 60 infants and children in her care as a licensed vocational nurse during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1984, Jones was convicted of murder and injury to a child. She had used injections of digoxin, heparin, and later succinylcholine to induce medical crises in her patients, causing numerous deaths. The exact number of victims remains unknown; hospital officials allegedly misplaced and then destroyed records of Jones’ activities, to prevent further litigation after Jones’ first conviction.
“I haven’t killed a damn soul”
“I always cry when babies die,” said Genene Jones. “You can almost explain away an adult death. When you look at an adult die, at least you can say they’ve had a full life. When a baby dies, they’ve been cheated. They’ve been cheated out of a hell of a lot.”
Full Story at TexasMonthly
The Haunted Chinese Cemetery – San Antonio, Texas
If you ever find yourself in the south side of San Antonio, driving down the lonely street of South Zarzamora, keep your eyes wide open for a small cemetery virtually forgotten by time. This cemetery is the Chinese Graveyard, also known as the Loma China Cemetery and the Guzman Burial Ground. Legend has it that if you drive to the cemetery at night, parking just near the front, with your car completely shut off and windows rolled down, you may have a paranormal experience. Supposedly, if you flash your lights off and on five times, voices will begin emanating from the beyond, and some have even seen a tall white apparition floating through the grounds.
The tiny Chinese Graveyard is located at 10445 South Zarzamora Street in San Antonio. This secret cemetery is hard to spot from the road, but near the front gate stands a white cross, seemingly acting as a calling card. But, this is not the case, as the signage posted amongst the trees and gate clearly articulate that the Chinese Graveyard is Private Property and don’t you should Keep Out. This is a warning you should heed.
Summit Elementary School – Amarillo, Texas
Summit Elementary School was open in this location until 1972. The building, which is at the top of a hill on the top on Northwest 11th Avenue, is said to be haunted for a number of different reasons. A janitor who killed students and stuck them in the boiler, racially motivated murders that took place in the school, and murdered prostitutes hidden in the walls are just a few of the urban legends about the building. People say that if you are brave enough to visit the elementary school at night your car may do strange things, the swings will move by themselves, and you might even hear voices coming from the walls.
Summit Elementary School is located at 1444 NW 11th Ave, Amarillo, TX 79107.
La Llorona – El Paso, Texas
In Latin American folklore, La Llorona “The Weeping Woman” or “The Wailer”) is a ghost who roams waterfront areas mourning her drowned children. In a typical version of the legend, a beautiful woman named Maria marries a rich ranchero with whom she bears two children. One day, Maria sees her husband with another woman and in a fit of blind rage, she drowns their children in a river, which she immediately regrets. Unable to save them and consumed by guilt, she drowns herself as well but is unable to enter the afterlife, forced to be in purgatory and roam the earth until she finds her children. In another version of the story, her children are illegitimate, and she drowns them so that their father can not take them away to be raised by his wife.
The story of La Llorona is told to scare children into good behavior, sometimes specifically to deter children from playing near dangerous water. Also told to them is that her cries are heard as she walks around the street or near bodies of water to scare children from wandering around, resembling the stories of El Cucuy.
Chupacabra – Cuero, Texas
The chupacabra is among the most popular of the mystery beasts, an integral part of Texas folklore and a semi-regular guest star in sensational cable documentaries and credulous local news reports alike. For 10 years, legends of the blood-sucking monster have been a staple of rural life throughout the central part of the state, fueled by a succession of alleged carcasses, sightings and tall tales. According to Ben Radford, researcher with the Center for Skeptical Inquiry and author of Tracking the Chupacabra, Texas is a “chupacabra factory,” one of the foremost states associated with the vampire.
The Screaming Bridge – Arlington, Texas
One fall night more than 50 years ago, several teenagers were carpooling home after their high school football team defeated its opponents by a landslide. Still riled up over the victory, driving responsibly definitely wasn’t of utmost importance to the group. The bridge running through Arlington’s River Legacy Park was just wide enough for one car at a time. Hooting and hollering, the children’s excitement drowned out all other noise – like that of a vehicle with no working headlights speeding towards them.
By the time either party realized the imminent disaster, it was much too late to avoid. The cars collided head-on before erupting in a fiery explosion and plunging off the bridge into the Trinity River below. Nobody survived the crash. Now closed to vehicular traffic, the accident site can only be accessed on foot. It was given the name “Screaming Bridge” ever since the first brave souls went exploring and experienced events that can only be explained by the supernatural.
Legend has it that if you stand on the bridge and gaze into the river, you’ll see a tombstone for each of the deceased with their name and date of birth and death. Visit at midnight on the accident’s anniversary, and you’ll hear two cars screeching towards each other before colliding in an ear-splitting crash.
The Screaming Bridge is located at 701 NW Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington, TX 76006.
La Lechuza – Rio Grande Valley, Texas
In Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, La Lechuza is a well-known warning for the inebriated. According to one version of the legend by children’s book author Xavier Garza, La Lechuza is the ghost of a mother whose children were killed by a drunk driver. Ever since then, she haunts bar districts preying on the drunk.
Donkey Lady Bridge – San Antonio, Texas
The true origins of the Donkey Lady Bridge Legend are unknown. The tale has been around long enough that there are multiple versions of it. Supposedly, it all started when a farming family living outside San Antonio met a horrific end. The farmer set fire to his home, murdered his children, and left his wife horribly disfigured. Her fingers were melted down to stumps, creating hoof-like appendages, and the skin on her face was charred and gave her face an elongated, donkey-like appearance. Grieving the loss of her children and the betrayal of her husband, she haunts Elm Creek and torments those who try to cross.
The Donkey Lady Bridge is located at Applewhite Rd, San Antonio, TX 78264.
Hells Gate – Arlington, Texas
Somewhere deep inside the tangled green depths of River Legacy Park, in Arlington, there is rumored to be a very old trail surrounded on either side by murky swamps and overhanging trees. This long dirt trail is said to end at a dirt mound––a spot where captured spies of the Union Army were executed. They call this place “Hell’s Gate.”
It is said that if you can still find the spot you might see the remains of the gateposts where a gate once hung. This passage was supposedly one of the last things the prisoners ever saw, as they were led through it at the end of the trail to the tree where they would be hanged. Some believe that because of all the deaths that took place near the gate at the end of the trail, there are many tormented spirits still residing at Hell’s Gate. They claim that if you walk the trail you can still hear the disembodied whispers, sobs, and prayers of the men and women who once walked their final steps to this awful place.
Hells Gate is located in River Legacy Park at 701 NW Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington, TX 76006.
epic!
love the urban legends. very interesting to read! 😀