Houston, Texas is home to one of the most beautiful libraries ever built.
The Julia Ideson Library was built in 1926, and remained Houston’s primary branch until 1976, when more space was needed.
Updated 2/11/2020 – The building was designed in the Spanish Renaissance Revival style, and is now listed as a historic landmark.
While hundreds of people visit the library on a weekly basis, the building is known to be haunted.
The Most Dedicated Employee in Houston
Some believe that decades ago a man was employed to maintain the building, and he fell in love with the library and his job.
After he passed away he refused to leave his post and still oversees the library to this day.
Brianna (Name changed for privacy), a young Houston native, enjoys spending many hours during summer vacation devouring books at the library.
“I love to read, and my mom’s apartment isn’t that far so she lets me walk to the library all by myself,” she beamed.
I spend hours there every day reading.”
Brianna, did you ever hear about the library being haunted?
“Yeah…a boy at school told me once,” she said, no longer smiling.
“It scared me, but I thought if I was around other people, nothing bad could happen.”
But something did happen?
Brianna nodded glumly.
“My mom called me and told me she was working late, so I could stay at the library until closing time.
I had found a really long chapter-book and settled into a chair tucked behind a corner.
I didn’t mean to fall asleep, but when I woke up the library was empty and it was really dark inside.”
Chased by A Ghost
“I was so scared at first, until I heard the squeak squeak of a library cart being pushed nearby.
’Hello?!’ I called out, and the cart stopped moving.
I got up from my chair and started walking around the shelves, hoping to find the librarian that was still there.
“I weaved around and I found the shelving cart in the middle of an aisle way.
When I moved it, it made the same squeaking noise so I knew it was the cart I had heard,” Brianna said with a gesture.
“When I heard someone murmuring in the next row, I ran around the corner…but nobody was there.
I stood there, wondering where the librarian had gone, when a book fell off the shelf right behind me.
“I was really, really scared so I ran from the children’s section into the adult section.
I stood in a row, catching my breath when I heard the same murmuring in the row to my right.
“A book was shoved underneath the shelf and into my row.
I glanced down at it and saw that it was called The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe.
“There was a large black bird on the cover and it really scared me,” Brianna added in a whimper.
The cart squeaks started up again and I realized that it wasn’t a librarian in there with me, but the old caretaker.
“I started to run toward the front doors of the lobby, and the squeaks started getting louder and closer as I ran.
By the time I made it to the doors, it felt like the caretaker was right behind me, but I was way too scared to look.
“I found a latch on one of the doors and pushed it down to get it to open.
I turned to look back as I ran and I saw the caretaker watching me from the closed door.
“He had his arms spread out as if to grab me, and a bird was perched on him too.
I never go to the Houston library by myself anymore,” Brianna said in a fearful whisper.