Paranormal Phenomena

Published by Aaron Perez 1/13/2025 Image Credit: Hotel El Paso Del Norte, Kobikarp.com      Nestled in the heart of downtown El Paso, Texas, the Hotel Paso del Norte stands as a testament to the city's rich and turbulent history. This grand edifice, with its elegant architecture and storied past, has welcomed travelers, celebrities, and even revolutionaries since its opening over a century ago. But beneath its luxurious facade lies a darker side—whispers of ghostly encounters and unexplained phenomena that have earned it a reputation as one of El Paso's most haunted spots. The Hotel Paso del Norte first opened its doors on Thanksgiving Day in 1912, designed by the renowned architectural firm Trost & Trost. Commissioned by local businessman Zach T. White, the building was crafted in a chateaux-style that set a new standard for elegance in the frontier border region. Architect Henry C. Trost, known for his work on many of El Paso's historic structures, incorporated intr...

Published By Aaron Perez Published 12/1/2025 Image Credit: Haunt Jaunts      Emerging from the small town of Terrell in Kaufman County, just east of Dallas, this urban legend weaves a macabre thread through generations of whispered warnings to children: Don't take candy from strangers. What begins as a seemingly innocent treat turns into a lure for something far more sinister—a spectral figure who preys on the innocent with promises of play and sugar-coated doom. Rooted in a kernel of tragic truth from the late 19th century, the Candy Lady's legend endures as one of the Lone Star State's creepiest cautionary tales.      At the heart of the legend lies Clara Crane, a real woman whose life unraveled in the harsh realities of rural Texas around the turn of the 20th century. Born in 1871 in Terrell, Clara lived a simple farm life with her much older husband, Leonard, and their only child, a young daughter named Marcella. Tragedy struck when Marcella died in a d...

Published by Aaron Perez Published 11/5/2025 Image Credit: KFOX      The Franklin Mountains, towering over El Paso, Texas, are more than just a dramatic backdrop to the city—they're a realm steeped in enigma. As the southernmost tip of the Rocky Mountains, this range spans 23 miles, forming Franklin Mountains State Park, the largest urban park in the U.S. at over 26,000 acres. Home to diverse wildlife, ancient petroglyphs, and rugged trails, the mountains have witnessed centuries of human history, from Native American tribes to Spanish explorers and modern urban sprawl. Yet, beneath the sun-baked rocks and Chihuahuan Desert flora lie tales of hidden gold, shadowy creatures, and restless spirits. Drawing heavily from Ken Hudnall's seminal work, Spirits of the Border: The History and Mystery of El Paso del Norte (co-authored with Connie Wang), this blog delves into these mysteries. Hudnall's book, part of a series exploring the supernatural along the U.S.-Mexico border, po...

Published by Aaron Perez Published 10/10/2025 Image Credit: Paramount Pictures, Tim Burton Overview      In the shadowy realms where history meets myth, few figures capture the imagination quite like the headless horseman—a spectral rider doomed to eternal wandering, his severed head a symbol of unfinished business or brutal justice. Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," published in 1820 as part of his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., immortalized this archetype in American literature, drawing on European folklore traditions while embedding it in the young nation's cultural landscape. But as I delved into this iconic tale for this blog, I couldn't help but draw parallels to the chilling legend of El Muerto from my previous post on Texas folklore. Both stories feature decapitated riders haunting the night, yet they emerge from distinct historical contexts: one from the misty valleys of post-Revolutionary New York, the other from t...

 By Aaron Perez Published 8/12/2025 Image Credit: Visit El Paso El Paso is a city filled with good food, a vibrant Hispanic culture, and a connection to the paranormal. In earlier blogs, I already documented several haunted areas in El Paso, some located in the downtown area. Among those documented, Armijo Elementary and the Main Public Library come to mind since they have notorious paranormal activities and legends surrounding them. There are other locations in the downtown area that have paranormal activity documented, with one location being infamous for having notorious serial killer Richard Ramirez as a guest. Here is a list of locations in downtown El Paso that have reported paranormal activity. One San Jacinto Plaza Built in 1962 as the El Paso National Bank Tower and later known as the Chase Tower before being renamed One San Jacinto Plaza in 2018, this 20-story high-rise stands as a prominent feature in downtown El Paso. Formerly known as the Chase building, this high-ri...

By Aaron Perez Published 8/7/2025 Image Credit: Ghost City Tours In an earlier blog, I already discussed La Llorona and her backstory, but not where she has been spotted. As a Hispanic legend, La Llorona has many versions that vary from least scary to avoid her at all costs. She also is said to appear in many forms, from a skeleton to a horse-faced creature similar to the Siguanaba of similar legend. Below are the list of locations where La Llorona has been sighted: Ciudad Juarez, Mexico Ciudad Juarez, a border city with a complex history of violence and cultural richness, is inextricably connected with the legend of La Llorona. The Rio Grande (known locally as Rio Bravo) is the location where her ghost apparitions are said to occur, and where her screams are heard piercing the night. Residents say they see and hear her weeping along the riverbanks, especially where the Rio Grande runs through the border. These sightings are often in the Chamizal, Downtown Juarez, and the Felipe Angele...

By Aaron Perez Published 7/29/2025 Image Credit: El Paso Paranormal Society Piedmont House      Located in West El Paso lies a house that has been filled with mystery and legend. Known as the Piedmont or Witch's house, this residence has a strange aura to it, for good reason. This house has a strange vibe to it, and is rumored to have been the location of various satanic rituals, hence the name. Though it has been abandoned for years, this house is now owned by a local El Paso family and has been restored. There are still people who pass by that claim to see figures looking at them from the property. One particular instance was documented by the El Paso Paranormal Society involving a family who would stop a car on the property just to see if they could spot a ghost. The narrator of that documented story recalled seeing a spectral figure holding a candle looking at them from inside or shadows moving inside. Whether these were ghosts or people squatting in the property back...

By Aaron Perez Published 7-10-2025 Image Credit: 93.1 Kiss FM      From 1940 to its definite closing in 2007, La Hacienda Restaurant served as a popular spot for the people of El Paso for many decades. As of 2025 it is undergoing a major revival and renovation attempt, but it is still closed. Due to its location, the restaurant was a tourist spot since it was built right alongside the border with Mexico and is the exact area where the Spanish Conquistadors had the first Thanksgiving in the Americas. It was also one of the locations where Fort Bliss was at the time, with the original buildings still standing just across the street from the restaurant. Due to its location, La Hacienda Restaurant is rumored to be haunted by various spirits, with one that is a legend in Mexico, La Llorona. Though this spirit is not the only version of La Llorona that roams the city, she is unique as she manifests in the form of a bird and is relatively tame compared to others. This ghost is s...

By Aaron Perez Publised 7-7-2025 Image Credit: El Paso Playhouse      Located in Central El Paso, this small venue serves as a local playhouse that has entertained the community for over fifty years. According to their website, The El Paso Playhouse used to be called the Festival Theater and is dedicated for community outreach, education, volunteering, performance art, and live entertainment. It also has become a staple and true landmark in El Paso, serving the community for decades. Because of its long history, the spot also earned its reputation to be haunted. The first spot reported to have paranormal activity is the concession stand, which has an erie feeling and claims of disembodied voices being heard by visitors. The entire building has been reported to have unexplained phenomena happening within its walls. Examples of this are props being moved, footsteps being heard on the staircase, and toilets being flushed in the women's restroom. These hauntings are speculate...

By Aaron Perez Published 6/19/2025 Image Credit: 93.1 Kiss FM      Located in Central El Paso, this speakeasy themed restaurant has served Italian food to customers for decades. Originally the site of a spiritualist church, Monteleone’s was founded in the 1990s as an italian restaurant. For those who don’t know, a spiritualist church revolves on seances and summoning the dead, something that you would want to avoid if you don’t want to experience the paranormal. Many renovations to the restaurant have revealed artifacts from its spiritualist church era, which still may retain the energies of the spirits that still linger there. Paranormal psychics that have worked in the area mention that a portal from its spiritual church days still lingers in the property, which is where the spirits originate from. There are also many examples of paranormal activity in the  restaurant, from cold spots to the feeling of somebody watching you at all times. Other examples include lasa...