Paranormal activity in Texas’s Miss Molly’s Hotel

The Fort Worth Stockyards is a historic district just outside Dallas, TX with a variety of events and entertainment for families. In the late 1800s, the Fort Worth Stockyard was the last stop to rest and get supplies before crossing the Red River. As such, it’s estimated around 4 million cattle were drove through the town. As time progressed, this section of Forth Worth became a historical landmark. Other than popular events like Rodeo’s and cattle drives, other venues arose such as restaurants and hotels. One of these hotels, known as Miss Molly’s Hotel, has a rich history, and, as we will see it’s been the site of much paranormal activity over the years. 

Miss Molly’s hotel, a former brothel, is known for being one of Dallas’s most hot paranormal spots. This western themed bed and breakfast features eight rooms, carefully restored with western early 1900’s style. As the hotel has gone through changes over the decades, many guests have stayed there. However, it appears not everyone has checked out.

All eight of the rooms have experienced paranormal activity. 

Located in the middle of the Fort Worth Stockyards, Miss Molly’s is the oldest Bed and Breakfast in Fort Worth.  Established as a boarding house in 1910 and called the Palace Rooms, it went through the prohibition period being called the Oasis and later as a Bordello in the 1940’s when it was called the Gayatte Hotel.  Miss Molly’s is just old enough to have caught a glimpse of the Wild West and all of the time period of America’s speak-easy and bordello days.  Its long history as a boarding house has included a vast number of residents.  Apparently, some have decided to extend their stay.  Perhaps the large number of antiques and period pieces in the hotel remind them of the bawdy times that they shared there. 

The eight themed rooms in the hotel all share stories of paranormal activity. According to the hotel’s website, the strange phenomena at Miss Molly’s has included full bodied apparitions, unexplained smells, items disappearing and reappearing, toilets flushing by themselves, lights turning off and on and the door refusing to open. It’s not uncommon to hear a variety of strange and unidentifiable noises. 

It is said the most famous apparition that appears in this hotel is a spirit named  Jake. 

When General Manager Paula Gowins took her job, she was unaware that the hotel was haunted. Soon though, Gowins reported that things, unexplainable things, began to happen. Initially Gowins ignored the strange events. 

That was until, one night, Gowins saw a man. The man headed up to one of the rooms and a confused Gowins followed him. When she opened the door of the room he had entered, no one was there. 

To figure out what was going, Gowins consulted psychics, paranormal researchers and others. 

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They informed her the ghost, that appeared as a cowboy, was named Jake. 

Accordingly, Jake had died in the hotel in that room. 

According to the hotel’s website, the Cattlemen’s and Cowboy rooms have had some of the more famous sightings. Also, the current owner’s private room is somewhat of a hotspot. An apparition of a young girl, between ages eight and nine and who used to live in the hotel is said to manifest in there.

Manager Gowins also said she was once looking in the bathroom mirror when she heard someone laugh, although the hotel was empty at the time. 

Most sightings in and around the hotel involve former working girls from when the place was a brothel. 

Still, there are other popular apparitions besides Jake.

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One is Josie King. Some believe she managed the girls during the time it was a brothel.  It’s said she has been seen many times, and most often around 3:00 am as she likes to stand at the foot of the bed and watch people sleep. 

There is another apparition is known as the “Tipping Ghost”. This ghost is known for leaving spare change. According to a former owner, one housekeeper quit because she kept finding coins in rooms with no guests. After she would take the coins, more would simply reappear without explanation. 

While these are some of the most prominent stories from this historic hotel, this excludes all the stories from guests who have stayed here over the years. The Website Reddit is filled with stories of people who have stayed in the hotel and had strange experiences. One user recounts having a bible appear in odd places around the room, another user says they didn’t experience anything, but other occupants did during their stay. 

It’s not completely clear how reliable and legitimate these reports are, but the fact surrounding this hotel is that there is an overwhelming number of stories involving paranormal activity.

As for whether the ghosts are dangerous or not? It’s said they are not and mostly just like to prank guests. The hotel has been studied and investigated by numerous paranormal researchers. In 2008, the Texas Paranormal Research Team (TEXPART) investigated the hotel. Researchers say were touched by unseen hands and encountered cold spots throughout the hotel. 

One alleged they walked through an unseen entity. According to their report, some of the spirits were unaware they had died. 

The hotel continues to attract many individuals as well those interested in the paranormal. It gets very popular around Halloween and with good reason. 

With all the reports and activity, it seems extremely likely paranormal activity is occurring at Miss Molly’s. There’s been many reports from quite a number of guests. Although many probably have a logical explanation, like creaking steps, it’s hard to deny what people have seen and heard. 

With all that’s occurred, let’s hope that as technology progresses even more, were able to document even more thoroughly what’s happening in this hotel.