|
|
The Ghosts
of the Baker Hotel
Page 2
|
|
|
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.
|
Douglas
the Elevator Operator
The most eerie story of the old Baker would have to be the tragic
tale of the death of a young elevator operator by the name of Douglas
Moore. The original story was told that in 1948, Douglas went to work
at the Baker and quickly began to earn a lot of money - perhaps too
much - for an elevator operator.
After a period of gainful employment, Douglas confessed to his mother
that he had become a minor part of an illegal prostitution racket
in the hotel. His mother insisted that he quit. Douglas went a step
farther and reported the happenings to the local authorities not knowing
that some were actually involved in the ring.
Douglas was laid off but was suddenly called back to work two weeks
later. Upon returning to his job he found himself in the basement
playing around in the service elevator late one night with two other
bellboys. This particular elevator had a call button that would send
it rapidly from the basement to the top elevator room without stopping.
It was reported by the other two boys that one of them accidentally
depressed the call button when Douglas was not completely inside the
elevator - suddenly trapping his body halfway out and severing him
at the waist. Many believed the two boys were paid to kill Douglas.
Some have reported seeing the ghost of Douglas lurking about in the
basement area. Some say that only the upper portion of his body and
his head can be seen, the lower portion is of course, missing. While
on one of my personal visits to the Baker, I must admit, this location,
where the young boy died, was the one that just gave me a very uneasy
feeling.
In a discussion with a local psychic, then later with a distant relative
of Douglas, I learned the true story of the death of the hard-working
young man. Douglas apparently was never a part of a prostitution ring.
Actualy he was a 15-year-old boy who came from a poor family. He never
drove a fancy car, which some have said, and he didn't make a lot
of money.
Douglas and his friend, Logan Shoemake, were horsing around one evening
as teenagers do. Logan was operating the service elevator, which had
no guard on it, which allowed one to hop aboard as it was moving.
Logan was raising the elevator and it was about four feet above the
floor level, when young Douglas attempted to jump in. His friend Logan
saw he couldn't make it and attempted to pull him back. Douglas's
body was crushed at the waist. He died within half an hour of the
accident. The Hotel paid for all funeral arrangements. It was a tragic
event and one from which, the family never fully recovered.
|
|
|
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.
Mineral
Wells Hotels >
Book Your Hotel Here & Save |
Investigation
With so many sightings
in such a landmark, it was time to see if any of it could be proven.
In October 2000, two Paranormal Investigation teams, "DFW Ghostwatchers"
from Dallas and "Lone Star Spirits" from Houston were contacted to
perform a full-scale investigation.
With about $100,000.00 worth of high tech scientific instrumentation,
the teams began a full-scale research mission on the Baker that took
three visits to complete.
Investigator Dusty Rainbolt, of DFW, using a digital camera, photographed
hundred's of orbs. Orbs, according to some experts, are actual spirits
of the dead. Orbs were photographed throughout the building with the
largest concentration being in the basement, and on the fifth, seventh
and fourteenth floors. Dusty also captured an orb partially hidden
behind a door which she said was most unusual.
She also captured, what appeared to be, two very distinct "ecto mist"
apparitions in the 14th floor ball room. Another photographer/investigator,
Weems Hutto, was taking still shots with a 35 mm camera at the same
time and captured what appeared to be another ecto mist above the
first photographer. Another psychic who accompanied the team reported
"seeing" an old woman in a wheelchair in the southeast corner of the
ballroom who kept saying, "I can't do it", "I can't do it".
On one night the fifth floor was the most active. Donna, the psychic
with the group, felt hesitant and nauseous as she moved toward the
west end of the fifth floor. She said someone was trying to make the
team "sick" so they would leave. She refused to go any farther in
that direction. Later, members of Lone Star Spirits who visited the
area began to choke and cough at the same spot, unaware of Donna's
earlier experience.
Donna was then drawn to a room on the north end of the fifth floor
where she sensed a young woman making rustling sounds with her dress.
Donna reported the young girl to be moving to and fro, making sure
her makeup was just right. She said the spirit would move around the
men in the group and was especially attracted to a certain one. She
went on to say she sensed a man about to knock on the door to escort
her to a dance in the Sky Room.
Another psychic named Wayne, later joined the group on the fifth floor,
and confirmed Donna's findings. He added that he had picked up on
"disgust and discomfort" on the west end and said the area was occupied
by a large disgusting man who wanted everyone to leave. Wayne said
he found suffering and disease in the area.
A time-lapse video camera was placed in the first floor Brazos room
and over a four-hour period various objects appeared moving. 151 objects
- to be exact. The room had been closed off to the party and entrance
was not allowed by anyone "living". The objects could have been dust
motes reflecting light, but some were moving orbs.
An audio of the basement elevator area captured the distinct sound
of a man screaming in agony. A different group recorded the same sound
on another investigation in June 2001. It would have been difficult
for anyone in the team to mimic the sound since the area had been
locked to keep everyone out.
One of the expedition members gets nauseous whenever she gets around
haunted places. At the Baker she was unable to stay more than a few
minutes before she was forced to leave - very ill.
In May 2001, nine journalism students from Weatherford High School
spent a Saturday night in the hotel, not really putting much interest
in the ghost stories. The group, of course, thought differently after
their visit. (See Forum below)
A picture taken of the students on the fourteenth floor ballroom shows
them enveloped by hundreds of orbs, which they never actually saw.
Another picture taken by the only female in the group captures, what
appears to be the profile of a blond woman's head. No one in the group
had blond hair, let alone, long blond hair. The picture was taken
in a darkened room.
With so much activity in the building it may be one of the most haunted
places in Texas if not in the country. One psychic claimed to have
counted at least 49 different spirits in the building. The investigations
are not complete and are currently being continued by "Dagulf's Ghost",
another professional paranormal investigating team. With so much paranormal
activity, the Baker has become a hot spot for investigators. It is
hopeful that in time, more proof of the restless spirits will be documented.
Mineral
Wells Hotels >
Book Your Hotel Here & Save |
|
|
The
Baker Hotel distant view
Photo courtesy Jason Grant |
Afterword:
In 1982 the Baker's owners auctioned the hotel's furniture and most
original fixtures. The hotel remains a grand old structure, though,
containing thousands of stories of the people that stayed there -
some during their last days as they sought cures for terrible illnesses.
Once the playground for cattle barons, oil tycoons, Hollywood celebrities,
and military and political leaders, the decaying grand hotel sits
reminding us of an era long gone. Like the mighty RMS Titanic on the
bottom of the ocean fading into time, the Baker sits in the middle
of the Texas Cross Timbers Region, slowly wasting away. Gone are the
starlets, the proud men in uniform, the big bands, the conventions,
and others who made the Baker a memorable part of their lives. Perhaps
some never left at all or have returned to forever experience a time
when Mineral Wells was one of North Texas' finest cities. So, if you
get the chance to visit the beautiful old hotel, please have respect
for those who may still be there - the Baker's patrons who refused
to check out.
A new attitude is emerging that may rekindle the spark of old Mineral
Wells and the Baker. According to expert, the Baker is still structurally
sound, but, a complete renovation could cost 30-55 million dollars.
Tours of the Baker are conducted weekends during warmer months. For
more information - contact the Mineral Wells Chamber of Commerce at
1-800-252-MWTX. And if you happened to visit the seventh floor, don't
be surprised if you catch the faint scent of a young lady's perfume
as she lurks the old halls - lost in time. ...
next
page -
The stories of ghosts and hauntings
began in the Baker long before it ever closed.....
Back to Ghosts of the Baker Hotel
- page 1
Mineral
Wells Hotels >
Book Your Hotel Here & Save |
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.
I have researched about 30 north Texas haunts, many of which have
never before been documented or researched. They range from the hauntings
of the old Baker and Crazy Water hotels in Mineral Wells to a haunted
plantation near Tyler. I have researched each as to the best of my
ability for authenticity and historical accuracy. I would be more
than happy to share some of my research with (your readers). Thank
you very much. - Bob Hopkins, Weatherford.
© Bob
Hopkins, Weatherford, August 2002
Mineral
Wells Hotels >
Book Your Hotel Here & Save |
Forum
Subject: Mineral Well, Baker Hotel
Dear TE, My name is Luther Himes and I was one of the high school
students from Weatherford who spent the night in the Baker Hotel
in Mineral Wells back in 2001. I was reading your stories of the
Baker Haunting's and came across the account of our stay where it
reads we were "not really putting much interest in the ghost stories".
I just wanted to point out, without any sort of rancor, that this
is incorrect. The entire focus of the documentary that we filmed
there was, from the first idea formation, the abundant ghost stories
that we all had heard growing up in Weatherford. We did a hearty
amount of research, including interviews with Mr. Bob Hopkins (included
in the documentary) who I believe wrote the account, and even went
so far as to research the protocol in interacting with spirits,
and having our base camp blessed by a priest (because, yeah, we
were pretty damn scared once night came). We tried to be even handed
with the history and legend involved in such an old building, but
we were definitely there for the ghosts. Anyway, I just wanted to
make sure that you were informed on the situation. I enjoy your
site, and it's abundant and interesting articles. Thanks. - Luther
Himes, October 31, 2006
Just about
every weekend my boyfriend and I go to the downtown video store
and rent movies. On several occasions we've witnessed stranged lights
coming from windows.The lights that we've seen are'nt like the kind
of light you see coming from a flahlight or a lamp. It does'nt reflect
on the window as the light from a flash light does. We've also seen
people looking down at us from many of the windows. I waved to the
figure without hesitation, the figure waved back and when we looked
back up it was gone. - Mineral Wells, 10/Nov/2002
Mineral
Wells Hotels
Book Your Hotel Here & Save
|
|
|
