Devil's Backbone: Tucked Away in Rural Texas Is a Place Ripe With Stories of Unexplained Phenomena

It’s called the Devil’s Backbone.

Running through the heart of Texas Hill Country exists a limestone ridge that stretches from Wimberley to Blanco — and many locals insist it is haunted.

“There’s stories about ghosts in and around the area,” Rick Ferguson, who owns the Devil’s Backbone Tavern, told TheBlaze. “There are stories and legends and things.”

Image source: Flickr / Dave

Indeed, there are many unnerving stories of unexplained phenomena occurring in the area. In fact, so many, Ferguson's saloon has become a tourist stop.

[sharequote align="center"]"We get people from all over the world."[/sharequote]

"We get people from all over the world. It's pretty much a tourist attraction," he told TheBlaze, noting that they also "have a lot of locals that come out" for drinks.

Image source: Flickr / Dave

Ferguson explained that the most common stories are in regards to ghosts in the area.

"There are some (stories) where people see confederate riders that ride on horses at night," he said. "Then there's indian ghosts and various other ghosts that they see in the area."

"There are also stories about a lady in white walking off on the side of the road and then suddenly disappearing," Ferguson added.

While noting that he personally has "never seen any of that," Ferguson told TheBlaze many others have.

"Some of the locals say they've seen things," he said.

A tabletop shuffleboard inside the Devil's Backbone Tavern. (Image source: Flickr / Dave)

In fact, Ferguson's tavern, which was built in the 1930s, plays off of the Backbone's reputation. For instance, one sign jokingly warns tourists that "if doors and windows open and close by themselves, just ignore it."

"We've got folks that come out and look for things," Ferguson said. "We tell them they have to wait until we close because the ghosts are shy."

Others in the area, however, appear to take the Backbone's reputation more seriously. There have even been books authored on the strange things people say they've seen in the area.

Melanie Walker, 47, gave an interview to a local media outlet in 2012 in which she insisted the area is haunted.

“The TVs in the tavern will turn off and on and switch channels on their own sometimes,” she said. “I guess whoever is doing it just wants to watch TV or doesn’t like what we’re watching.”

A tabletop shuffleboard inside the Devil's Backbone Tavern. (Image source: Flickr / Dave)

The co-founder of Texas Paranormal Events, Jackie Milligan, said people have called to report strange events occurring in the area.

“One family called us because their youngest son was talking to someone,” Milligan reportedly said. “They thought it was cute and an imaginary friend until he told them she was a little girl with a hole in her head.”

Nevertheless, Ferguson said none of the stories scare him.

"People just want something to talk about when they are with others," he said.

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