The legend goes that during the construction of the downtown tunnels, a group of 10 miners got trapped in the cave system that sits just below Houston’s business district. Unable to escape the rock and dirt that surrounded them, they perished underneath the feet of city dwellers. Some say that between the shadows, they can hear the miners even today, calling out for help.

909 Fannin St

Bowden Road, far better known as Demons Road, is a dirt road on the way to Martha Chapel Cemetery near Sam Houston National Forest. This road has supposedly been the location for eerie sightings of spooky red lights and the ghosts of young children and hitchhikers. Drivers of this treacherous path claim handprints have been left on the windows of their cars. Some even say ghosts have followed them all the way back to their own homes.

Bowden Rd by 4658 Farm-to-Market 1374

One of Houston’s oldest skyscrapers, the Niels and Mellie Esperson Buildings hold more than just history in their halls. Completed as a memorial after Niels’s passing, the buildings are said to host Mellie’s spirit, often sitting at her desk and sometimes manipulating the electricity. It’s even rumored that her ghost was once sighted staring out one of the windows.

808 Travis St

Gravesites can be frightening, but Glenwood Cemetery packs some extra freakiness. Built in 1871, the cemetery holds several high-power occupants like Howard Hughes and Anson Jones, the last President of the Republic of Texas. There have been talks of several paranormal activities taking place here.

2525 Washington Ave

Yup, even the zoo. People say the Houston Zoo is haunted by the ghost of the first zookeeper, Hans Nagel, who was shot by police. Nagel was watching three teenagers he suspected of vandalizing the zoo when an officer came up asking what he was doing. The two got into an argument and Nagel was shot after appearing to reach for his gun. Legend has it that his ghost still patrols the zoo today.

6200 Hermann Park Dr

Named after Confederate president Jefferson Davis, this hospital was the first city hospital in Houston and holds a dark past. The treatment center faced many issues from overcrowding to lack of resources, causing it to become dilapidated, but the scariest thing about it is what it was built on…a cemetery. Patients reported seeing and hearing unnatural things. Even after the hospital was abandoned and became a landmark, people have reported weird sightings on its grounds.

1101 Elder St

The Julia Ideson Building is widely believed to be haunted by the remnant energies of an old groundskeeper and his loyal canine companion. As legend has it, Jacob Frank Cramer would climb the stairs to the third floor at night, followed by his dog, and practice the violin. In November 1936, Cramer’s cold, dead body was discovered by the librarians in the basement. The chilling sound of a violin along with the scratching of dog’s nails on floorboards is said to be heard throughout the large building.

500 McKinney St

La Carafe, the oldest building in Houston, is supposedly host to a good many ghosts. Some say that Sam Houston’s spirit still knocks over wine glasses from the time he had a drink here. Others insist that the ghost of Carl, the old bartender, plays tricks on customers. Regardless of who might be haunting this place, only the most unflappable among us should consider drinking alone in La Carafe’s dark corners.

813 Congress St

This complex was one of the last places John F. Kennedy stayed in before he was shot in Dallas in 1963. This building is reported to have JFK’s ghost haunting the ballroom and shaking doorknobs. Some guests even claim to have seen a ball of light roaming the corridors.

909 Texas Ave

The former Spaghetti Warehouse space, now the home of McIntyre’s, is reported to be one of the spookiest locations in the whole city. The lore goes back to the twentieth century when a pharmacist fell down an elevator shaft and died, followed shortly thereafter by his wife, who passed away of a broken heart. The two have been seen floating around the building, making messes, and bothering tourists.

901 Commerce Ave