The Menger Bar (Houston, San Antonio, Victoria: hotels, house, shop)

[Sparky13]

While in San Antonio last year, we visited the Menger Bar.
More than 100 years ago, Teddy Roosevelt recruited men for his Rough Riders unit at this dark, wooded bar (they were outfitted for the Spanish-American War at nearby Fort Sam Houston). Constructed in 1859 on the site of William Menger's earlier successful brewery and saloon, the bar was moved from its original location in the Victorian hotel lobby in 1956, but 90% of its historic furnishings remain intact. You can still see an "Y" on the bar (modeled after the bar in the House of Lords in London) put there; (she destroyed around 3’ of the bar) by prohibitionist Carrie Nation, Spanish Civil War uniforms hang on the walls. It's still one of the prime spots in town to toss back a few.
We met our friends from San Antonio, Mark and Suanne at the Alamo, then went there for a cold one. Nice Texans.
If you squint your eyes a little, you can see Teddy in a back booth signing up some cowboys.
Sparky

[ShaneSA]

And it is said the Menger is haunted in several areas. The bar included. More sightings or erie feelings have been experienced in the old hotel area, especially on the second floor. The Menger is truly a Grand Old Dame of SA.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

A few years back I visited San Antonio and stayed in the Menger Hotel. The Social Director was this very nice Hispanic male who shared some photos with me taken at the Menger over the years. There were CLEARLY ghostly apparitions in these photos. He also shared some of his own encounters with several ghosts over the years working at the Menger. What a delightful man full of great ghost stories!

[love roses]

I was just in SA a few weeks ago. We walked right past the Menger. It's a really beautiful building. I would love to get back to see the interior. The ghost stories only add to the draw for me

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by love roses

I was just in SA a few weeks ago. We walked right past the Menger. It's a really beautiful building. I would love to get back to see the interior. The ghost stories only add to the draw for me

Love roses, you really should plan a trip down around Christmas time. The Menger is decorated so beautifully at Christmas time. I will see if I can find the pics and post some of them here on this thread within the next few days.

Also, the Social director sits at a desk over where the PC's are stationed for guests to use. If he is still working there, walk up and ask him if he can relay any info re: the hauntings within the hotel. Once he starts talking, tell him you heard he had "unique" photos I didn't even have to say anything--I walked over to him and asked him if he was the Social Director and he said "I know what you want to see!" And out came the binder of photos! Unbelieveable.

[hellpaso]

we were in the bar in july '04. there was no one in there but us. the bartender waited on us---there was a man, wearing a double-knit suit (totally 70's), drinking a cognac (july in s.a.). he stared at us, and the bartender nevered acknowledged this man. he then faded away before our eyes. the same day, we were in the shop that sells all those indonesian carvings, etc,, and my husband was poked in the arm by some one (or some thing). i remember the social director--"ernesto" something!!

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by hellpaso

we were in the bar in july '04. there was no one in there but us. the bartender waited on us---there was a man, wearing a double-knit suit (totally 70's), drinking a cognac (july in s.a.). he stared at us, and the bartender nevered acknowledged this man. he then faded away before our eyes. the same day, we were in the shop that sells all those indonesian carvings, etc,, and my husband was poked in the arm by some one (or some thing). i remember the social director--"ernesto" something!!

WOW! What a cool story! Why couldn't something like that happen to me while I was there? Did you ask the bartender about him after he faded away? Ernesto--yes, that was his name

[love roses]

I'm totally going back there now!

[Eastender67]

I’m not sure if I was seeing and hearing ghosts but strange things happened during a trip to San Antonio and the Menger Hotel. Quiet a few years back I decided to spend a few days in San Antonio during the Christmas holidays. I had a room in one of the River Walk hotels and one of my priorities was locate and visit the Alamo before returning home. After a trip or 2 along the River Walk I became bored, my feet hurt and I wanted a cold beer. Luckily I found the Menger Hotel bar and it was just what the doctor ordered. The Texas weather was very mild so the door of the bar that faced the street was kept open. Across the street were horse-drawn buggies (for tourists to ride I assume) sitting idle and the drivers would occasionally come into the bar and get a piece of fruitcake from the bartender. The bartender gave me a small piece of fruitcake too. Any way, as I sat there and drank beer after beer, I begin to hear a lot of voices yelling in Spanish. Then I could see these guys wearing what looked like red and blue uniforms and funny looking hats storming past the door. There must have been hundreds of them, maybe more. I looked at the bartender and he seemed not to have noticed anything at all. I figured it was time to get back to my hotel and get some sleep.

Next night, Christmas eve, everything along the River Walk (everything in San Antonio too) was closed down but my favorite bar was open for business so in I went. Very few, if any customers in the place except for me. The horse and buggy guys were still parked over on the other side of the street despite little pedestrian traffic. Maybe they were back for the fruitcake and the bartender still had plenty and kept them in fruitcake. Again, he gave me a very small piece and I quietly sipped on my beer (actually I don’t sip, I take huge swallows) and enjoyed the piece and quiet of the night. Suddenly, after about my 8th or 12th beer, all Hell broke loose. It seemed like everybody in San Antonio must have started celebrating Christmas eve like they do at midnight on New Year’s eve in Houston. That is, firing off all their guns at the same time. This went on for some time and I could hear people yelling in both Spanish and English. I recall hearing shouts of “Colonel Crockett”, “Colonel Bowie”, “Geraldo” (Geraldo?), and this went on for quiet some time. I’m hearing all this shooting and shouting and the bartender is completely oblivious to all of this noise. I again decide it’s time to call it a night, get back to the hotel and sleep. Tomorrow I’ll visit the Alamo and my trip will have been a success.

Well, tomorrow rolls around, I get out my map and begin my walk toward the Alamo. Then I realize the route is familiar (very vaguely) mainly because I’ve been taking that very same route for the past few nights. The door to the Menger Hotel bar is across the street from one side of the Alamo grounds. I’ve been sitting there these past few nights drinking my beer and looking out the door toward the Alamo. I thought that was sort of funny but not so funny when I get around there and the Alamo is closed for Christmas day. So was the Menger Hotel bar. I decided to just head for home.

Moral (if any): Don’t eat that Menger Hotel fruitcake.

[Sparky13]

Good story, I would like to drink a few with you sometime.....but, we will put a 'hold' on the Fruitcake.