I have to admit that I felt a bit like Lara Croft while getting my shots for this photo essay. Last night I read that there was supposed to be a large family tomb that had been built over, but is still somewhat accessible in downtown Houston.  Of course this rumor caught my attention and so I began researching. As I conducted my research, I couldn’t help but shake my head at the collective stupidity Houstonians displayed. Not only did I locate the crypt, I also learned that Buffalo Bayou – the bayou that runs through downtown Houston – is apparently full of unexploded ordnance.

The story begins when the US Army marched into Houston and defeated the confederate army stationed here. The confederates wanted to deprive the US Army of rebel munitions and their best and brightest idea was to toss it all into Buffalo bayou.

Chronicle article about the tomb and Civil War

In June of 1865, as Union forces approached Houston, three barges, “loaded with rifles and cannon balls were driven up stream as far as possible and sunk.” The low Milam Street bridge was as far upstream as the barges could be moved, and it was there – at what is now the Milam Street bridge - they were scuttled. In addition to the 3 barges of live munition, the entire Houston confederate arsenal was dumped into Buffalo Bayou at the same location.

Donnellan Deaths

Obviously sinking tons of live munitions into a bayou doesn’t make them just magically disappear from the face of the earth. Instead, they tend to pop up from time to time. And, from time to time, kids discover them. The Donnellans owned the land where the Franklin bridge now stands. As noted in the above article, the Donnellan youth found one of the unexploded bombs and it blew up while they were handling it. After the Donnellan youth were, “blown to bits” the City of Houston organized a volunteer committee to search for hidden bombs in the bayou using sticks to search through the mud. The many bombs that were recovered where taken to Fort Sam Houston and exploded.

Location of the Crypt

No professional ordnance removal has ever occurred at the Franklin and Milam street bridges. In 1906 the Houston Yacht and Power Boat Club blew up a sunken confederate blockade runner named the Augusta to clear the way for a “harbor for pleasure craft and launches.” While they were setting the charges, they recovered, “cannonballs, bombshells and other dangerous Civil War relics.” In 1924, the Milam street bridge was replaced and more unexploded bombs were found. In 1947, 351 cannon balls were discovered during bridge repairs. In 1968, a local history group got a local gun club to finance a one-day dredge of the bayou at Milam and Franklin. They found a number of cannon balls, weapons, guns and unexploded ordnance. Since 1968, there has been no effort to recover any of the civil war artifacts.  Today, the only reminder of the possible danger lying under the mud is the Donnellan tomb:

Donnellan Tomb from across Buffalo Bayou, #1

Donnellan Tomb from across Buffalo Bayou, #2

Donnellan Tomb from across Buffalo Bayou, #3

The crypt is located under the Franklin bridge. From what I can tell, there’s some question as to whether the City of Houston owns the crypt. Some speculate that since the City may not be able to prove ownership, the crypt was built over and around instead of torn down.

From the above Chronicle article, “You might even find a tomb buried in the bank under the Franklin Ave. bridge. This tomb was placed there in 1868 and contains the remains of the two boys who were blown to bits while playing with one of the bombs which they took out of the bayou… We gathered what we could of the remains and placed them in a coffin, which we buried in the bayou banks under what is now the Franklin Ave. Street bridge. So far as I know, that tomb still is there.”

Donnellan Tomb wall on Buffalo Bayou

Remains of the Donnellan tomb entrance

"RIP"

If you’d like to read more about this supposed forgotten tomb, here are a couple of interesting links:

• An article that seems to be very well referenced
• Short Houston Press article

Near downtown Houston, there is an enormous graveyard full of slaves, confederate solders, members of secrete societies and even a mass grave containing the jumbled remains of victims from the 1867 yellow fever outbreak. This purportedly haunted grave yard has designated places for “Paupers, Negroes, Families and those that committed suicide or died in a duel.” While the cemetery is large and packed full of human remains, you wouldn’t know 10,000 corpses were under your feet if you took a walk through the cemetery today because the headstones were removed and an insane asylum was built over the graves.

Location of Houston's 1840 Cemetery with map of original cemetery location

That’s right. You might be thinking of the movie Poltergeist right now and you wouldn’t be far from the truth. In 1986, construction on the Houston Fire Department maintenance building unearthed dozens of unmarked graves. Legend has it that a number of human bones were stolen by locals who came out to gawk at the then exposed graves.

Numerous stories of ghostly doctors, nurses and patients exist and activity is supposedly concentrated on the 3rd floor of the hospital. Some paranormal investigators have photographed what they claim to be ghostly “orbs” floating in front of the hospital. A local paranormal organization called Lone Star Spirits claims that they’ve received first-hand reports from people who claim that ghosts followed people home after visiting the old hospital.  To me, stories like this are very reminiscent of the supposed Demon Road haunting and just as credible.

On April 8, 1840, the City of Houston purchased five acres in the First Ward from brothers Henry R. and Samuel L. Allen for $750. This became Houston’s first City-owned cemetery and was the second cemetery built in Houston. The 1840 City ordnance that established the cemetery stated that the cemetery would be segregated into four sections: “1.) A Potters Field for criminals, suicides and the persons killed in duels; 2.) the Negroes Burying Ground; 3.) the Commons for all not otherwise provided for; and, 4.) Family Plots for sale to the highest bidder. Later, a special section of the cemetery was set aside for members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Masons. The City discontinued use of the cemetery in 1879. Afterwards, the only new burials that took place occurred in family plots – the last of which took place in 1904.

Old Jefferson Davis Hospital

The Jefferson Davis hospital was named after the President of the Confederacy and is built on the graves of slaves and confederate solders alike. It’s estimated that as many as 3,000 graves lie under the hospital. The hospital was built in 1924 and features an above-ground basement because the builders didn’t want to disturb the graves.

Super family plot in front of the Jefferson Davis Hospital

The only accessible evidence that this location is in fact a cemetery full of human remains is the concrete curbing surrounding the Super family plot which now serves as a flower bed. This evidence remains because during the construction of the hospital, Mr. Super stood vigil over his family plot with a loaded shotgun. It’s reported that Super actually took a few pot-shots at construction workers who got too close to his family’s remains.  In 2006 a new marker was placed withing the confines of the Fire Department maintenance facility to remember the confederate solders buried under the parking lot of the Houston Fired Department maintenance building.

The Houston Press, Wednesday, July 18, 1923

The first floor of the old hospital held the pharmacy and the so-called “negro-ward.” The second floor held staff quarters and the men’s ward. The third floor held the women’s ward an asylum complete with padded rooms. The fourth floor held the children’s ward.  The hospital closed it’s doors after only 13 years of service and a new larger hospital was built on Allen Parkway.  The old hospital was used for various purposes over the years (including acting a psychiatric hospital, STD clinic and a City storage building) before being completely abandoned in the 1990s.

Abandoned Jefferson Davis Hospital ca 2000

Today the old Jefferson David Hospital is  knowns as the “Elder Street Artist Lofts.”   While the hospital was rehabed, its old power station was not is still stands in ruins:

Jefferson Davis Power House: Front

Jefferson Davis Power House: "Edifice"

Jefferson Davis Power House: Inside

The only other interesting structures are these two abandoned homes that stand empty across the street from the abandoned power house:

Abandoned homes facing grave yard

Perhaps the most interesting and noteworthy thing about this plot of land is that when the Fire Department expansion uncovered human remains, archaeologists uncovered graves that were much, much older than any that should be in the area. In 1986 Ken Brown, professor of Archeology at the University of Houston led a team of researchers who discovered 40 graves which dated back to the 1600s. Both the burial style and accompanying pottery discovered with the remains are consistent with English practices for the disposal of diseased bodies.

Olivewood Cemetery is located just off I-10 and White Oak Bayou right next to a store called Party Boy. The neglected grave yard is supposedly haunted.

Red arrow points to grave yard

With exposed human remains of ex slaves and thicket covered graves, it is no wonder Houstonians have spun ghost stories about this place for generations.

Two graves in the middle of the woods

Forgotten grave site

A cemetery angel

There are a number of unmarked graves in the cemetery. Before the land was purchased in 1875 by Houston’s first black alderman Richard Brock (who is buried in Olivewood), the land had been used as a slave burial ground.

Pivotal leaders if Houston’s post-emancipation African-American community are buried in the Olivewood Cemetery. For instance, Rev. Elias Dibble (pastor of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church) is buried in Olivewood. Rev. Dibble had lived as a slave before becoming the first black Methodist minister in the country.

Basically, Olivewood represents a Who’s Who of influential African-American Houstonians in the post-slavery era of Texas. Businessman James B. Bell, attorney J. Vance Lewis, the first principal of Jack Yates High School (which was the 2nd black school in Houston) James D. Ryan and “the singing dentist” Milton A. Baker are all buried in Olivewood. Incidentally, Dr. Baker wrote Houston’s official bicentennial song.

Two overgrown grave headstones

Lone headstone in the woods

Four graves in the woods

Work is being done to reclaim the historic cemetery from nature.  By chance, I got to speak with a descendant of one of the people buried in the cemetery, Charles Cook. Cook was at the cemetery by himself mowing and doing some weeding. I spent some time talking with him about the history of Olivewood and filmed the last bit of our conversation. Cook happens to be on the Board of Directors for a 501c3 nonprofit that is trying to restore the cemetery. They have a PayPal donation button. I encourage you to give what you can

Seven gravestones

Grave without a headstone

Lone headstone in the woods

A now-defunct City of Houston newsletter called “City Savvy” had this to say about the alleged hauntings:

Over the years, there have been numerous reports of mysterious after-dark sightings and strange movements within the graveyard.

Louis Aulbach, a Finance and Administration division manager, heard those stories while working on his soon-to-be-completed book, “Buffalo Bayou: An Echo of Houston’s Wilderness Beginnings.”

“But I remain skeptical,” he said. “It seems people think a cemetery should be haunted, so they make it so. But if they want to scare themselves silly with stories, it’s up to them.”

Cathi Bunn, a paranormal investigator, began exploring Olivewood in 1999. One moonlit midnight, Bunn said she videotaped the ghost of Mary White, buried in 1888, hovering above her headstone.

Intrigued by the anecdotes, Williams stayed late Halloween night, 2004.

“Only haunting I saw were from two big field mice,” she said.

Haunted or not, Aulbach said the important thing is for people to know about Olivewood and its significance.

As noted above, at least one ghost hunter believes to have caught an actual Olivewood ghost on film. In the photo, you can see what looks like fog. This mist is purported to be the ghost of Mary White.

One of two lion heads in the cemetery

Headless figure

Another graveyard angel

The cemetery features obelisks, statuary, curbing and interior fencing. The burial ground also includes examples of pre-emancipation burial practices, including upright pipes (symbolizing the path between the worlds of the living and the dead), ocean shells as grave ornaments and text containing upside down or backwards letters (as used in some West African cultures to signify death).

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If you are interested in some of the remnants of Houston’s black history, check out my photo-essay of Freedman’s Town in the Fourth Ward – which is the location of our nation’s most serious race riot.

Huntsville, Texas locals refer to the road that leads to a small 1800s graveyard as “Demon Road.” Supposedly, some people report seeing hovering red lights traveling down the road. Others report that have been pushed and shoved by invisible hands on their way to the cemetery.

Bowden Road, AKA "Demon Road"

At the end of this road lies Martha Chapel Cemetery. Doing a google search returns all sorts of ghost stories about this little grave yard. People report seeing full body apparitions, some of which like to follow you home.

In 1985, the people of Huntsville became convinced that a nefarious coven of devil worshipers were calling up demons at the cemetery. Apparently the County Sheriff even went to the local high school and warned the kids to stay away from the road for their own safety. Hence the name, “Demon Road”.

Martha's Chapel Cemetery

Benjamin W. Robinson, b. May 10, 1812 d. Jul. 21, 1875

Sarah Ann Jenkins, d May 16, 1859

R. P. Stone, b. Jun. 23, 1812 d. Oct. 13, 1867

I didn’t see any demons or ghosts and there’s no invisible hitchhiker helping me to write this. While I didn’t find any phantoms, I did find a spot just outside the cemetery gates where someone had built a large fire. I also found lots of tire tracks and beer cans. Personally, I think this is a place where young people from a small town come to scare each other and to prove themselves by vandalizing the cemetery. So, my guess is that the most frightening thing one might encounter at night is a bored teenager with a cooler full of beer.

Here are two different ”ghost hunter” videos investigating the area.

1.) The better of the two. They basically stand around until they find a snake. The spookiest thing they find is that road dust stuck to their truck. Seriously. Click here.

2.) This “investigation” is a joke and is only funny because the ghost hunter is serious. He uses what he calls a “Ghost Box” to talk to ghosts. If you don’t pull a facepalm when you see what this ghost box actually is, you get a point. Click here.

The area was originally called “Robinson’s Settlement” and was located seven miles southwest of Huntsville in south central Walker County. It became a stronghold for Methodist activity in Southeast Texas in the early 1830s. The site is on a dirt road midway between Farm roads 1374 and 1791. By 1839 a campground, church (possibly the first church in Walker county; they shared their church building with other denominations) and school were established when land was given by William and Elizabeth Robinson (who are both buried in Martha’s Chapel Cemetery) to the Rev. Littleton Fowler, Superintendent of Methodism in the Republic of Texas. Early clergy who visited and served there included Isaac Strickland, Jesse Hord, Joseph P. Sneed, and Bishop Thomas A. Morris. The Fourth Texas Methodist Conference met on the land that is now Martha’s Chapel Cemetery in 1843, with Bishop James O. Andrew presiding. Sometime after the conference the local congregation adopted the name Trinity Church. The church and the area became known as Martha’s Chapel in 1854 after Martha Palmer, wife of a church trustee, died and was buried behind the church building. In 1855 John C. Black added twenty acres to the original Robinson Settlement, and a new building was erected near the old church. The original log church structure was then moved and turned into a barn. During the Civil War attendance at Trinity Church declined, and Rev. James G. Johnson (1812-1887) constructed a smaller building in 1863 that was known for a while as Johnson’s Chapel. When he died, Johnson bequeathed funds to complete the construction of the third and last place of worship at the cemetery site. It was dedicated on October 18, 1887, by Bishop W.W. Duncan. The congregation disbanded in the 1930s and ended a century of Methodism in the area.

The surrounding rural neighborhood maintained a school, though the bell rang only sporadically in the early years. In 1896 the Martha’s Chapel school employed two teachers, Miss Ona Randolph and Miss Mary Sterne (who is buried in Martha’s Chapel Cemetery). The schoolhouse remained as late as 1936 but was closed soon thereafter. By 1990 only the cemetery remained at the site.

On my way there, I ran across a couple of interesting abandoned buildings:

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Carolyn and I decided to go to on of the old cemeteries on Galveston. What follows are some pictures I took while we were there:

- Carolyn sitting on a tombstone.

- A close-up of grave moss

Below are some pics I took of the gravyard…

- This is a statue of Jesus and baby… with their heads cut off.

- This was interesting… yet disturbing. Yes, those are very large snales.

The graveyard had many of these aboveground mausoleums. This one was quite interesting:

- Walking up to it.

- On the side of it

- A close-up of the weeds that are growing out of the concrete roof.

… This is the back. There was a hole where a window was at one time. I wanted to know what was inside these things…

… So, I walked up to it, and stuck my arms and camera all the way in and took a few pics:

And… this is inside the  mausoleum next to the one above:

I got the above pics because there was a space wide enough to stick my camera into to get some shots.

As I said in my last blog, I can feel the anticipation building as I move closer to next month and dealing with the 3 separate grants + moving + programmatic setup(s). I decided that I would get out of Houston and go camping for a couple of days. You know, I think it’s been more than 20 years since I’ve been camping : /

On my way to the campgrounds, I ran across some creepy places… so you know I had to stop and take pictures!

First, I found a cool abandoned motor lodge:

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And, I had to peek inside…

I was amazed to find that one closet was full of 1960s/70s era clothes:

Here’s the Motel sign. I wish I could make out the name,

Then I found an abandoned house. This one looked too rickety to risk going in though:

So, here’s some pics of the campground:

Here’s me at the campfire:

Warming up my feet:

Oh yah, almost I forgot. I ran across what seemed to be an old family graveyard while I was out. So, you know I had to check that out:

I liked this name: Hudson Oliphint.

I love when I run across folksy epitaphs: “No pains, no griets, no anxious fear, can reach our loved one sleeping here.”

So, it was really, really nice to run way for a couple of days. My first day kinda sucked because the people next to me were incapable of shutting the hell up! They brought a baby (who wouldn’t shut up crying), a dog (that wouldn’t shut up barking), 3 teens (who played music and wouldn’t shut up) and to top it off, their parents were kinda pathetic. The father would ask the kids to do something and when they wouldn’t, the mother would screech and scream at them – at which point they would screech and scream and the mother and the mother would loudly bemoan the fact that she didn’t have 3 abortions and then the teens would go back to what they were (loudly) doing. They didn’t shut up until 11.

When it got dark, I took my telescope and drove down to the edge of the water to do some stargazing. The sky was kinda hazy, so I wasn’t able to get a good look at Jupiter. However, since the moon wasn’t full, I was able to take a really close look at the surface of the moon (I didn’t have a moon filter). I could sit looking at the moon for hours and hours!

Anyway, my neighbors packed up Monday and I was left with nothing but peace and quite. Ah… it was so nice! I hiked for several miles and basically did a lot of communing with nature. My tent roof is mesh without the rain covering, so I was able to lay in my bed and gaze up at the trees and stars. It was all so beautiful, I started to weep. It’s been so long since I’ve been able to spend this much time with nature; I feel as if my batteries were recharged!

I had to take off earlier than I wanted to since I had a 3 PM appointment with the Havens Center representative at the Path of Tea. I had lunch from the Field of Greens and before my appointment, Rudy What’s-His-Name (I think he’s a coach of something in Houston) came in for a business meeting. I thought I’d get a pic cus’ I thought that it would be funny to have the big bad coach of a pro sports team getting a pic (even if it is a horrid post-camping photo) with a tranny

As I was driving down the road to meet with the inspectors, I found an apparently abandoned and seemingly forgotten graveyard. It is actually a surreal. Many new townhomes are built around the graveyard and all of their neatly manicured backyards abruptly end to become something out of a horror movie. Strangely, there way little in the way of garbage or vandalism. It is as if everyone has simply decided to pretend that this place just does not exist: