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Ghosts, History, and Legends By Nydia O. Tapia - Gonzales
Ghost stories have thrilled people for centuries. Humans find the unknown fascinating, for it is something that cannot be controlled. Who has not enjoyed a night with friends, sharing stories from beyond the grave? October, with its Hunter Moon and Halloween, is prime time to retell stories that have captivated Rio Grande Valley families for generations. The Valley’s ghosts gained notoriety in 2016, when UTRGV associate professor of literature, Dr. David Bowles, published his book “Ghosts of the Rio Grande Valley.” The book became an instant classic and the go-to guide for all things ghosts in the Valley. The book is also a historical recollection of seldom-published tragic incidents from which the ghost stories derive.
Over at the Brownsville Historical Association, UTRGV Professor Emeritus, Dr. Anthony Knopp, is gearing up for October’s ghost tour season. “The role and stories of ghosts in Hispanic culture have been transmitted through songs and stories such as La Llorona and the Cucui,” said Dr. Knopp. Dressed in a black and ominous veil, the elongated shadowy figure of La Llorona still roams the banks of the river and resacas, lamenting the loss of her children. It is said her mourning cry makes hair stand up. The mythical monster known as El Cucui or Coco terrorizes disobedient children with threats of being devoured if they don’t mend their ways. It hides under beds or closets, and it represents the opposite of a guardian angel. It is evil. A lady dressed in red grieves inside the red room at La Borde House in Rio Grande City. She hanged herself when her lover did not return, and she cannot find rest. Guests report hearing footsteps and being touched by her. Others have heard the patter of little feet running around the hotel’s hallways. These are believed to be the ghosts of small children who died in a nearby well. Imagine ghosts so evil with the potential of causing insanity to the point of suicide? The ghosts of the Colonial Hotel in downtown Brownsville are known to do just that. Unsettled ghosts are believed to be the spirits of Lipan Apache, whose gravesite was desecrated during the construction of the building. The dark history of La Matanza lingers with the stories of the ghosts of the San Juan Hotel. At the start of the 20th century, many Mexican – Americans were executed without due process by Whispering Tom Mayfield, a Texas Ranger. Witnesses report seeing the spirits of victims and even the ghost of Mayfield, who lived in the property until his death. Some say Mayfield’s ghost is trapped and tortured by those he murdered.
Photo courtesy of Brownsville Historical Association. 2 0 B TEX AS C O - O P POWER OCTOBER 2021
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In the Lyford area, the ghost of a hippie girl appears along the expressway. Her ghostly figure in the dark is said to be on a mission to save others from dying as she did on a dark night in the 60s. There are several accounts of her intervention to save travelers from deadly accidents. M AGIC VA LLE Y E L ECT R I C COOP
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