Spooky Stuff

San Antonio cathedral scares up spot among most haunted places in U.S.

It is believed the original San Fernando Cathedral was built in the 1700s.

As the oldest church in Texas, it’s no surprise that some people claim ghosts haunt San Antonio’s San Fernando Cathedral. But the cathedral’s reputation is so spooky that on October 15, Condé Nast Traveler magazine named it one of the 30 most haunted places in the U.S. — the only place in Texas to make the list.

“When construction workers started renovating the church in 1936, they unearthed bones, nails, and tattered military uniforms near the altar, which some believe belonged to three soldiers of the Alamo,” Condé Nast Traveler says. “Since the disturbing incident, visitors have reported shadowy figures and orbs in their photographs, as well as ghosts in the back of the church itself. Such otherworldly inhabitants include a man dressed in black and figures in hooded, monk-like clothing.”

Condé Nast Traveler points out, though, that skeptics dismiss the story about the Alamo soldiers, given that they likely died in a fire.

San Fernando Cathedral, established in 1731, welcomes thousands of people each week for Masses, baptisms, weddings, funerals, concerts, and other events. Alamo hero James Bowie even got married there in 1831.

A few apparitions apparently are on hand for those activities. Among them is a white stallion galloping in front of the church, according to Ghost City Tours, one of several companies that include the cathedral on their San Antonio ghost tours.

“On one occasion, a guest on a ghost tour stood listening to her guide regale her with the tales of the church itself. But even as she stood there, her gaze continued to track a strange man who seemed to be following the tour,” Ghost City Tours recalls. “He trailed them, following them from the front of the cathedral and then again when they edged toward the back of the historic site. And then … then, he simply disappeared.”

Ghostly monks, however, seem to be the most frequently spotted apparitions. The tour company speculates that the monks perhaps are unwilling to depart their house of worship, or maybe they are unable to leave the place since their bodies (and the bodies of other people) were buried within the church’s walls or under the church’s floor.

This isn't the first time Conde Nast Traveler has highlighted San Antonio's spooky past. In 2016, the Alamo City joined New Orleans, Boston, and Savannah to be named one of the country's eight most haunted cities.

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Red Light

San Antonio City Council votes to end horse-drawn carriage rides by 2030

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Horses will no longer pull carriages on the streets of downtown San Antonio.

Life for a horse in San Antonio is about to look a lot different. City Council has unanimously voted (with one abstention) to phase out the use of horse-drawn carriages over the next five years. That means by January 1, 2030, there will be none on the streets at all; instead, there will be electric carriages.

These plans have been in the making since 2022 — if not always at the same level of intensity — when District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 3 Councilmember Phyllis Viagran wrote up some concerns about the horses' wellbeing. A special session at the end of October 2024 hinted to San Antonians that the end for this practice was neigh — sorry, nigh — and the final vote was made on December 12. In addition to accepting the plan, it extended its timeframe by two years.

The initial proposal included worries about the horses' exposure to traffic and pollution, as well how their presence might exacerbate those issues for the environment at large by slowing traffic. It also raised concerns about the effects of standing or walking on hard surfaces for too long, or spending time in extreme weather.

At the December 12 meeting, San Antonians gave impassioned speeches about animal welfare — both to call attention to the need for better conditions and to defend the reputations and jobs of current horse drivers — but it wasn't the first time the council heard from the public about the issue.

In a prior city survey, 50,476 respondents weighed in. Of those respondents, 51.98 percent said they liked the idea to "Transition horse-drawn carriages to electric carriages and pedicabs and ban horse drawn carriages completely." There were alternative solutions listed, but respondents were less drawn to them.

A cultural divide emerged in the data and continued in the December meeting: some people avoided the carriages because they worried about the treatment of the horses, while others enjoyed them because of their historical echoes and living legacy. Many speakers in favor of the plan used this to form their argument, raising questions about history versus progress.

More tangible objections to the plan hinged on the businesses — specifically five companies — and jobs that would be lost, which was the main factor behind extending the adjustment period.

Discussions about the particulars of the electric vehicles are still to come, as confirmed in the discussion near the end of the meeting. Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez addressed concerns about what would happen to the horses, mentioning the Brady Hunter Foundation as a future partner in finding them rescue homes.

Some council members also brought up rhetorical questions about animal exploitation by groups like Sea World, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, military and police forces, and even various groups in the Fiesta parade, although these did not come with a formal motion to pick the issues up.

This decision could have a ripple effect on other Texas cities. Dallas has recently considered a similar ban, but it appears to have stalled; Austin's attempts at a ban have been unsuccessful, but according to the Austin-American Statesman, only one operator is permitted to bring horses downtown. She declines to do so because the long hours are unfair to her and the horses. Houston does have horse-drawn carriages, and there seems to be little conversation about banning them.

Cities like Chicago and Salt Lake City have led the charge in the United States with some of the most prominent successful bans. Other cities around the world with bans include Brussels and Guadalajara, which both switched to electric models. Bans that have been around for years, like Guadalajara's and Prague's, still aren't out of the woods — people are still pushing back on the decision, so it sounds like San Antonio still has much work cut out for it.

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