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Haunted Texas State Capitol Tales of Terrifying Ghosts

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Tony Maples Photography

 

When you next visit the state capitol, you may discover more than just politicians. The haunted Texas state capitol holds many tales of spooky spirits and gruesome ghouls that wander the halls today. Check out some of these stories, then be on the lookout for these specters the next time you visit the haunted Texas state capitol. Unlike other ghosts, those of the capitol tend to come out both during the day and at night, increasing your chances of seeing one during visiting hours or on one of the free tours of the building.

Comptroller Robert Marshall Love

The Haunted Texas State Capitol Comptroller Robert Marshall Love still appears on the promenade over 100 years after he was shot in his office at the capitol.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The walkway leading up to the capitol, called the promenade, is the site one of the most well-known hauntings of the building. In 1903, Comptroller Robert Marshall Love was murdered in his first-floor office, but even today, people claim to see him still walking up the promenade dressed in a top hat. Look for Love on a misty day when he and other ghosts appear to walk along the promenade up to the capitol.

The Lady in Red

A woman in a red dress walks the halls of the haunted Texas state capitol.

Photo: MaxPixel.FreeGreatPicture.com

A mysterious lady in red seems to wander the capitol. Cleaning crews have seen her in a third-floor office, but when they approach, she vanishes around a corner. It’s rumored that this woman held secret trysts in the nearby stairwell with a man who once worked in that office. Though the identities of the man and woman remain unclear. Since she appears in a section of the building not open to the public and only at night, you may not see this lady on your visit to the haunted Texas state capitol.

Handprints in the Window

Handprints from a shower look like those that appear in the condensation of the haunted east wing window

Photo: Flickr/Amy

One of the most recently added ghosts to the haunted Texas state capitol may be a 23-year-old man who died in a fire in 1983. Despite rescue efforts, he burned to death. Today, no matter how often the window gets cleaned, handprints will appear in condensation when the humidity is high. Though it may look like handprints found on the wall of a shower, it’s not caused by someone opening a shower door. The mysterious prints appear on the window that firefighters failed to break open to free the burning man. Could it be his spirit still calling out for help?

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