Then
When cattle baron Col. Jesse Driskill opened the Driskill Hotel in 1886, the property featured 60 well-appointed guest rooms. Twelve rooms boasted en-suite baths, a rare amenity for the time, so the Daily Statesman hailed it as “one of the finest hotels in the country.” With marble floors and arched windows, the Romanesque Revival building quickly became Austin’s pride and hosted governors, legislators, celebrities, and U.S. presidents.
Luxury was never the Driskill’s only claim to fame. From the start, tragedy shadowed its opulence. In 1887, Samantha Houston, a senator’s young daughter, died chasing a ball down the grand staircase. Guests soon reported faint giggles, the sound of a bouncing ball, or the sensation of a child’s hand touching their fingers.
That same year, heartbreak struck in Room 525, where a bride ended her life after her fiancé called off their wedding. Visitors later claimed to see a ghostly woman in a Victorian gown aimlessly wandering the halls.
In May 1887, disaster struck again when the general manager and nearly half the staff, including the headwaiter and bartender, were lured away to Galveston’s Beach Hotel. The Driskill soon faltered and had to close, much to Driskill’s dismay. Tragedy continued to follow the colonel when, in 1890, Driskill died of a stroke. Rumors spread that, despite losing his fortune, his spirit still lingered near the lobby and bar. This tale remains today.
Now
The Driskill remains the grand dame of Sixth Street, offering 189 guestrooms amid Austin’s nightlife and daily bustle. The ghost stories, however, are what keep the curious coming. Disembodied voices, figures vanishing into walls, and elevators opening unprompted are often reported.
In 1991, another jilted bride met a tragic end in Room 525. After a day spent shopping and drinking, she returned to her room with arms full of packages. Hours later, she was found in the bathtub with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Since then, accounts have included faucets turning on by themselves, feelings of being watched, and sightings of a woman carrying shopping bags.
On occasion, the scent of cigar smoke drifts through hallways despite the hotel being smoke-free for more than a decade. Some credit Col. Driskill, known for his fondness for stogies. Others report a ghostly cowboy. Annie Lennox once said, not knowing what to wear, she laid her two favorite dresses on the bed before showering, only to return and find one mysteriously put away. Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde wrote “Ghost of a Texas Ladies Man” after her own encounter with the wandering wrangler. Other witnesses describe him brushing arms or gently touching backs; less of a menace, more of a flirt.
Despite its ghostly legends, the hotel remains a popular destination for weddings, banquets, and luxury stays. At the Driskill, elegance and the supernatural mingle seamlessly, offering both history and mystery within its storied walls.
Tracie Seed has won numerous awards for writing, art, and design. She is the happiest while writing, sewing, painting, or spending time with family.
