Ghosthunting Texas by April Slaughter

Author:April Slaughter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clerisy Press
Published: 2010-06-01T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

Driskill Hotel AUSTIN

Driskill Hotel exterior (April Slaughter)

JESSE LINCOLN DRISKILL purchased a city block in the heart of Austin in 1885 for $7,500 and set out to construct his dream—the Driskill Hotel. The construction cost $400,000, an exorbitant amount of money in those days. The hotel first opened its doors to guests on December 20, 1886. Mr. Driskill and his family had amassed a fortune in the cattle business, but subsequently lost it after three thousand of their herd perished in a freeze late in the spring of 1888. The hotel became too much of a financial burden that year, and Mr. Driskill was forced to sell it to Doc Day. Two years later, Driskill died of a stroke. A life-sized portrait of him was hung in the hotel lobby, where it remains today. He truly loved his hotel, and some say he died of a broken heart shortly after suffering its loss.

In 1895, Major George W. Littlefield purchased the hotel for $106,000 and vowed that it would never close again. He was a successful cattle baron, served as the president of the Texas Rangers, and also worked in banking. When he acquired the hotel, he made additions that included steam heating, electric lighting, and several upgrades to the guest rooms. He also opened a bank in the lobby of the hotel, and the original vault and door are still intact.

Psychic healers and medicine men began to make frequent appearances at the hotel in 1909, attracting a large number of people in search of a magical elixir or a glimpse into their futures. Several political figures also utilized the property for various events. Texas politician Lyndon B. Johnson and his future wife Lady Bird enjoyed their first date dining at the Driskill. In 1948, he awaited results of his U.S. senate race against Coke Stevenson in the Jim Hogg suite—a race that Johnson ultimately won.

Ownership of the hotel has changed several times over the last century, and it has continually undergone major renovations with nearly every new owner. Millions of dollars have been spent to keep this beautifully historic building up-to-date and one of the most prestigious hotels in Texas.

Allen took me on my first trip to Austin when I was asked to present at a Ghostology Radio event with my friends Brian and Anna Marie Byers late in 2008. Allen mentioned that the Driskill was nearby, and that it was rumored to be haunted by several different entities. His stepsister Suzi had worked at the hotel a number of years earlier and recounted several of her experiences to him. If I was going to Austin, I thought, I was staying at the Driskill. I researched what I could about ghostly encounters and requested a night in one of their haunted rooms.

The exterior of the hotel literally took my breath away when we arrived at the Driskill. It was pristine and ornate. From the moment I stepped inside, I was mesmerized by just how beautiful and elegant the hotel was. It was instantly fascinating; I wanted to explore every inch of it.

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