Haunted Houses in Austin: Austin State Hospital

Building 501, now the Administration Building.  It used to be the whole hospital.

Ok, so this isn't really a house but it is a temporary (used to be permanent) home for people with psychiatric disabilities.  Formerly known by names that are now offensive (Texas State Lunatic Asylum, Texas State Insane Asylum, etc.), Austin State Hospital has a reputation of being haunted but since its still in use as a treatment facility, no investigations have been done.  And the state keeps its secrets well.

There was, however, a somewhat famous incident that occurred on the front steps of the building above. On December 29, 1891, a former patient shot and killed the superintendent of the facility at the time on those steps.  The perpetrator was readmitted as a patient afterwards.

And some old postcards:

Wouldn't that be cool if the red building, the old women's ward, still existed?  It's just a field now.


A good book about the history of the facility: Life at the Texas State Lunatic Asylum, 1857-1997