History & Hauntings of Fort Brown, Texas

History & Hauntings of Fort Brown - Page 2

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In the midst of Oxbow Lake on the University of Texas/Texas Southmost College is an island that was once National Cemetery. However, in 1909, some 3,800 bodies were unearthed and moved to Alexandria, Louisiana. After the cemetery was moved, the island became a mecca for hotels and retail stores. However, it was later taken over by the college campuses and now houses a number of dormitories and is known as the "Village at Fort Brown.”

In the "village,” numerous residents have reported strange occurrences including lights, televisions and water faucets seemingly turning on of their own accord.

The old Fort Brown Hospital is now the campus headquarters, photo courtesy photo courtesy Waymarking.com

They have also reported seing a number of apparitions including a small gnome-like black figure that leaves behind a sulfur-like smell, a small boy and girl who have been seen playing, and another young boy who has been seen in the Resaca area wearing 19^th Century clothing.

The old fort morgue, was joined with a storage building in 1940, and now serves as Texas Southmost College office space. Though, no one seems to know by whom it’s haunted, it comes as no surprise. During the forts heydays, the morgue was used extensively by Dr. William Gorgas, who dissected bodies in order to study the Yellow Fever disease in a futile attempt to find a cure. In any event, odd things are said to happen here, such as electrical appliances turning on by themselves, small objects leaping into the air, staff who have regularly felt a presence within their midst, and one who even had her hair pulled by an unseen entity. Others report anomalies in their photographs including a solid dark image.

At the former Post Hospital, now called Gorgas Hall, and serving as the Administration Building for the campus, more strange events occur regularly. Here, numerous patients with Yellow Fever were treated in the 1880’s, many of whom, unfortunately, died. A ward on the second floor of the building was used for violent patients. The most often anomalies are the faces of former patients peering from the windows and captured on film, though that are apparently not seen with the human eye. Witnesses have also claimed to see a "face” appear on the surface of the brick wall.

Others have reported seeing spirits roaming throughout the building including a doctor, a couple of nurses, and mourning woman dressed all in black. The sounds of faint voices, footsteps, and other unexplainable noises are consistently heard in the building. Other unearthly happenings include door knobs that seemingly move of their own accord, as well as objects transporting themselves.

The 1904 Commissary/Guardhouse building, now used as an art building, also has a record of hauntings. Its basement continues to display the metal grated cell gates where prisoners were once held. Unfortunately, for the art students, their projects are often found to be missing or damaged. Others report feeling cold drafts, hearing distant voices, having been touched by unseen entities, and the sounds of scraping metal on the outside of the building.

Commissary Guardhouse, photo courtesy Marion & Steve's Flicker photos.

The Little Chapel, which dates to 1868, also has its share of tales. Though it was moved from its original location, the "move” evidently brought its spectral phenomena with it. Here have been heard unearthly footsteps and inexplicable shadows and movements have been reported.

Tales of the Arnulfo L. Oliveira Memorial Library date back for decades. One of the oldest stories is of a night janitor who was startled when he stepped outside of the library to witness what appeared to be the full fort still in action -- cavalry soldiers on horseback and infantry soldiers marching on the former parade grounds.

Other claims include the spirit of a young girl, appearing in 19^th century attire, who appears on the second floor.

More reports tell of a malevolent phantom of an adult male who also appears on the second floor, as well as a dark shadowy figure. Staff also report items being mysteriously rearranged, mysterious chills, fans that turn on and off of their own accord, the sounds of creaks and rattling on the second floor, and more.

Ghost Hunters, who have investigated these buildings, support many of these tales, having recording strange anomalies on film and voices on recordings.

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