Exploring The Witch’s Castle And Its Ghostly Whispers In Waco

Growing Up With West Texas Ghost Stories

I’ve said it before, and I'll say it again, I’m not the kind of guy who buys into every ghost story. But growing up in Abilene, Texas, the tales were impossible to ignore. Back in my Abilene High School days, friends swore there was a “Witch’s House” on Sayles Boulevard. It was an old home with no front porch, just a lone door, and the woman who lived there always dressed in black. Everyone whispered that she was a witch.

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I’ll admit it: I spent more than a few nights parked across the boulevard with buddies, hoping we’d see something spooky, maybe even someone flying in on a broom. Spoiler alert: it never happened. But the chill of waiting in the dark, watching that house, was half the fun.

Taking the Fear on the Road: Waco’s Witch’s Castle

That same fascination followed us out of town. During a high school speech and drama tournament in Waco, a carload of us went looking for another infamous spot, the Witch’s Castle inside Cameron Park. We wound through Greenwood Drive, hiked into dense brush, and finally stumbled on the ruins just as the sun dipped low. Suddenly a voice called out, “What are you kids doing here?” and just like that, we bolted back to the car, hearts racing.

The True Story Behind the Castle

Despite all the scary tales, the castle wasn’t home to witches. Local surveyor John Kamenec uncovered its history: the home was built in the early 1900s by stonemason Levi Coombes as a private family residence. Its stone gate and hilltop perch gave it that castle vibe. It sat abandoned for decades before burning in 1961, leaving behind only crumbling walls.

Haunted or Just Great Storytelling?

There’s no proof of actual hauntings, but the ruins, once known as Eagle Rock, still give hikers and cyclists an eerie feeling. Some claim to hear whispers or see shapes in the trees. Maybe it’s just imagination. Maybe it’s something more.

How to Experience It Yourself

If you’re up for an October thrill, head to 3613 Greenwood Drive, Waco, inside Cameron Park. It’s a good daylight hike, but if you want goosebumps, visit near dusk, preferably with friends and a flashlight. And if you grew up in Abilene like me, it’s the perfect follow-up to those teenage nights of watching the Sayles Boulevard “Witch’s House” and daring each other to believe.