Urban legends are everywhere.
We’ve all heard stories of someone waking up in a bucket of ice with a kidney removed, or a woman drying her dog in the microwave because it was wet.
These stories have haunted generations over the years, but what about urban legends that originated in Texas?
There are tons of horror stories out there, but Caller-Times has rounded up the top 10 scariest stories below. Do you think any of them are real?
black eyed child
When you see children, you tend to think of angelic cute people whose imaginations are as big as the sky. Now imagine a child walking towards you with pale skin and dark eyes, asking for help.
Not so cute anymore.
The creepy children were first reported to have been seen in Abilene in 1996. Reporter Brian Bethel said he stopped in a parking lot near the movie theater to write a check. After an older boy patted the driver on the side, he rolled down the car window and immediately noticed a “heartbreaking fear”.
The older boy said he and his younger brother wanted to see a movie, but left the money at home. He gave Bethel a ride. He realizes they won’t be attending the film’s final screening. He said he broke eye contact with the boy and realised his eyes had gone completely black.
The older boy was frustrated with Bethel and told him they couldn’t get in the car unless he said yes. With that, Bethel rushed out of the parking lot in horror.
The next time you meet a kid who hitches a ride or asks to come into your home, make sure they’re not one of the dark-eyed kids.
Centre Theatre
The Center Theater is located in downtown Corpus Christi. It opened in 1942 and is said to be haunted by the soul of a woman murdered by a jealous lover.
The woman, who was working as a usher, was stabbed by her partner as she exited the women’s restroom near the upstairs mezzanine. Her white uniform was covered in her blood.
According to urban legend, if you walk up to the seat at the top of the stairs and overlook them, chances are you will encounter the spirit of a woman.
However, be vigilant because she doesn’t want you there and will do anything to force you away. People claim she makes you cold or gives you a nice push.
dancing devil
On Halloween 1975, a handsome young man in white entered the El Camaroncito nightclub, according to San Antonio residents.
The man was said to be a talented dancer and wooed many women at the old Route 90 club.
As night fell, things took a horrific turn when one of the mysterious gentleman’s dance partners happened to look down at his feet. The woman screamed in horror, broke free from his restraints, and pointed down. Customers exclaimed when they noticed that his shoes had turned into long, clawed chicken feet.
Some said they saw a goat’s hooves, but either way, attendees thought they were in front of Satan himself.
After a disturbing silence, the man rushed into the men’s toilet and reportedly disappeared outside the open window. As he left, there was a thick, sulphurous smoke billowing from it.
The building has changed over the years and is now closed, but people claim the smell of sulphur is lingering.
donkey girl
Legend has it that in the mid-1800s, a family of four settled near Elm Creek in San Antonio. One day, a wealthy man from the area passed by their house and started teasing a donkey in the family.
When the animal bit the man out of fear, he became enraged and began to beat him severely. The couple heard the crying and ran outside. Seeing that one of their livestock was dying, they started throwing stones at the abuser, who yelled at them before leaving.
Later that night, he and a group of others sneaked into the family’s home and set fire to it in retaliation. They blocked the exits to make sure no one escaped. The husband was able to break through, but was immediately shot when he heard the screams of his wife and children being burned alive inside.
Just as the thugs were about to leave, a flaming man stumbled out of the house – his wife.
Her hands were burnt into small pieces, her face became deformed and drooping in the fire, and her skin was burnt black. She let out a piercing howl and threw herself into the creek. Her body was never found.
Today, there is a Lady Donkey Bridge over Elm Creek, where people claim to have witnessed a donkey-faced creature screaming at them from their car window, and a head-like dent was later found in their vehicle. Legend has it that she still haunts the area, torturing those trying to cross the bridge while grieving the loss of her family.
Fang Babies at Old Piersal Road
In the 1960s, a group of friends drove home late on Old Pearsall Road after a night of drinking. The driver made a sudden sharp turn and brushed the car off the shoulder of the road.
He thought he saw a toddler in a white shirt and diaper with a bloody mouth.
Friends debated on the street if it was a baby, but the driver insisted it wasn’t and drove home.
The next day, the driver decided to return to the area to investigate further to see if what he thought he was seeing was real. While he was on the road, he had a flat tire. It was so badly damaged that he didn’t notice the two puncture marks on it.
After changing the tires, he got back into the car, took a beer from the refrigerator, took a sip, and started dozing off. He was awakened when he felt severe pain on the side of his neck.
There was a toddler standing on his lap as he had seen the night before, blood dripping from his mouth.
According to urban legend, the driver’s sister later saw him in a dream and warned her never to go down Old Piersall Road.
lalechusa
The legend of La Lechuza originated in Mexico, but the ghost owl may have attacked Robstown in 1975.
La Lechuza is a huge owl with the face of a haggard woman. According to legend, once was a woman who was wronged, now she wants to take revenge.
The story goes that the villager killed her child, the child was killed by the drunk, or the woman was killed by the locals. To know if she’s around, listen to the imitation of a baby crying – it could be her luring you to death.
In October 1975, Robstown police began receiving calls about the “monster bird.” The article at the time didn’t mention La Lechuza, just a giant bird. Some accounts describe it as 2 feet tall, some 6 feet.
Some say the creature has human feet, others say animal feet. Either way, everyone agrees that it has the body of a bird, flying around Robstown.
The sightings stopped when a TV station broadcast the rumors. There are some events in Banquete and Alice. The following year, residents of the Rio Grande Valley also reported sightings.
“That animal was not from this world,” Brownsville’s Alverico Guajardo told reporters. “I was terrified.”
Eventually, Robstown police found a dummy of the creature created by the children, but some believe La Lechuza is still there, waiting for the next meal.
Lake Worth Monster
The legend of the Goat Man didn’t emerge until July 1969, when local residents of Fort Worth reported seeing a creature that looked half-man, half-goat, with fur and scales.
Newspapers in the area reported so-called sightings in which a monster landed on a man’s car after jumping from a tree, and another in which it threw a car tire at a group of people.
Alan Plaster was the first to photograph the so-called creatures that same year. Newspapers ran it, and locals headed to the lake at night to try and catch a glimpse of the Lake Worth monster.
Local police investigated the claims but found no evidence in the area.
Legend has it that if you’re by the lake at night, listen carefully and you’ll hear its call – waiting to strike at the most opportune time.
Martha’s Church Cemetery on Devil’s Road
Located in Huntsville is Bowdoin Road, better known as Devil’s Road.
According to urban legend, anyone who dares to disturb the spirits said to be wandering the streets will feel an eerie feeling. The old road also leads to a cemetery, Martha’s Church Cemetery, built in the 1830s.
Not much is known about this church, except that the name was inspired by the first person buried in the cemetery, Martha Palmer.
While driving down the Devil’s Road, witnesses reported handprints on their vehicles. Before the handprints appeared, there were also mysterious red lights along the road.
Others said they saw a small child riding a tricycle on the road with glowing eyes. So, whatever spirit decides to reveal itself to you on the Devil’s Path, drive away – fast.
old alton bridge
Surprisingly, Texas has more than one urban legend dealing with goat people.
Locally, the Copper Canyon landmark is better known as the Goatman Bridge and is haunted by the image of a half-man, half-goat. The legend is about a black goat farmer, Oscar Washburn, who is said to have moved his family to a residence just north of the bridge in the 1930s.
After settling there for a few years, Washburn was known locally as the “Goat Man” because he was considered a reliable and honest businessman. Unfortunately, the success of a black man annoyed some, and in August 1938, Klansmen crossed the bridge and kidnapped Washburn from his family.
The group hung a noose from the Old Alton Bridge around Washburn’s neck and threw him aside. But when they looked down to see if he was dead, the noose was empty. In panic, they returned to his home and killed his wife and children.
Since then, locals have experienced gruesome sightings on the bridge. Legend has it that if you cross the bridge at night without a headlight, like the Klansmen, you’ll meet goatmen on the other side ready for revenge.
USS Lexington
The USS Lexington, known locally as the “Blue Ghost,” is a museum in Corpus Christi.
On a retired World War II carrier, there are things that go unexplained, including ghostly touches and shadows roaming the decks.
In 2018, Charles “Rusty” Reustle, director of operations and exhibitions, told Caller-Times that the museum receives hundreds of reports of “paranormal” activity each year.
People said they witnessed a sailor in uniform helping lost guests find their way back to the deck, a sailor disappearing into the air and a sailor running in the hangar bay around 3am
Other incidents included the sound of doors closing, lights turning on and off on their own, and unexplained cold spots in various locations on the ship.
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tomorrow:Let these Corpus Christi haunted houses scare you in 2022
John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas.Connect with him at john.oliva@caller.com or Twitter @johnpoliva.
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