Amazing what you can accidentally turn up on an Amazon.com search.Looks like there’s a newish book out on San Antonio’s haunted history, GHOSTS OF SAN ANTONIO by SCOTT A. JOHNSON. Johnson has apparently released books detailing the ghostly goings on in other U.S. cities – and San Antonio, with its tales of the Donkey Lady, Midget Mansion and ghostly kids who push cars off railroad tracks, is just the latest.
Add Johnson’s book to DOCIA SCHULTZ WILLIAMS’ collections of Texas ghost stories and sometimes-San Antonian WHITLEY STRIEBER’s tales of alien probing, and the Alamo City’s starting to develop a really weird reputation. As a horror/fantasy writer, I can’t say I have much problem with that.
I’ve got DOCIA SCHULTZ WILLIAMS “Spirits of San Antonio”. It’s a fun introduction to SA’s macabre side. I’ll have to scope out this new book.
Well…there’s a book I need to get and read to my children before they go to bed. Cool book.
I can’t wait to read his take on the Donkey Lady.
I have always wanted to know where the midget mansion was. I thought it was near Stinson Field. I have also been to the ghost tracks, I am curious to read what this author has to say about these places.
Haven’t gotten this book yet, but I was a teen in the 80′s and used to sneak out of my house at night with friends to go to Miget Mansion, Fat Farm, Donkey Lady Road, Commanche Lookout, etc. Midget Mansion was a located at the 90 degree turn on Tupelo Ln. and Donore Pl. We used to park in a cul-de-sac on Donore Square, climb over a short barbed wire fence, and go through a trail that took you up to the pool, which was filled in. There were some servant houses near the trail, and once I heard some people chanting some kind of ritual in there. Up the hill from the pool was the foundation of the main house it was large but rather unexciting, except for a beautiful staircase that probably once led to an entryway of the house. Below the foundation was some sort of basement or cellar. I never crawled very far into this space, but I knew where the access was. I was always a little intimidated with what I might find down there. I was, after all only a seventeen year old girl. I also remember some type of fountain, closer to the 90 degree turn entrance to the property. I probably went there a dozen times, and even a couple of times during the day, and I have fond memories of the fear and excitement the place made me feel.