The Hauntings of the Driskill Hotel
Posted: 11.15.2024 | Updated: 11.15.2024
As the oldest operating hotel in Austin, Texas, the Driskill Hotel has stood the test of time and weathered many storms since it opened in 1886. The hotel has hosted celebrities, politicians, and an array of ghosts. Over the years, the Driskill has developed the reputation of being one of the most haunted hotels in the United States. With its long history and series of tragedies, it’s not surprising that former residents relive their final moments before death.
Is the Driskill Hotel In Austin Haunted?
In 2022, the Driskill Hotel reached the number one spot on Yelp’s list of most haunted hotels in Austin. Those who have worked and resided at the Driskill are likely not surprised by this news, considering the number of ghostly encounters reported over the years. Witnesses have encountered a ghost girl playing on the grand staircase, and two ghost brides are believed to haunt room 525. Even the original owner is known to frequent the lobby area well over a century after his death.
Tales of haunted Austin go back to the Wild West and continue today. You can learn all about the city’s ghostly lore by booking a ghost tour with Austin Ghosts today!
History of the Driskill Hotel
In 1849, Colonel Jesse Driskill moved from Missouri to Texas and entered the cattle industry. Driskill was incredibly successful and even supplied the Confederate army with beef during the Civil War, which earned him the honorary title of “colonel.” In 1884, Driskill purchased a plot of land at the corner of 6th and Brazos for $7,500, with plans to open a luxury hotel on the spot. He did just that, and the Driskill Hotel opened to the public on December 20, 1886. The hotel was so grand that it was featured in a special edition of the Austin Daily Statesman.
As fate would have it, the initial success of the Driskill Hotel was short-lived. Colonel Driskill was forced to temporarily shut down the hotel in May 1887 when half its staff left to take jobs at the Beach Hotel in Galveston. The Driskill Hotel would reopen a few months later, but more trouble was on the horizon. It had been a cold winter in Austin, and many of Colonel Driskill’s cattle died, significantly hurting his business.
The subsequent cash-flow issues led to Driskill selling the hotel to his brother-in-law Jim “Doc” Day, who reopened it in May 1888. However, Doc did not own the hotel long before he had to sell it, causing it to change hands multiple times in a matter of years. In 1895, Major George W. Littlefield purchased the Driskill for $106,000 and proclaimed that the hotel would never close its doors again. As it turned out, Littlefield’s statement was mostly true even though the hotel continued to change owners every few years.
The Driskill Hotel was nearly demolished in 1969 but saved in 1970 through fundraising efforts. In 2013, it was purchased by Hyatt Hotels, and it is a fully renovated luxury hotel.
A Host to Politicians
From its very first days, the Driskill became the go-to hotel for politicians. Less than two weeks after the hotel originally opened, it hosted the inaugural ball for Governor Sul Ross. After that, holding the inaugural ball at the Driskill would become a tradition.
In addition to governors, the Driskill was a favorite of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Years before his presidency, he had his first date with his future wife, Lady Bird Johnson, in 1934. Thirty years later, Johnson would use the Driskill as his campaign headquarters for the night of the 1964 election. After his presidency, Johnson continued to frequent the Driskill, even putting a permanent reserve on the Governor’s Suite.
The Hauntings at the Driskill Hotel
Among the many hauntings reported at the Driskill Hotel, Colonel Jesse Driskill is one of the most-encountered entities. Driskill died in 1890, giving him little time to enjoy the hotel he had cherished, which could be why his spirit lingers. Driskill was known to always have a cigar in hand, and multiple people have reported the smell of cigar smoke in the lobby despite the hotel becoming smoke-free years ago.
One staff member tried to find the source of the cigar smell and heard a voice behind him asking for a match, but no one was there. The employee allegedly quit after this incident.
Another spirit reported by staff and guests is that of Peter Lawless. Lawless lived in the Driskill for over 30 years before he died in 1917, and housekeeping staff have felt a “tingling” sensation in Lawless’s old room. Guests also saw a man matching his description get off the elevator before fading into thin air.
The unidentified ghost of a cowboy has appeared to multiple female musicians. Singer Annie Lennox claimed that she came out of the bathroom after getting ready for a concert and saw the cowboy examining the outfit she planned to wear that night. Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde also saw the cowboy in her room one night while staying at the hotel. The incident had such a profound effect on Napolitano that she wrote the song Ghost of a Texas Ladies Man to commemorate the event.
A Series of Tragic Deaths
The ghost of a young girl has been reported near the Driskill’s grand staircase. Four-year-old Samantha Houston was the daughter of a Texas senator visiting the hotel in 1887. It’s said that Samantha was chasing a ball and tripped on the steps of the grand staircase, falling to her death. Since then, there have been reports of a child giggling and the sound of a ball being bounced near the stairs.
Young children visiting the Driskill have told their parents they’ve played with a little girl named Samantha, even though no other children are around. Even stranger are the reports of people communicating with Samantha through her portrait hanging near the grand staircase. Some say they have even seen her expression change in the painting.
Two tragedies occurred in room 525 a century apart. In the 1800s, a bride took her own life in this room after her husband-to-be called off their wedding. Since then, guests have reported seeing a woman in a Victorian wedding dress walking down the hallway outside room 525.
In 1991, a Houston socialite was also jilted by her fiancé. This woman apparently maxed out his credit cards and was seen entering room 525 with multiple shopping bags. She proceeded to get into the bathtub, placed a pillow over her face, and shot herself. Following her suicide, guests have seen her ghostly figure entering room 525 while carrying either shopping bags or a gun.
Haunted Austin
The legacy of the Driskill Hotel is woven into the fabric of Austin’s history. And while the hotel has undergone many changes over the years, its active spirits ensure that the Driskill Hotel’s past will always be remembered.
An Austin ghost tour is not to be missed. You can learn all about the city’s most haunted spots by booking a tour with Austin Ghosts for your next visit. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Texas hauntings.
Sources:
https://www.austinmonthly.com/driskill-hotels-haunted-history-fact-vs-fiction
https://www.yelp.com/collection/KK7iwVclKJwH-XAAjQfTZQ/Most-Haunted-Hotels-in-Texas
https://www.historichotels.org/hotels-resorts/the-driskill/history.php
https://www.krem.com/article/news/history-and-hauntings-of-the-driskill-hotel/269-310778184
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