Menger Hotel is located next to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
Opened by William Menger on February 1, 1859, the hotel was constructed on the site of Menger’s brewery, the first brewery in Texas. Said to have been the finest hotel west of the Mississippi River, it once hosted such notables as Sam Houston, Generals Lee and Grant and Presidents McKinley, Taft, Eisenhower, and Roosevelt; Babe Ruth, and Mae West.
In addition to its significance as a historical landmark, the Menger offers unparalleled amenities that continue to include the famous Colonial Room Restaurant and the Menger Bar along with 316 guest rooms and suites. Many rooms overlook the Alamo, pool or Alamo Plaza and all retain the furniture, art, and accessories from the hotel’s earlier days, including four-poster beds, velvet-covered Victorian sofas and chairs, marble-topped tables and period wall coverings.
As to its resident ghosts, the historic Menger Hotel is said to be called home or visited regularly by some 32 different entities. Seemingly, they don’t mind sharing the old hotel with the living, as they pleasantly go about their business.
The Menger’s most famous spiritual guest is that of former President Teddy Roosevelt. It was here, in the Menger Bar, that Roosevelt recruited hard-living cowboys fresh from the Chisholm Trail, to his detachment of Rough Riders. Reportedly, Teddy would sit at the bar and as the cowboys came in, he would jovially offer them a free drink (or several) as he worked his recruiting strategy upon the unsuspecting cowpoke. Many sobered up the next morning to find themselves on their way to basic military training at Fort Sam Houston before joining in the Spanish American War. Over the years, Roosevelt has reportedly been seen having a drink at the dark little barroom off the main lobby.
The most often sighted spiritual guest is a woman named Sallie White. Long ago, Sallie was a chambermaid who worked within the hotel and one night after an argument with her husband, she stayed overnight. The next day her husband threatened to kill her and sometime later, on March 28, 1876, he attacked her inside the hotel. Badly injured, she held on for two days before dying of her injuries. According to the hotel’s ledgers, it paid for her funeral at a cost of $32.00.
Today, Sallie apparently continues to perform her duties within the Victorian wing of the hotel. Sallie has been seen numerous times wearing an old long gray skirt and a bandana around her forehead, the uniform common during her era. Primarily, appearing at night, Sallie is generally seen walking along the hotel hallways, carrying a load of clean towels for the guests.
Read more about the other guests: https://www.legendsofamerica.com/tx-mengerhotel/
Ghost Tours available:
https://www.sistersgrimmghosttour.com/tours/dinner-ghost-tour/
https://ghostcitytours.com/ghost-tours/san-antonio-ghost-tours/
