Miss Hattie's Bordello Museum situated at 18 E. Concho Avenue is an attractive location for ghost hunters. Former owners and employees of the legendary building claim the location is haunted by ladies of the night who used to work these, claiming they have a tendency for mischief.
Ghost Stories from Owners and Employees
There are plenty of stories surrounding the Bordello Museum. Mark Priest, the current owner of Legend Jewelers, a business situated underneath the museum, stated that both he and his employees have had encounters with the paranormal.
"A number of years ago I was up in Miss Goldie's room repairing a couch and a woman's hand brushed down my arm. It freaked me out." - Mark Priest
The original Bordello was closed down by the famous Texas Rangers in the early 1950's. However, the Bordello reopened its doors as a museum twenty years later. Since its opening, people have reported figures in the mirrors, orbs, and even unexplained footsteps. This leads many paranormal investigators to believe there is some serious paranormal activity going on.
"The activity was stronger when we were first here. I'm down here 10-13 hours a day and all I know is these things happen. Our analogy to ghosts is that you just don't get a choice. It is what it is." - Mark Priest
Another person who had a strange encounter within the Bordello Museum is one of Mark's employees, Katie Harmon. She claims she encountered some unexplained phenomenon on both floors. However, Katie does not seem threatened by the unexplained presence, claiming the entity is friendly.
"Whatever it is, they're friendly. We like them, except for when they set off the alarms or move stuff." - Katie Harmon
Under Investigation
Unsurprisingly, the Bordello Museum has been investigated by paranormal investigators before the recent media attention. In the early 2000's, a paranormal investigation team from Forth Worth decided to investigate the matter and remained in the museum overnight. While they did report experiencing some paranormal events, the team was unable to catch anything substantial on their equipment.
While the investigators returned to their town empty-handed, the visitation of the investigators did not appear to be appreciated by the entity (or entities) residing the building. According to Mark Priest, he had numerous false alarms go off after the investigation; this involved several alarms over a short time-span that Sunday. Each time he returned to check, there was nothing out of place. Mark believes the entity decided it was time for some payback after bringing in the investigators. Naturally, Mr. Priest has refused any paranormal investigations to be conducted in his museum ever since.
Missing Objects
According to Mark Priest, missing objects can be a real plague at the Bordello Museum. Over the years, he has encountered missing flags and jewelry pieces. However, he did say the entities eventually return them.
Fortunately for those interested in witnessing some paranormal activity, the museum is still open to the public. Tours are organized from 2 to 4 pm from Tuesday to Thursday and from 1 to 4 pm from Friday to Saturday. So, if you feel like a little spooky fun, you can tempt fate for just $6! Seniors and military personnel can enjoy a discount. Children are allowed in for free.
