Opening its doors in the late 1850s, the Excelsior House is the oldest hotel in continuous operation in the state of Texas. Over the past century and a half they have had some very famous guests step through their doors such as Ulysses S. Grant and Lady Bird Johnson. The title of oldest hotel definitely makes it unique, but it’s not the only thing keeping things interesting – Excelsior House is allegedly haunted. Yep, haunted. Supposedly, a woman in black that is often carrying a baby and a headless man reside on the second floor. In fact, Stephen Spielberg is rumored to have stayed at the Excelsior House and had to leave in the middle of the night because the rocking chair in his room wouldn’t stop rocking. However, the most legendary spirit that haunts the Excelsior House is Diamond Bessie, a prostitute who was murdered in the woods just outside of Jefferson. Now her ghost is searching for her lost diamonds – she has been known to steal diamond rings right off the fingers of sleeping women. Thrill seekers might want to request the Jay Gould room, said to be especially haunted.
