Guest Register from San Antonio’s Most Haunted Hotel

In the spirit of Halloween, we thought we would discuss something in our collection from a historic landmark that some claim is one of the most haunted places in San Antonio – the guest register from the Menger Hotel.

The Menger, located across Crockett Street from the library, is one of Texas’s oldest hotels. Since its 1859 opening, it has developed a long and illustrious history. Notable guests include former presidents such as Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight Eisenhower; military greats like Sam Houston and Robert E. Lee; and literary figures such as Oscar Wilde and O. Henry. Teddy Roosevelt even recruited some of his Rough Riders at the Menger’s bar.

However, the hotel also has a reputation for being one of the most haunted locales in the city. The most famous of the Menger’s ghosts is Sallie White, a former maid who was murdered by her husband in 1876. Some guests and employees have seen Sallie’s ghost on the second floor in the original section of the hotel. She performs her old duties, like cleaning rooms and making beds. People who have seen her say that she wears a long skirt with a white apron and a bandana on her head.

Other famous Menger ghosts are the ladies in blue. One of these apparitions has appeared in a room on the second floor where employees claim to hear strange noises and see lights go on and off by themselves. According to Docia Schultz Williams in her book The History and Mystery of the Menger Hotel, maids prefer to clean this room in pairs. This is because one day, a maid, while cleaning the room, felt that someone else was there with her. When she turned around, she saw a lady in long blue dress. The woman had blonde hair and looked as though she was from the 1930s or 1940s. Other employees have seen the lady strolling on the patio. The other lady in blue has been in seen in the lobby. She is middle-aged and wears a blue dress with red stars. She also wears a beret and shoes similar to those worn by the Women’s Army Corps in World War II. She is usually seen knitting or reading the newspaper.

Many other ghost stories like this exist for the Menger. For more, try these sources:

• The History and Mystery of the Menger Hotel by Docia Schultz Williams

• My Most Intriguing Investigations of True Ghost Encounters by Dr. L.E. Patterson

• “Ghost Sightings” page on the Menger’s website

The guest register that the library has spans from February 15, 1874-December 26, 1874. Below are some sample pages. Perhaps some of the Menger’s ghosts have written their names on this register. Happy Halloween!

A page from the register featuring guest signatures, their place of residence, which room they stayed in, and the time that they arrived.

This is one of many pages of advertisements in the Menger guest register. These pages are interspersed among those with guest signatures.

Click here for a full citation of the documents and images included in this entry.

Germans in San Antonio: Freie Presse fur Texas

On October 28, 1945, publication of the influential German newspaper Freie Presse für Texas ended eighty years after August Siemering issued the first edition in 1865. In addition to being a newspaper editor, Siemering also worked as a teacher, writer and journalist, and public official, and he was involved in the establishment of the San Antonio Express (now the Express-News). Under Siemering’s leadership, the Freie Presse “became one of the leading Republican newspapers of the South” following the Civil War. At various times throughout its history, the Freie Presse was issued weekly, bi-weekly, tri-weekly, and daily. Each edition of the paper contained numerous advertisements for San Antonio businesses as well as works of fiction and national and international news.

Top half of the front page, Freie Presse fur Texas, March 9, 1893.

The Freie Presse was one of many newspapers serving the large German population of San Antonio and Texas during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The San Antonio Zeitung was first published in the 1850s, and, according to Glen E. Lich in The German Texans, “eighteen German newspapers were in existence by 1892.” The number of German newspapers continued to grow, reaching 29 in 1907 before declining. Lich states that “eleven papers ceased publication during World War I,” presumably due to anti-German sentiments. By 1941, when the United States entered World War II, only six German newspapers were still being published; “by the end of the war, four were left, and the last of these, Neu-Braunfelser Zeitung, ceased publication in German in the 1950s” (126).

Top half of the back page, Freie Presse fur Texas, March 9, 1893

In his essay “The Function of the German Literary Heritage,” published in German Culture in Texas, Hubert P. Heinen quotes the recollections of his grandfather, a German Texan born in 1872 who as a boy became an avid reader of the Freie Presse für Texas when he worked herding sheep:

The only reading I had access to was the Freie Presse für Texas, a German weekly published in San Antonio, which, besides current news and correspondence, carried one or more serials of novels (Romane); also volumes of German magazines, such as the Die Gartenlaube, in carefully preserved Jahrgänge (one-year volumes containing fascinating Romane and short novels) were passed from one family to the other, and, naturally, I fell for reading these stories. Having lots of time on hand, I acquired the habit of “slow-reading” (not overcome to this day), but absorbed all and lived with and through the whole story. Meanwhile, as I was thus absorbed in reading, the sheep would drift apart in all directions, and I had to spend hours trying to get them together again (169).

The sizeable newspaper collection at the DRT Library includes twenty-eight editions of the Freie Presse für Texas dating from 1871 to 1938. Additionally, the library has many books, vertical files, manuscript collections, and photographs documenting and exploring the experiences of German families, organizations, businesses, and communities throughout the history of San Antonio and Texas. Some of these materials will be featured in future blog postings. You can locate additional resources about German Texans at the DRT library by going to our online catalog, which can be accessed from the menu on the right side of this blog. Select “Power Search” and conduct a subject search for “Germans Texas” and “Germans Texas San Antonio.”

Click here for a full citation of the documents and images included in this entry.

Alamo Premiere Weekend

Today is the 48^th anniversary of the world premiere of the John Wayne classic, The Alamo. The film premiered in San Antonio, and the city threw a weekend-long celebration to honor the movie and its stars.

On Saturday, the 22^nd, the city welcomed guests, including Wayne, at an airport reception. That was followed by a press reception, a symphony concert featuring the film’s score, and a San Antonio Press Club Gridiron Show. Also, according to the San Antonio Light, Frankie Avalon (pre-Annette) made an appearance at the Trinity-McMurray football fame. In the film, Avalon played “Smitty,” a fictional character.

Sunday, the 23^rd, was marked by other receptions and a special Night in Old San Antonio in the evening. Like NIOSAs during Fiesta, the event took place at La Villita and featured a wide variety of food and entertainment. The San Antonio Light reported that about 8,000 people attended. Below is a broadside advertising the event.

Broadside for the special NIOSA during the premiere.

Monday, the 24^th, began with a breakfast held at Alamo Plaza and ceremony honoring the Alamo defenders. This was followed by a luncheon at the Menger Hotel. Then, that evening, the highly anticipated premiere occurred at the Woodlawn Theatre.

The library has several copies of an official program created by the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce for the weekend. Below is the schedule of official events from that program. Because of the document’s 18 inch by 12.5 inch size, a few words were cut off from the scan. The broadside featured above and the program reside in the library’s Ephemera Collection. Click on the images for larger views.

A list of events for October 22nd from the Chamber of Commerce's program.

The program's list of events for October 23rd and 24th.

Click here for a full citation of the documents and images included in this entry.

1899 State Fair of Texas

The State Fair of Texas, which takes place for three weeks during September and October each year in Dallas’ Fair Park, ended this past weekend. The event attracts a huge number of visitors and has an economic impact in Dallas of about $350 million each year.

The State Fair began in 1886 as the Dallas State Fair and Exposition. For more details on the history of the State Fair of Texas, click here. The library’s Ephemera Collection contains the program for the 1899 Fair, donated to the library by Edith White. The program includes descriptions of several exhibits and photographs from the fair grounds as well as a rundown of special days during the Fair, such as Texas Day, Confederate Day, Press Day, A&M College Day, Shriner’s Day, etc.

In addition, two notable events happened at the 1899 Fair. First, the National Democratic Carnival was a gathering for Democratic leaders to address political issues. One prominent Democrat in attendance was William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic nominee for President in 1900.

Second, the Grand Pageant of the Grand Orders of the Kaliphs was set up by liquor wholesaler Charles Mangold. According to Nancy Wiley in her book, The Great State Fair of Texas, the event “had been organized to present a gala civic entertainment along Mardi Gras lines. The three-day program would take place during the fair and include a welcome for the ceremonial Kaliph of Baghdad, a nighttime parade of illuminated floats through downtown and a grand ball that promised to rival any existing social event in the state.”

The following images are from the 1899 program. Click on the images for a larger view.

Click here for a full citation of the documents and images included in this entry.

Cover of the 1899 program for the State Fair.

An exhibit from a San Antonio ostrich farm.

Photographs of the State Fair Grounds.

The Grand Pageant of the Grand Order of the Kaliphs was meant to be a Mardi Gras-like celebration.

Democratic Carnival Day featured William Jennings Bryan as its main speaker.

Historic Baseball Cards

With the World Series getting underway later this week, this entry highlights the DRT Library’s collection of early twentieth-century baseball cards. (Caitlin, the library’s archivist, was particularly excited about the cards for her hometown teams, the St. Louis Cardinals and Browns. Reference Librarian Stephanie was enthusiastic about cards relating to teams from Boston, where she lived for eight years.) An unknown person compiled and pasted almost all of the cards into a scrapbook. Also, while the majority of the cards feature baseball players, one page in the scrapbook contains cards for boxers like Jack Johnson and Jim Corbett.

Examples of cigarette and tobacco advertisements on the back of baseball cards.

Almost three hundred baseball cards in the collection are T206 White Border cards, which were produced by the American Tobacco Company between 1909 and 1911. Measuring 1-7/16” by 2-5/8”, the baseball cards fit perfectly into packs of cigarettes and tobacco and were therefore used as promotions for these products. The front of each card includes a color lithograph image of the player surrounded by a white border; the player’s name and team are listed at the bottom. The back of each card contains an advertisement for one of the fourteen brands of cigarettes or two brands of tobacco owned by the American Tobacco Company. The set of T206 cards includes 389 major league players and 134 minor league players; however, there are thousands of variations of cards, as the same player could be featured in different uniforms and poses and with a different product advertised on the card’s back.

One page of T206 White Border cards.

The DRT Library’s collection of T206 baseball cards includes players from all of the “Classic Eight” National League teams: Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Cincinnati, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. Four of these cities (Boston, Chicago, New York, and St. Louis) also had American League teams, and their players are represented in the collection. There are also cards for players on the American League teams in Washington D. C., Cleveland, and Detroit. (It might be noted here that before Major League Baseball’s expansion in the 1960s, St. Louis had the westernmost and southernmost team in the United States.) Furthermore, the DRT Library’s collection includes cards for minor league players on teams from Mobile and Montgomery, Alabama; Rochester, New York; Jersey City, New Jersey; Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; and Kansas City, Missouri. Finally, while many of the baseball cards are for players who are not well-known today, the collection does include cards for famous Hall of Famers like Ty Cobb; Cy Young; and Chicago Cubs players Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance.

Cutouts of players and circular baseball cards.

In addition to the T206 cards, the scrapbook contains other interesting baseball cards and ephemera from the early twentieth century. Several pages contain cardboard cutouts of players that could stand independently, allowing children to recreate games between their favorite teams (see above). The scrapbook also includes fifty-six round cards with black-and-white images of players (see above). One page contains twenty-eight cards with red borders; preliminary research indicates that the players featured on these cards played in the Texas League.

Texas League baseball players.

To see more early baseball cards, see the Library of Congress’s online collection, “Baseball Cards, 1887-1914.”

Click here for a full citation of the documents and images included in this entry.

Robert E. Lee in Texas

Many people identify Robert E. Lee – who died on October 12, 1870, in Lexington, Virginia – as the Southern commander of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War (1861-1865). However, few may know that his career with the United States military lasted for thirty years, beginning with his graduation from West Point in 1831 and ending when he resigned his commission in the Army to join Virginia and the Confederacy in 1861.

A. H. Ritchie's 1861 engraving of Lee. This image is based upon Mathew Brady's photograph of Lee wearing civilian clothes, taken in the early 1850s. The DRT Library's copy is from the National Archives Photographic Records Office. (SC9958)

Lee’s lengthy career took him to posts across the country. On three occasions, his work also took him to Texas. Lee’s first experience in the Lone Star State occurred during the Mexican War, when he arrived in San Antonio in September 1846 and worked to construct and improve roads, bridges, and pontoons used by General John E. Wool’s army as it marched to Saltillo. Lee returned to Texas between March 1856 and October 1857, when he served with the Second Cavalry as it patrolled the state’s border and protected citizens from Indian attacks. After a lengthy return to Virginia, Lee returned to Texas in February 1860 as the acting commander of the Department of Texas, temporarily replacing an ailing General David E. Twiggs. Part of his duty involved pursuing Juan N. Cortina and stopping his border raids.

The approaching Civil War brought Lee’s time in Texas to an end. Less than three weeks after Texas seceded from the Union on February 1, 1861, General Twiggs surrendered all federal property in the state to its Confederate leaders. As a result, Lee and other U.S. soldiers left their posts and headed east.

Lee’s personal and official letters from his time in Texas illustrate his experiences as well as broader circumstances and events in the state at that time. The following document has been reproduced from the records of the federal government, Troubles on Texas Frontier (Thirty-Sixth Congress, First Session, Executive Document No. 81), published by the Government Printing office in 1860. A copy of this document is contained within the collections of the DRT Library.

Headquarters, Department of Texas

San Antonio, March 15, 1860

Colonel: I have had the honor to receive your letters of the 2d and 3d instant, containing the further instructions of the Secretary of War in relation to the outlaw Cortinas.

I take my departure this morning for the Rio Grande.

For the reasons stated in my letter of March 12, the bold and constant depredations on the northern frontier, I have been unwilling to diminish the small force on that line, and consequently the moral effect of the troops on the Rio Grande upon the banditti in Mexico, to oblige them to disperse, will not be as great as I could wish. I enclose an extract from a letter from Major Van Dorn, received yesterday, in further corroboration of the disabled condition of the horses of the second cavalry.

I have given orders that they be spared and nourished as much as possible; and with a view, if possible, of withdrawing the small bands of Indians from the settlements, have directed Major Thomas to organize all the available cavalry force for a general scout, and break up any camps they may have at the head of the Brazos or elsewhere.

For this purpose I have directed him to draw detachments of the first cavalry from the posts of Washita and Arbuckle.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. Lee

Brevet Colonel, Commanding Department of Texas

Colonel S. Cooper,

Adjutant General U.S.A., Washington City, D.C.

P.S. – The speediest way of rendering the second cavalry more effective would be to increase the number of horses to each company, which, by paragraph 4 of General Orders No. 13, Adjutant General’s office, October, 8, 1856, were reduced to sixty. In view of the very hard service they are called upon to make, this would be very desirable, and some of the horses would be recuperating while the others would be in the field. Nor would this add much to the expense of the present arrangement, as it would diminish the number of deaths of horses in the field, their being entirely disabled, and consequent sale.

In this event I would recommend that the requisite number of horses be purchased in this department if practicable, as they would be acclimated, accustomed to grass, &c., and I believe could be procured cheaper than if brought from the Mississippi valley.

R. E. L.

The inscription on the back of this photograph reads, "Genl. R. E. Lee. Photographed at his residence in Richmond, Va., just after the late war between the states." (SC9959)

For Further Reading:

Jenkins, John H., editor. Robert E. Lee on the Rio Grande: The Correspondence of Robert E. Lee on the Texas Border, 1860.

Rister, Carl Coke. Robert E. Lee in Texas.

Click here for a full citation of the documents and images included in this entry.

Susanna Dickinson: Alamo Survivor

Studying a historical person or event often involves exploring different types of materials, as each type contributes a distinctive perspective on the subject. For example, walking through a restored home places you where someone celebrated with their family and friends, experienced loss or tragedy, completed daily tasks, and much more. Additionally, historians can read letters, diaries, and other documents written by people who lived in the past and touch artifacts that they created and/or used. Researchers also use secondary sources written by scholars; these works synthesize information from disparate sources and place the experiences of an individual or group within a larger context.

Visitors to the Alamo can walk through the historic structures of the former mission, and the collections of the DRT Library complement this experience with a variety of primary sources, artifacts, and secondary sources. Such is the case, for example, with Susanna Dickinson, who, with her daughter Angelina, was among the women and children who survived the Battle of the Alamo. Mrs. Dickinson lived the rest of her life in Texas and died in Austin on October 7, 1883. You can read more about Susanna and Angelina in the Handbook of Texas Online.

Susanna Dickinson. (SC95.342)

Angelina Dickinson. (SC95.052)

The DRT Library has a copy of a photograph of Susanna and an ambrotype of Angelina. Both images show the women later in their lives (above). Moreover, two of the treasures at the DRT library are petticoats that belonged to each of these women. These clothes, which they did not own and wear until several years after the Texas Revolution, and the photographs were donated by one of their descendants, Mrs. R. E. Nitschke.

Angelina Dickinson's petticoat.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries the word “petticoat” was used to indicate a “skirt, as distinguished from a bodice, worn either externally or showing beneath a dress as part of the costume (often trimmed or ornamented).” As authors C. Willett and Phyllis Cunningham note in their History of Underclothes (1992), petticoats and other undergarments have traditionally served several purposes for both men and women, including protecting the body against cold and creating fashionable shapes and silhouettes. To see how women’s fashions changed in Europe and the United States throughout the nineteenth century and over the course of Susanna’s and Angelina’s lives, see the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s thematic essay and online exhibit entitled “Nineteenth-Century Silhouette and Support.”

Lace detail, Angelina Dickinson's petticoat.

Finally, the DRT Library also has a marriage bond for Almeron and Susanna Dickinson dated May 24, 1829 in Hardeman County, Tennessee. This document obligated Almeron Dickinson and co-signer B. D. Johnson to pay Governor William Hall $1,050, an amount owed only if the bride or groom changed their mind or if a legal or moral obstacle to the marriage presented itself.

Marriage bond, Almeron and Susanna Dickinson.

For Further Reading

Hansen, Todd. The Alamo Reader: A Study in History.

“Historic Sites — Alamo — Alamo Defenders”: the DRT Library has vertical files for Angelina, Almeron, and Susanna Dickinson.

Hollmann, Robert. Susanna Dickinson.

King, C. Richard. Susanna Dickinson: Messenger of the Alamo.

Click here for a full citation of the documents and images included in this entry.

“Come and Take It”

Yesterday, October 2, marked the 173^rd anniversary of the Battle of Gonzales. Andrew Ponton, the Alcalde (chief executive) of Gonzales, wrote the following letter on September 26, 1835 in response to the Mexican government’s request that the town return the cannon that had been given to its citizens to protect themselves against Indians. Since Ponton refused to surrender the cannon, on September 27 Domingo de Ugartechea, the military commander in Texas, sent Francisco de Castaneda and his troops to retrieve it. The Battle of Gonzales followed. This event, while really only a skirmish, marked the definitive split between the Mexican government and the colonists. For more information about the Battle of Gonzales from the Handbook of Texas Online, click here.

This letter, a photocopy, is from the library’s DRT 9 Collection, which contains single documents and some small collections received by the library before 1981.

The transcribed text of the letter can be found below the two pages of the document. Original spelling and punctuation have been maintained.

Gonzales Sep^t 26^th 1835

Excellent Sir

I received an order purporting to have come from you for a certain piece of Ordinance which is in this place = It happened that I was absent an so was the remainder part of the Ayuntan^to when your dispatch arrived – in consequence the men who bore sd [said] dispatch were necessarily detained untill to day for an answer =. This is a matter of delicasy to me nor do I know without further information how to act – this cannon was as I have always been informed given in perpetuity to this Town for its defence against the Indians. The dangers which existed at the time we received this cannon still exist and for the same purposes it is still needed here = our common enemy is still to be dreaded or prepared against.

How or in what manner such arms are appropriated throughout the country I am as yet ignorant but am led to believe that disspositions of this nature should be permanent at least as long as the procuring cause exists = I must therefore beg leave to I hope be excused from delivering up the sd cannon untill I have obtained more information on the subject matter At least untill I have an opportunity of consulting the Chief of this department on the subject = as well to act without precipitation = as to perform strictly and clearly my duty. and I assure you, that if, after a mature deliberation on the subject, I find it to be my duty & in justice to your self = I obligate my self to comply with your demands = and will without delay sent the cannon to you

God & Liberty –

Andrew Ponton Alcalde

Click here for a full citation of the documents and images included in this entry.

October is American Archives Month

Sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, the Council of State Archivists, and Lockheed Martin, American Archives Month promotes the importance of records of enduring history value in order to enhance public recognition for the people and programs that are responsible for maintaining our communities’ vital historical records.

What are archives?

In the course of daily life, individuals and families, organizations (e.g. schools, universities and colleges, businesses, churches), and governments create and keep information about their activities. Once these records become non-current, a portion are judged to possess enduring historical value; the records within this portion, and the places in which they are kept, are called ‘archives.’ Many records in archives are textual; these materials include correspondence, newspapers, diaries, maps, scientific data, and financial and legal documents. However, archives are much more than “old papers”! They also include photographs and artifacts as well as video and sound recordings. Increasingly, archives must also manage and preserve electronic records such as e-mails.

What do archivists do?

Archivists are professionals who assess, collect, organize, preserve, and help patrons identify and use historically significant collections of unique materials.

Why are archives important?

In his 2008 presidential address, outgoing Society of American Archivists president Mark A. Greene asserted that “archivists are professionals who shoulder the power of defining and providing access to the primary sources of history, primary sources that protect rights, educate students, inform the public, and support a primal human desire to understand our past.” By preserving and providing access to primary sources, archives also document the breadth of individual human experiences and protect collective memory. Additionally, archival records of local, state, and federal governments and public and private institutions are essential in making these organizations accountable and their actions transparent.

While historians and genealogists are the most obvious users of archival resources, archival collections can be significant for any person whose project requires a historical perspective or dimension. Archivist Bruce Dearstyne provided these examples in his article “What is the Use of Archives?” (American Archivist, Winter 1987):

Businesses, governments, and other institutions need archival records for retrospective policy analysis and to provide continuity in administration. Government records document the responsibilities of government and the rights of its citizens. They are often essential in legal matters – to document agreements, substantiate claims, and prove contentions. Engineers use old plans, maps, sketches, reports, and specifications for information on the location, age, and physical characteristics of the infrastructure … Environmental researchers use historical records to study land use patterns, water use, and other environmental issues. Medical researchers use patient files and other records to understand genetic and familial diseases and to trace the impact of epidemics (81).

For more information about archives, see the article “What is an Archives?”

(Information in this blog post came from the Society of American Archivists American Archives Month public relations kit.)

Did You Know?

…that, established in 1934, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) collects, preserves, and provides access to documents created by the federal government? The National Archives system encompasses the main building in Washington D.C. and a second storage facility in College Park, Maryland, as well as fourteen regional archives, seventeen federal records centers, and twelve presidential libraries located across the country.

…that NARA deals with a staggering quantity of records, as evidenced by these statistics reported by Archivist Allen Weinstein in his 2007 “State of the Archives” speech and his address at the Society of American Archivists 2007 annual meeting:

• As of November 2007, NARA faced a backlog of “three billion pages of unprocessed records, including many that must be reviewed for declassification.”
• In fiscal year 2007, NARA archivists processed more than 450 million pages of records; they also reviewed and released 1.3 million pages of formerly classified records “over which the archives has declassification authority.”
• Government agencies are producing increasing amounts of records that must be handed over to the National Archives. For example, while President Reagan’s administration produced almost 44 million textual pages, President Clinton’s administration created 78 million textual pages and an additional 20 million e-mails. If the Clinton e-mails were printed, they “would surpass the number of textual pages of Presidential records generated by President George H.W. Bush’s administration.”

…that NARA and its partners are developing an Electronic Records Archives (ERA) that will preserve almost all types of electronic documents, no matter the specific software or hardware used to create them?