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Because it’s Halloween, I have to ask the million dollar question: Do you believe in ghosts? 

Possibly one of the most debated questions, I’m sure we’ve all heard an array of responses regardless of whether it was in agreement, opposition or uncertainty. 

Even so, the existence of ghosts in our region continues to peak our interest. 

From word of mouth to local experts, the Valley has its own plethora of ghost stories, some even stemming from historical sites across the area. User-submitted stories can even be found on the online Facebook group “Ghost Stories of the Rio Grande Valley,” though that community appears to no longer be active.

And if you’re not done with the spooky season just yet, the McAllen Public Library is hosting its “Beyond the Border: Ghosts & UFOs of South Texas” free event this Sunday, which will explore the region’s folklore through presentations by paranormal experts. 

For now though, we’re traveling back to 1996, where The Monitor did some of their own research to seek out local ghost stories and experiences.

One tale begins in La Feria: Back when people frequently traveled through Old Highway 83, some motorists said they encountered a strange woman standing on the side of the road. Often asking for a ride, she was described having long, flowing dark hair and wore a white, luminous gown.

If a family gave her a ride, she would disappear as soon as she got in the vehicle. But if a young man picked her up, the woman would seduce him — afterwards, her face would turn into a skull before completely vanishing. As a result, young men allegedly went into shock and caused an accident. 

Strangely enough, though, that ghostly woman hadn’t appeared for a while as The Monitor interviewed a lecturer at the University of Texas-Pan American (now UTRGV) history department, who said she hasn’t heard of any sightings in eight years (1988 as the story was written in 1996). 

Meanwhile, others claim John H. Shary’s ghost could sometimes be seen walking on a road close to the Shary Mansion. Located in Palmhurst, the estate became pivotal in bequeathing Shary his title as “The Father of the Texas Citrus Industry.”

Depending on who you ask, Shary’s apparition has been seen from walking the mansion’s grounds to sitting on his front porch, but in 1996, residents said he was checking up on his orchards. 

Other ghosts are believed to be confined to buildings such as the infamous spirit at the 1910 Old Jail, which has served as a community center, fire station and city hall, until finally housing the Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg. 

The old jail’s spirit has been identified as Abram Ortiz, who was convicted of rape and murder and sentenced to death by hanging in 1913. According to MOSTHistory, the hanging apparatus was used only once as no other hangings are on record. 

While the 1996 article cites historian Brian Robertson’s 1985 book “Wild Horse Desert: The Heritage of South Texas,” there is also an update to the famous ghost story in David Bowles’ 2016 book “Ghosts of the Rio Grande Valley.” 

The general belief is that Ortiz’s spirit haunts the jail, and if one listened closely, they’d be able to hear his shackles.

Robertson’s book says when the jail was being used as a city hall and fire station, some people heard Oritz’s ghost walking in his cuffs and chains to the jail’s former hanging tower. But in 1996, the museum’s employees doubted the ghost existed.

“I used to stay here, and I never heard anything,” said an employee who had worked there for 27 years. 

The last tale came from then-former executive vice president of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, Martha Noell, since the chamber’s current home is at the historic Southern Pacific Depot in Edinburg.

The former railroad station was built in 1927 and underwent renovations in the 1990s, where contractors allegedly heard women’s voices during construction. When employees moved into the building five weeks earlier from the story’s publishing, some of them heard the voices too.

It wasn’t just voices either. 

On one of the desks at the chamber’s offices sat a music box that usually doesn’t work, but according to a then-assistant manager, the mysterious playing began when the organization moved in.

Others experienced physical instances like one employee who said someone came up behind her, only for no one to be there, while another felt a cold breeze in the attic.

The executive vice president debunked the attic experience by explaining the room had vents while attributing the voices people hear as a result of the building’s high ceilings. And if that isn’t enough proof, amid the research conducted on the building, nothing indicated that anyone died in the depot. 

Then the week before Halloween that year, a letter appeared on the receptionist’s desk at the chamber’s office, allegedly written by a ghost threatening someone would die exactly at 2:35 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25, if their earthly remains weren’t found. 

Nothing ended up happening except giving the chamber good publicity for the haunted house fundraiser they were holding that same week. 

As the article’s reporter stated 29 years ago, “These may or may not be true, but the stories tell a lot about the culture — or a lot about how people enjoy pranks and telling stories.”

We couldn’t agree more, so here’s a Halloween-themed story that originally appeared to The Monitor’s readers in 1996 (Happy Halloween!):

Spooky South Texas: Valley has own haunted history

By Jessica DeLeon | The Monitor

LA FERIA — She only came at night. 

Back when people used to travel Old Highway 83 in great numbers, some motorists said they encountered a strange woman with long, flowing dark hair. The woman, who wore a white, luminous gown, stood on the side of the road and often asked for a ride. 

If a family picked her up, she would disappear as soon as she got in. If a young man gave her a ride, she would seduce him. Afterward, the story goes, her face would turn into a skull and she would disappear. Then the young man — the victim — would go into shock, causing an accident. 

For years, they say, the ghostly woman haunted the part of the highway near the cemetery in La Feria. But she has not been heard from lately. 

But that doesn’t mean ghosts still aren’t lurking around the Rio Grande Valley. 

In fact, to hear Valley residents talk, more than a few ghosts still hover about. As children and adults prepared to celebrate Halloween today, Valley residents conjured up an assortment of home-grown ghost stories. These may or may not be true, but the stories tell a lot about the culture — or a lot about how people enjoy pranks and telling stories. 

Local ghosts can be found anywhere. While a few spirits reputedly haunt certain buildings, the ghost of John Shary can sometimes be seen walking on a road close to the Shary Mansion checking up on his orchards, many residents say. 

The woman on the road, however, hasn’t been spotted lately. Juanita Garza, a lecturer at the University of Texas-Pan American History Department, said she hasn’t heard any incidents about the woman in about 8 years. The spirit may not appear that often because fewer drivers travel old Military Highway nowadays.

Another ghost supposedly lives at the Hidalgo County Historical Museum in Edinburg. But those who work there are mostly skeptical. 

Historican Brian Robertson traces this ghost to the 1912 hanging of Abraham Ortiz in his book Wild Horse Desert: The Heritage of South Texas. 

When the jail closed down, authorities used it for city offices and a fire station. Robertson wrote that some people heard Ortiz’s ghost walking in his cuffs and chains to the jail’s former hanging tower. 

The jail is now part of the museum, where employees doubt that the ghost exists. 

“I used to stay here, and I never heard anything,” said Benny Calvillo, who has worked at the museum for 27 years. 

The museum isn’t the only building in Edinburg that legend says may be haunted. The Edinburg Depot, a former railroad station built in 1927 that has recently been refurbished, also might be a home to a ghost. The depot was a longtime stop for passenger and freight trains. 

The Chamber of Commerce and Edinburg Economic Development Corp. now use the building, which is on University Drive. Some new rooms have been added to the building, which includes high ceilings and tile floors, during remodeling. 

During construction, certain odd things began to happen, making some believe a ghost haunted the building. 

Contractors said they began to hear women’s voices, said Martha Noell, the executive vice president of the Chamber of Commerce.

Employees moved into the building about five weeks ago, and some of them heard the voices too. Noell recalled one incident in which an unlucky employee got fright. 

“Someone came up behind her,” she said. “(But) no one was there.” 

That wasn’t the only weird incident in the building. The music box, which usually doesn’t work, plays by itself. One employee went to the attic, then felt a cold breeze. 

But, as Noell noted, the attic does have vents. And the building has high ceilings, which may account for the “voices” people hear. In the research done of the building, there’s been nothing to indicate that anyone died in the depot. 

Then last week, Noell said, a letter appeared on the receptionist‘s desk. It was written by a “ghost” who claimed to have died in 1929. In the typewritten letter, the writer said someone would die at 2:35 p.m. Friday if they didn’t find the ghost’s earthly remains. 

But at that time and on that day, not a thing happened. 

Still, Noell said, it turned out to be good publicity for their “haunted house” fund-raiser last week. But just in case, she took the letter to the police. 

While the Edinburg Depot turned its “ghost” into a plus, Garza said any ghost story can turn out to be positive. The stories often teach people about cultural values, and what behaviors are acceptable or not acceptable. 

For example, the story about the woman on the road may scare some people, but it also gives listeners a valuable lesson. 

“It’s also telling you that you shouldn’t pick up strangers,” she said. “It’s more dangerous for young men for picking up strange women in the middle of the night.” 

But while some ghost stories may tell people how to behave, the employees at the Edinburg Depot tend to brush off their “encounters.” 

“We don’t take it real serious,” Noell said. 

The post From the archives: Have you heard of these Valley ghost stories? appeared first on MyRGV.com.