Houston Lyceum And Carnegie Library On McKinney St.

[luvarch]

My grandmother used to go that library when she was a little girl and has fond memories. She told me once of the phantom violinist that haunts the library. I think he used to be the caretaker or the librarian?? I am not really quite sure. I need to ask her again, but if anyone has any insight that would be great?

[midtown 4.2]

Caretaker is correct. What I've heard is that the place is hunted by the spirit of the caretaker and his dog. The man lived on site, and would roam the building with his dog afterhours . . . playing his violin. It's been said that some people have reported hearing violin music, or the click click sound of a dog's nails on the terrazzo floor.

[Tioughnioga]

Hi - I did research daily at the old library for a few months and got to know the librarians well. I finally asked one about the "ghost" and they said it was true. You are allowed to take books off the shelves, but you can't put them back. I was told that sometimes they cannot reshelve all the books before closing time and once in a while they will come in the next morning and all of the books have been placed back correctly on the shelves.

They also sometimes hear footsteps and can find no one around.

[Ashikaga]

Hi - I did research daily at the old library for a few months and got to know the librarians well. I finally asked one about the "ghost" and they said it was true. You are allowed to take books off the shelves, but you can't put them back. I was told that sometimes they cannot reshelve all the books before closing time and once in a while they will come in the next morning and all of the books have been placed back correctly on the shelves.

They also sometimes hear footsteps and can find no one around.

That sounds similar to the Saratoga Light.

[gnu]

That sounds similar to the Saratoga Light.

ooooooooohh.....did you ever see it???

in high school, we used to go out there and look for it but we never did see it.

tjones, ever hear of the light off gou hole road? out past the racetrack off 565?

we used to go look for it too. no luck there either.

Edited July 13, 2006 by gnu

[Ashikaga]

ooooooooohh.....did you ever see it???

in high school, we used to go out there and look for it but we never did see it.

tjones, ever hear of the light off gou hole road? out past the racetrack off 565?

we used to go look for it too. no luck there either.

Saratoga was a little ways west of Beaumont, which is where I graduated from high school. In 1973 the state legislature lowered the drinking age to 18. That resulted in a flood of people going to Saratoga every Friday night with ice chests loaded with Schlitz to go and see the "light." I went there once back in 1977. But for some reason we didn't stay long enough to see it and we headed back early. I don't recall a racetrack.

[enviromain]

They also sometimes hear footsteps and can find no one around.

They also sometimes hear footsteps and can find no one around.

that the place is hunted by the spirit of the caretaker and his dog

[WestUNative]

Thank you for the wonderful old pictures! I loved this place with its old wood interior and ambiance. However, I never heard anything bizarre whilst browsing or researching, only the creak of the floors in later years. I nearly cried when the modern extravaganza was built.

Is there a common source for historic photos of Houston?

[sevfiv]

Is there a common source for historic photos of Houston?

there are a few, but i am partial to bob bailey

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/utcah/00451/cah-00451.html

[Kam]

I'm at the library frequently... and they say that the noises happen around 6am. They are making the Ideson building ADA accessible.

[NenaE]

Link to Houston's early library info. : http://scholarship.rice.edu/bitstream/handle/1911/12936/document.pdf?sequence=1

...found the photos & library directory especially interesting.