The City of San Antonio is filled with one of the richest histories in this nation and it is no surprise that it can hold its own against competitors such as Gettysburg and Custer’s Last Stand. Although a great number of battles have occurred within history, what we find at the Menger Hotel is the exact opposite; the remnants of peaceful time and love of a location…to some degree. Since this hotel is known as one of the most haunted in all of San Antonio, it is well worth doing further research as opposed to simply just investigating in the blind. The primary reason for this is the majesty of the hotel itself and the encompassing feeling of never wanting to leave when one visits this location. As the author of this submission it is easy to describe first-hand the affinity that develops with only one visit to the Menger Hotel. However, since obsession with not only the history, but those who have not yet said “goodbye” remains paramount in importance, it remains impossible to resist the charm that this hotel brings to guest upon guest since its inception and completion on January 31st, 1859.
The Menger Hotel was first founded by William and Mary Guenther Menger in 1857 when they decided to expand their boarding house brewery into a hotel and sought the expertise of architect John M. Fries to make the two-story Hotel a reality. With the concept of the hotel boasting classical features, the foundation was laid in June of 1858 and officially opened for business in 1859; a mere 23 years after the massacre that occurred at the Alamo killing 189 defenders and 1600 soldiers. Despite the close proximity to the events of the Alamo, the hotel has remained a historical landmark for such notables at Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, Dwight Eisenhower, William Taft, Gutzon Borglum (sculptor of Mount Rushmore), Phil Sheridan, William Sherman, Robert E. Lee, John Pershing, George Patton, Leonard Wood, Jimmy Doolittle, Tommy Thompson and William Simpson. Other guests of the famous hotel included: Oscar Wilde, O. Henry, Sidney Lanier, Frances Parkinson Keyes, Captain Richard King, Buffalo Bill Cody, Roy Rogers, and Dale Evans. As a person can easily derive from the guest list, although not all inclusive, there is much more to this hotel than just a simple bed and accommodations; there is unparalleled history, nostalgia, and above all a feeling of home that cannot be sought anywhere else within modern day San Antonio.
The Menger Hotel was first founded by William and Mary Guenther Menger in 1857 when they decided to expand their boarding house brewery into a hotel and sought the expertise of architect John M. Fries to make the two-story Hotel a reality. With the concept of the hotel boasting classical features, the foundation was laid in June of 1858 and officially opened for business in 1859; a mere 23 years after the massacre that occurred at the Alamo killing 189 defenders and 1600 soldiers. Despite the close proximity to the events of the Alamo, the hotel has remained a historical landmark for such notables at Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, Dwight Eisenhower, William Taft, Gutzon Borglum (sculptor of Mount Rushmore), Phil Sheridan, William Sherman, Robert E. Lee, John Pershing, George Patton, Leonard Wood, Jimmy Doolittle, Tommy Thompson and William Simpson. Other guests of the famous hotel included: Oscar Wilde, O. Henry, Sidney Lanier, Frances Parkinson Keyes, Captain Richard King, Buffalo Bill Cody, Roy Rogers, and Dale Evans. As a person can easily derive from the guest list, although not all inclusive, there is much more to this hotel than just a simple bed and accommodations; there is unparalleled history, nostalgia, and above all a feeling of home that cannot be sought anywhere else within modern day San Antonio.
Please feel free to explore the links below for areas of the hotel that have been investigated informally at this point. We fully intent to return to the King Ranch Suite to conduct a full-blown investigation with all the bells and whistles. However, what I can say is this...neither room failed to disappoint and I found myself wondering why I did not have the camcorder on!