Ep 145 – The Queen of the Gulf

The Grand Galvez (also known as the Queen of the Gulf) has stood by the Galveston, Texas shore for over one hundred years, hosting weddings, swimsuit contests, and tourists visiting the Gulf of Mexico. During that time, ghost stories have collected around the building, with some calling it the most haunted hotel in the state.

In this episode, we dive into the ghost stories surrounding the Queen of the Gulf — from Audra, the “Love-lorn Lady” who believed her fiancé died at sea, to Sister Katherine, the protective nun who watches for the coming storm. We also discuss more recent paranormal experiences at the hotel, including slamming doors, a malfunctioning elevator, the smell of gardenias, and a ghost girl who” slept in a guest’s bed for a night.

But first, Zoey is here with her Something Spooky: twin flames!

CW: suicide

Sources:

“My stay in the haunted room 501 of the Hotel Galvez in Galveston” by Marsha on the Get Off the Couch blog, posted Aug. 15, 2013. (We also discuss and/or read a couple of comments about experiences at the hotel from this link.)

“An Evening of Revelations at Galveston’s Hotel Galvez” by Dianna Wray, Houstonia, Sept. 25, 2019.

“Hunting for Haunted Galveston” by Melissa Gaskill, Texas Highways, Sept. 10, 2013.

“‘Ghost Bride Ball’ and haunted tours some of the ghostly happenings at Grand Galvez Hotel” by Lauren Kelly, Houston Life, Oct. 23, 2023.

“Is This Galveston Hotel Haunted?” by Brooke Lewis, City Cast Houston, Oct. 5, 2023.

“Staffers at the Most Haunted Hotels in Texas Tell Their Spooooookiest Stories” by Madeleine Aggeler, TexasMonthly, Oct. 2021.

“Top 10 Hotels That Will Scare the Daylights Out of You” by Charles W. Bryant and Jessika Toothman, How Stuff Works.

“My Hotel Galvez ghost encounter. Video link at end.” by Reddit user schwabschwab on the Houston subreddit; posted 3 years ago.

Video posted to X (previously known as Twitter) by @michaelschwab13, Aug. 15, 2020. (This is the video linked to in the Reddit post above.)

https://grandgalvez.com/history/

“Historical Facts About Hotel Galvez & Spa” by Rod Evans, Galveston.com, July 16, 2019.

Inscription for Texas Historical Mission’s marker for the Original Site of St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=117416.

https://grandgalvez.com/ghost-tours/#popup-ghost (discusses selections from A History of the Hotel Galvez by Kathleen Maca)

https://grandgalvez.com/ghost-tours/

“I went to Texas’ most haunted hotel and yes, I believe in ghosts now” by Jess Austin, METRO, pub. Oct., 14, 2023; updated Oct. 31, 2023.

http://www.galvestonghost.com/galvez.html (This is the account of Haunted Galveston’s paranormal investigation and includes the photo we discuss.)

“I think I saw a ghost at Galvez Hotel in Galveston…” by Reddit user m033118b, posted in the Paranormal subreddit two years ago.

Something Spooky source: “What is a Twin Flame? 11 Signs You’ve Found Yours” by Sarah Regan, mbgrelationships, Nov. 22, 2023.