Haunted Archer City: The Spirit of the Lonesome Dove Inn

In 1927, the community of Archer City, Texas elected to have a hospital developed in their town.

For reasons unknown, the hospital was eventually shut down decades later.

Many believe it was due to lack of space.

Updated 2/11/2020 – Rather than have the former hospital demolished, the building went up for sale.

It was purchased and renovated as a charming bed and breakfast.

The Inn was called the Lonesome Dove after Larry McMurty’s 1985 western novel of the same name.

The Building Purpose Changes, But the Ghosts Do Not…

The Lonesome Dove has now been closed, but its reputation lives on.

Nobody died while the building was an inn, however many patients passed on while it was still a hospital.

Locals believe that is why the hotel was haunted while it was in operation.

Over the years, guests reported witnessing several apparitions.

A nurse was often seen, seeming to carefully attend to patients who were no longer there.

Other guests reported that an unseen man ordered them to leave the Desert Rose Room.

When Alex’s car broke down in Archer City, he did not expect he’d have to remain there for the night.

But when the mechanic provided a litany of problems, he started asking around for a place to stay.

It was a holiday weekend, and most places had filled up fairly quickly.

Ghosts of Archer City

“I called the Lonesome Dove as a last resort, not expecting them to have any vacancies.

But the woman on the phone said that they had had a cancellation, and the room was mine if I wanted it.

A romantic B&B isn’t what I had in mind, but I knew I couldn’t afford to be picky at that point,” Alex said.

“The woman who checked me in invited to me to dinner in the dining room that night, and I went, thinking it would be better than fast food.

I remember sitting at the large table, and I kept thinking I saw something move out of the corners of my eyes.

Not the movements of the people at the table, mind you, but someone lurking in the far corners of the room,” he said, pointing around.

“I figured I was just tired and needed to get to bed early.

I finished my meal and crawled straight into bed in my room.

I must have been asleep for a couple of hours before I heard a noise that woke me up.

“The door to my room slowly began to creak open, I assumed because someone had opened a door down the hall.

I got up and closed it, then noticed something moving in my room.

I was half-awake, but it wasn’t just my eyes adjusting.

It’s like there was somebody else in the room.

I couldn’t clearly see a person, but I saw shadows moving around,” he said, moving his hands across his body.

“If somebody is there….

I would really appreciate it if you would please leave my room, because I find you a little frightening,’ I whispered into the dark, figuring that it couldn’t hurt to ask.

A moment passed and I heard the door creak again, then nothing.

I went over, closed the door tightly, and went back to sleep.

“I’ll have to admit, I know I should get goosebumps and be freaked out when I think back to what happened that night, but it honestly kind of excites me.

I heard the Lonesome Dove is closed now, but I’d love to have a chance to stay there again.

Maybe I could go with one of those ghost hunting teams or something?”

Address

287 West Main Street
Archer City, TX
United States