Entry No. 50 — the Dallas file — filed under: abandoned-hotel
Baker Hotel Ghost Walk
A guide-led outdoor ghost walk circling the hulking, 14-story 1929 Baker Hotel — condemned and abandoned since 1972, now draped in restoration scaffolding and haunted lore — as your narrator recounts the Lady in White, a bisected bellhop, and the restless spirit of founder T.B. Baker himself. Tours run Saturday evenings and skirt the building and surrounding downtown blocks, so you get the full gothic silhouette without setting foot inside.
The story
In 1929, when wealthy travelers flooded Mineral Wells to chug lithium-laced spring water and cure everything from gout to melancholia, hotelier T.B. Baker opened a 14-story Spanish Colonial revival monster right in the center of town. For decades, the Baker Hotel hosted celebrities, oil barons, and politicians looking to soak away their sins. Then the mineral-water craze died, the doors slammed shut in 1972, and the building sat abandoned for nearly half a century—a towering, hollowed-out concrete tomb looming over Palo Pinto County.
While developers have spent years wrestling with scaffolding and long-term restoration efforts, the outdoor ghost walk keeps the building's darker history alive at street level. Your guide unpacks the local lore line by line: the Lady in White, supposedly Baker’s mistress who jumped to her death from the seventh floor and allegedly left behind a lingering scent of lavender perfume; the restless spirit of T.B. Baker himself; and the gruesome accident of a young bellhop cut in half by a malfunctioning elevator shaft.
Because the structure remains closed and heavily fenced for work, you won't step inside—and honestly, you don't need to. Standing on E Hubbard Street staring up at fourteen silent, open-windowed floors outlined against the night sky delivers a far colder spine-tingle than any dressed-up haunted house ever could.
What it's like
You’ll gather near the base of the hotel at 200 E Hubbard Street, where the 14-story tower completely dominates the block. The tour is a 90-minute outdoor walking loop around the fenced perimeter and through the immediate downtown square, so wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a jacket for cooler night air. Note the catch up front: security and chain-link fences keep the interior strictly off-limits, but watching the shadow of the hotel against a dark sky while hearing its weirdest histories is well worth the stroll.
The move: Arrive in Mineral Wells before dark, grab dinner on the square, then join the 8 pm Saturday ghost walk for a 90-minute loop around the looming Baker Hotel while a knowledgeable guide delivers the building's wilder history — wrap the night with a drink somewhere nearby and debate which ghost story you actually believe.
📍 Before you go The walk meets at the Baker Hotel itself — the 14-story tower is impossible to miss on E Hubbard Street, right at the edge of downtown, with street parking around the square. This is an outdoor, on-foot loop, so wear shoes you can walk in and dress for the weather; cooler fall and winter evenings beat the summer-dusk heat, and dates book up around Halloween. The hotel stays fenced for its long-running restoration, so tours stay outside — no interior access. Book ahead, arrive early for dinner on the historic square, and save a drink nearby for after.
- 📍 Mineral Wells
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 200 E Hubbard St, Mineral Wells, TX 76067
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Haunted Hill House — This 1890s Victorian served as a brothel catering to Baker Hotel guests and sits just a minute away for double the paranormal history.
- The Famous Mineral Water Company / Crazy Water Bar — Taste the lithium-rich mineral water that built the Baker Hotel's fortune in the first place before you walk its dark perimeter.
- Crazy Water Bath House & Spa — Soak in the historic mineral baths downtown earlier in the day to experience the health resort craze that originally put Mineral Wells on the map.
- Mineral Wells Fossil Park — Spend the afternoon digging up 300-million-year-old fossils in a former borrow pit before shifting to 20th-century ghost stories after dark.
Good to know
Do tours go inside the Baker Hotel?
No. The hotel is fenced off for ongoing restoration work and remains strictly closed to the public for safety and legal reasons. The entire tour takes place on public sidewalks outside.
When do the ghost walks take place?
Guided walks run on Saturday evenings, usually starting around 8:00 PM and lasting roughly 90 minutes.
Where do we park and meet?
Tours meet right at the Baker Hotel at 200 E Hubbard Street. Street parking is available around the historic downtown square.
Is the walk suitable for walking difficulties?
It's a low-intensity, 90-minute walk on paved city sidewalks surrounding the hotel, but you will be on your feet the entire time.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Yelp · Tripadvisor · trip.com · texasobserver.org · cbsnews.com
last checked: 2026-06-07