Haunted House on Tonto Street? (El Paso: houses, neighborhood, live)

[1meow]

The recent burglary/shooting on Tonto reminded me of a house on that street that had the reputation of being haunted. I don't remember the house number, but as far back as the 1960s it had a creepy history. It was one of the first houses built on the mountain. If you drive up Titanic and take a left on Tonto, it's the 2nd or 3rd house on the left, with a water fountain in front. The back of it looks down into the canyon that parallels Titanic. It has multiple levels, being built into the mountain that way, with a large deck off of the kitchen.

I ask because I read an account about a ghost house here in EP that sounded just like this house. I have been in the house many times, as it belonged to my friend Anita in the 1980s. Let me state right here and now that I am a skeptic of all things supernatural--not that things don't happen, but that 99% of the time, it's not as mysterious as it sounds.

Some of the events at that house included: Smoke coming out of the chimney at odd times, curtains that move, footsteps upstairs, the apparition of a lady, the sounds of a laughing child, toys being moved, a cold spot on the stairs--but mostly the feeling that someone is in there.
In the account I read, in one of the Ghosts of El Paso books at B/N, the recollection was of a childhood memory. She stated that it had been abandoned a long time, but a family of 4 had moved in. I believe that family was my friend, her husband and their 2 children. They renovated the house in the 80s, but a few years later they split up, and the house has been abandoned ever since. Anita told me stories that I did not really believe, until I had been there a few times. I saw the smoke, saw the curtains move, felt the cold spot. So, let's just say I am convinced that it's possible. When they would travel, I would come and water their plants, and I always said HELLO when I came in. Half-joking, half- serious, just in case.

It still was empty 2 years ago, when my husband and kids took a ride up there and checked it out.

The place was once beautiful, but is now completely dilapidated inside, and the yard is overgrown, the water fountain cracked. We were only there for a few minutes, but I had the increasing sensation of being watched, which I always felt when I was there in the past. Not scary-watching, but kind of lonely. Who knows, maybe it was the neighbors watching? This sounds crazy, but I began to feel that the house recognized me. My husband and I talked about what we would do to the place if we owned it, and had the money to do it (fantasy), and then decided to go. We were getting in the car, and it wouldn't start. The starter would crank, but it wouldn't turn over. This is a car that has started every day we have had it.

My husband btw was pretty much unaware of the house's reputation--I'm sure I told him 20 years ago, but it hadn't come up while we were there that day. When the car wouldn't start, I remember climbing in and saying loudly, "OK, we have to go."

Then it started right up and we drove away.

Does anyone know the house I'm talking about?

[SoldierBoyBliss]

Im looking at this map and I dont see a house anything like your talking about.. can you point it out?

El Paso Tx titanic - Google Maps

[atrabilius]

I'm looking at the 8000 block of Tonto Place on Google Street View. The third house on the left on Tonto going south from Titanic may have a chimney in the back but doesn't seem to have a fountain in the front yard (unless it's on the right side underneath that tree); it has a semicircular driveway for a front yard. The second house on the left (across from the intersection of El Morro Drive, next to the arroyo)--I can't tell if it has a chimney or not or if there's a fountain in the front yard because there's so many trees and bushes out in front of it. And they both appear to be one-story houses. So, if you would, clarify.

[1meow]

It's a little further down than I remembered, and no fountain. It seems to have been renovated--and the satellite view still shows the back deck.
Street view helped me find it--it has these incongruous columns in the front, and this weird eagle statue on the chimney.
#8012

[SoldierBoyBliss]

1meow, do you mean this one?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...,55.91,,0,8.91

[HookTheBrotherUp]

I think you are right, this house is haunted. The ghosts are p*ssed that someone installed some hideous columns that are too overpowering, and only support a porch roof, columnns normally support, or pretend to support a structure above.

The daemons also hate that the chimney has an oversized exhaust chute, aka, the Eagle Exhaust pipe. Oh, and the ghouls also dislike the commercial parking lot concrete stops, painted white to match the columns, immediately in front of the entrance of the home. Boo.

[SoldierBoyBliss]

Hook, your better than this.. no need to troll this persons post and poke fun at their expense.

the one thing I see in the image I would hate to have, is the drive that slants to the house, that has to be murder on the foundation of the home during rainstorms. 1meow, the eagle looking thing is a type of chimney flew.

[jaxart]

Originally Posted by SoldierBoyBliss

...the eagle looking thing is a type of chimney flew.

The eagle flew - the chimney flue!

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by SoldierBoyBliss

Hook, your better than this.. no need to troll this persons post and poke fun at their expense.

the one thing I see in the image I would hate to have, is the drive that slants to the house, that has to be murder on the foundation of the home during rainstorms. 1meow, the eagle looking thing is a type of chimney flew.

'Sorry all, I was not even considering the OP at all, I was just poking fun at the features of the house, not commenting that the house is not haunted.

Maybe this should be in that "Haunted" thread in this forum?

[atrabilius]

This address sounds vaguely familiar...I used to know somebody who lived on Tonto long ago. I don't remember if it was in this house.

Is this one more vacant house El Paso has which is being a blight on the neighborhood?