So I am new here, but I wanted to tell you guys of some places in Big Spring, Texas that are known to be haunted. Some of this information can be found at this site: http://www.theshadowlands.net/places/texas.htm but much of their information is grossly mistaken.

The first place I want to tell ya'll about is actually right outside of Big Spring. It is right off of Old Gail Highway which is right off of Snyder Highway. The place I refer to is Gail School. It is an old school that served the town of Gail. Basically this town no longer exist as a town. Sure people still live there but it is not technically considered a town anymore. Anyways, the school served all grades in the area from kindergarten to 12th grade. Well, the school is no longer in use. It is in bad shape now. The roof over the cafeteria has collapsed and the entire building itself is more or less falling down. There are many stories about what happened there but most of them are false. Some say the roof in the cafeteria fell down on the students during lunch. Another story is that a girl killed herself in the bathroom. What actually happened is not quite as interesting.

The school was shut down due to a lack of funds and local support. The principal was distraught as he could not get a job anywhere else and he did indeed kill himself, but not at the school. I don't know if the school is actually haunted or not but I can definitely tell you that it is creepy. Also, wannabe satanists used to hold "rituals" there. Either way this place is dangerous and should not be entered.

The next place I wanted to talk about is Runnels Junior High. It is actually in the town of Big Spring right at the intersection of 10th St. and Runnels Rd. The school has been there for about a hundred years now and has seen its fair share of deaths. As with Gail School it used to house all the grades in Big Spring. It later just became a high school and then was turned into the eigth grade building. I went one of the last years it was used.

This place was undoubtedly haunted. People always hated walking down the halls during classes because you often heard people walking behind you or at least felt like you were bein watched the whole time. At night it is still not uncommon to see lights turning on and off in the building even though there is no longer power being supplied to it. More than a few students had their lockers fly open just as they were going to put their combination in. Definitely a creepy place, but it is all boarded up and entering it may result in prosecution if you are caught.

The high school in Big Spring, Big Spring High School, is also reportedly haunted. More specifically the auditorium. The theatre teacher named the ghost Harold, but no one really know who he is. Some say that you can see a foot print on the ceiling, but I have been up there in a cherry picker. I can assure you that up close it is not a footprint. From the ground it does look kind of like a footprint but in reality it is nothing more than an indention in the ceiling. Yes, they have painted over it but painting over an indention will not cause it to go away so it is no wonder it "always comes back". He is a mischevious ghost and causes no harm. He is notorious for turning on and off the lights in the auditorium. He also has a habit of "touching" people on stage. Sure it is creepy, but harmless.

The Settles Hotel is a dominating site on the Big Spring landscape. You can see it from almost anywhere in town. This is a very old building and is the center of many tales. It fell into direpair over the last eighty years, but recently the town has attempted to renovate it due to its historical value. Many verified suicides and murders have occured here. One famous spot on the sidewalk is from where a person threw themselves from the top and cracked the concret. The cracks were never repaired. Often ghostly figures can be seen in the windows and lights on floors where there is absolutely no electricity come on. This is a spooky place, but should be avoided as well. So far only the first few floors have been renovated to be safe.

The last place I want to tell you about is the salt lake on the northwest side of town. It sits on a mostly dormant fault line. Well, there is lots of quicksand out there which is uncommon for west Texas. The story attached to this site is Big Spring's very own La Llorona (spelling?). Supposedly one of the first settling families in the area decided to picnic in the area. Their children ran off to play and most likely got caught in quicksand and died. The mother desperately searched for them, but she too supposedly got caught in quicksand and died. Those who live near there say they not only see her on the shore of the lake but she often walks and wails through their homes. Some even claim she knocks things over and is a general nuisance.

Welcome to the forum Jamesuss:

Interesting info!

Ooh, I wonder if NME is gonna get in on this. First, the term "BS" made me look at this. Second:

Shadowlands is wrong sometimes. Just wanted to reitterate that.

Thank you Jamesuss. Darnit, I swear my next vacation is going to be in TX.

I gathered that. They have some interesting things on there though. The only reason I posted it is because I wanted to show someplace that had the same info just in case someone did not believe me. Anyways, there are many, many more places in Big Spring that have very interesting hauntings attached to them. I think the main reason is the fact that at one time Big Spring had the highest murder rate per capita. We were actually called "Little Chicago" at one time. I think another reason for so many hauntings being located in this town is because of the lack of justice. Many times murderers would be given no more than ten years in prison. It was a big joke that if you wanted to murder someone go to Big Spring, but if you wanted to sell drugs stay away. People were regularly given more time for selling a joint than a murderer would be given.

Hmm. Maybe I should rethink the vaca idea? Shadowlands usually gets a story about a place, but just doesn't verify what really happened. It's more entertainment than anything, I think. Good news is, they usually get the basic gist right, just not the technicals. I do have to say, they're more accurate than some sites I've seen.

MY ex husband is from Big Spring's and i can tell you i don't know about ghost, But i know they have demon's i use to be married to one.

Not very nice, lol.

No he was not nice at all, That is why we are no longer married.

He was from Big Spring? I guess it really is a small world. I am sorry that he was a "demon", but for the most part that is pretty indicative of men and women from Big Spring. I myself am guilty of having an occasional mean streak. Maybe it is the overall vibe of the town that gets to us.

It must be cause everyone i meet there was rude.. But i am from the south..and we never meet a stranger.. Yes it is a small world when i seem BS..I almost freaked.. I never thought i would meet someone from there again..


How old are you just wondering if he two could know each other..?

I am 25. I know a lot of people from Big Spring so it is a definite possibility that I may know him. I used to work at a locally owned video store there so I say and talked to at least half the town through my job.

Cool, I sent you a pm with names you can let me know.. I remembered the town well it was very creepy to me.

Nah, those names don't seem to familiar to me. I guess in a town of 24,000 it is not really possible to know everyone.

I do have to agree that the town is creepy. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the downtown area is so run-down. Many of the buildings are abandoned and have fallen into disrepair. Honestly though, one of the creepiest areas of town to me are near the old Air Force base. I know I heard some wild tales from that area. Maybe I will make a post about that place!

I have been there the base you speak of.. It is so weird.. My ex lived right by there..

Ok, I saw something about BS a while back and have been trying to find something about it, but can't. They said there was a prison there that was haunted and it has since been shut down. I've looked and looked and looked but still have not seen anything on it. Was there really any such place?