Storytelling

Austin’s haunted Speakeasy Tavern, located in the historic Kreisle Building on Congress Avenue, is no stranger to paranormal occurrences. The frequent activity is thought to be the result of at least three individuals—the spirits of two women and a firefighter named Jimmie Glass, all of which perished when the Kreisle Building caught fire in 1916.

If you ever get the chance, striking up a conversation with any of the employees is certain to result in a chilling personal story concerning the hauntings there.

The Strange Case of Misty

Perhaps the scariest of these stories comes from one of the Speakeasy’s bartenders, Misty. Like most of the employees, she was well aware of the Speakeasy’s haunted history and the frequent strange occurrences around the bar, but she always considered the activity to be rather benign and harmless. One morning, however, Misty’s duties took her to the bowling alley’s maintenance room. It was early in the morning before the Speakeasy opened to the public, and Misty was the only employee present in the building.

The maintenance room of the bowling alley is little more than a cramped closet full of antique, dangerous-looking equipment—an eerie enough sight on its own. Not somewhere that even a seasoned employee would want to spend more time in than necessary, Misty quickly got to work collecting what she needed when, suddenly, she was startled by an uncannily familiar noise behind her. She turned around just in time to see the maintenance room’s door gently close, followed by the terrifying click of the lock’s latch.

After that… silence.

Initially thinking that this must be some kind of prank, Misty banged on the door, hoping that someone would hear and let her out. But her pleas would go unanswered. Luckily, she had her phone on hand, and she was able to text her coworkers to come and rescue her. But only after spending 30 minutes locked inside the closet—terrified and alone.

To this day, no one has been able to explain how the door closed and locked itself with Misty still inside. A prank from Jimmie Glass, perhaps?

Exclusive Access on Ghost Walk Austin

Walking Tours of Austin is the only tour company with full access to the Speakeasy Tavern, where you can retrace the harrowing experience of Misty’s unexplained tale. Also on the tour, you’ll see where Jimmie Glass was mortally wounded, and the elevator where two women tragically died in the fire of 1916.

There are many, many more stories to explore at the Speakeasy Tavern, so make your reservation here today!