Haunted in San Antonio (Mission, Leon Valley: college, living, grocer)

[gy2020]

Cat, There is a hugh mansion in Terrell Hills on Ivy Lane. It takes up a city block, behind a big stone fence. The gateway is tree lined leading up to the mansion. I believe the family was into oil. The estate was donated to the University of Texas at Austin back in the 70's. The Chancellor used the facility for meetings and influence. The address is 608 Ivy Ln, San Antonio, TX 78209.

If you google map the address you can get a good street view of the entrance. I could not figure out how to link it back.

[satx56]

Originally Posted by gy2020

Cat, There is a hugh mansion in Terrell Hills on Ivy Lane. It takes up a city block, behind a big stone fence. The gateway is tree lined leading up to the mansion. I have an aerial view of it here on mapquest. I believe the family was into oil. The estate was donated to the University of Texas at Austin back in the 70's. The Chancellor used the facility for meetings and influence. The address is 608 Ivy Ln, San Antonio, TX 78209.

If you google map the address you can get a good street view of the entrance. I could not figure out how to link it back.

That's probably the one I've seen and wondered about.

[kmerian]

Originally Posted by wCat

SUPER MAP!!!! WOW! I'd love to see other sections of this!!!

Kmerian...I'm not certain, but the Country Club labeled as Alamo Country Club is the current Oak Hills Country Club...mainly because it's showing to be on the West side of Fredericksburg Rd.

Can you help me find the rest of this map? This topo is so informative!

The map is part of the collection at UT Austins Perry-Castañeda Library

It is part of the Texas Topographic Maps. San Antonio is covered by the maps titled East San Antonio, West San Antonio and Leon Springs

These maps were done by the Department of War in the early 40's.

And looking at it last night, I believe you are right that it is Oak Hills.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by kmerian

The map is part of the collection at UT Austins Perry-Castañeda Library

It is part of the Texas Topographic Maps. San Antonio is covered by the maps titled East San Antonio, West San Antonio and Leon Springs

These maps were done by the Department of War in the early 40's.

And looking at it last night, I believe you are right that it is Oak Hills.

Thanks for those links! Really still very accurate plus a lot of good historical detail. Not sure what some of the symbols are....wish there was a more detailed legend. Still...AWESOME!

[wCat]

Since the topic is Haunted things in SA...and the location has sort of turned to the near NE side, I'll share a short tidbit on some historical info I did for a paranormal group. Keep in mind....I don't do the "spook" part...no electro magnetic readers in my briefcase....just the "facts mam".

The house is Victoria's Black Swan which has been written up on many occasions, plus on one of the paranormal TV shows in the last 8-10 years.

Docia Williams wrote about this house several times and had interviewed the current and past owners and residents. It has a VERY long and colorful history.

Docia mentioned in one of her books that some of the residents that had stayed in the upstairs rooms, had seen a "menacing" looking man staring in from the outside at night. The part that makes this more mysterious is this particular room has no ledge or trees near it for anyone to be standing up that high to peer inside.

In my research, I traced back numerous owners of this land all the way back to the original land grant. One family in particular was named Rippstein....who ran a dairy farm on what was then about 200+ acres extending from the Salado Creek (now Holbrook Rd) back over East Terrell Hills Heights before the RR and of course I-35 were constructed....almost to Kirby.

There were several sons, one of them named Gustave Rippstein. Gustave was apparently very "high tempered". When "papa" decided to semi retire and move closer to town, the property was divided among the family. Gustave was given the portion that was North of the "Black Swan" property. He was apparently not too happy, and documents indicate that he became increasingly hostile and aggressive to even family members. Sadly, he eventually ended up in the County Sanitarium and lived out the remainder of his life there. He's buried next to his wife in a private NE cemetery....having died about 1910.

Those are the facts as I researched them in public records. The paranormal spin is that the menacing man outside the Inn may be Gustave looking "in" from the outside because he never actually owned that portion of the land.
According to this "theory".....Gustave went to his grave still angry that someone else ended up with what he thought should have been his.

This land in and around VBS Inn......has TONS of interesting stories about it.....and tons of interesting FACTS to tie to them.

Just an interesting FYI to this story......I had no idea where Gustave Rippstein was buried when I researched this story. For all intents and purposes I was finished with this project. About a month after I had finished it, we were returning from lunch, and decided to stop in this little family cemetery that we had driven by 1000 times. After spending about 15 minutes looking at the names and interesting tombstones, I felt a chill down my spine. (keep in mind....I am not a ghost hunter.) I turned around and looked back about two rows and I was staring right at Gustave Rippstein's headstone. Other than his wife.....he was the only Rippstein buried there. Not sure what that was all about....but it was startling to say the least. What are the odds, right?

OK...I'm done for today.

[satx56]

Cat, we've discussed the Black Swan on other threads. I went in there back in the 70's. It appeared to be a hippie commune then. Who knows what they might have seen in their altered states? If you catch my drift. It's supposed yo be near the battle of Salado site.

[gy2020]

For Your Info: San Antonio has had more battles than any other city in the United
States. Battle of Medina, 1812-13 (won the first and lost the second), Battle of Salado, Grass Fights, Battle of Alamo 1835, Battle of Alamo, 1836. And along the way, one other battle for seven battles, plus numerous Indian raids for over 100 years.

Bound to be a lot of ghosts haunting those battle sites!

[wCat]

Originally Posted by satx56

Cat, we've discussed the Black Swan on other threads. I went in there back in the 70's. It appeared to be a hippie commune then. Who knows what they might have seen in their altered states? If you catch my drift. It's supposed yo be near the battle of Salado site.

I remember when it was in that condition! yeow....Holbrook Rd was really creepy back in those days. If it weren't for the horse stables near Ft Sam, I wouldn't be caught dead around there. Docia talks about the family that bought it after the Streets/Holbrooks owned it. When they moved out it sort of sat abandoned during that time (re:your reference). I was so surprised when I moved back to SA and found out it had been turned into a bed and breakfast. Holbrook Rd was still sort of scary....at least until the flood of 98 scoured out all the underbrush along the Salado Creek.

And yes...you're right about the battle of Salado Creek. I've read recounts of that whole skirmish from several sources. There is a marker on VBS property, but there is also a marker up stream at the NW corner of Austin Hwy and Ira Lee Dr. I'm assuming that the fighting took place all along that area which explains the multiple markers. I'd love to take a metal detector down there!....with some armed guards maybe.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by gy2020

For Your Info: San Antonio has had more battles than any other city in the United
States. Battle of Medina, 1812-13 (won the first and lost the second), Battle of Salado, Grass Fights, Battle of Alamo 1835, Battle of Alamo, 1836. And along the way, one other battle for seven battles, plus numerous Indian raids for over 100 years.

Bound to be a lot of ghosts haunting those battle sites!

GY.....I don't have Docia's book in front of me, so she might have referenced this. I remember in the 70's when some residents in East TH Heights reported seeing an "Indian" figure toward the wooded area between the neighborhood and the Salado. Lot's of Native American relics have been found along most of the water sources...including the Salado Creek. If there's gonna be activity, that sure seems like the place for ghosts to hang out!

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

I read where the Huebner-Onion House on Rt 16 is rumored to be haunted (it certainly looks it!). I know Judge John Onion died there while accidently drinking a bottle of Lamp Oil he mistook for wiskey. The property is now being restored by the Leon Valley Historical Society for a future museum; but has anyone been in the place before it was closed up for rennovation??

Cheers! M2

Since gy2020 is doing a thread on 'The Tour of the Dead,' I decided to see if I could find out any more on this property and those who lived there. Turns out that Joseph Huebner and his infant daughter are buried on the grounds of the property (source). Actually, the Heubner family tree can be seen on the Leon Valley Historical Society web site (look under 'Research Team'); but there is little on the Onions. Anyone know more about this family? I found a link on ClickItSA, but you have to be a member to view it and I can't figure out how to join!

Cheers! M2