State Lines: Take a Haunting Trek Through Jefferson

As the self-proclaimed “most haunted town in Texas,” Jefferson has no shortage of spine-tingling stories swirling about.

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With Deep South charm, Victorian romance, and beguiling bayou beauty, Jefferson is an enigmatic getaway in the Piney Woods — but in 1870, it was the second busiest port in Texas.

This might strike you as odd since Jefferson is a landlocked city near the border of Louisiana, but things were a little different back then. Just south of Shreveport, a massive 160-mile-long logjam blocked the Red River as it had since time immemorial, according to the Caddo Indians. The natural dam pushed water levels up several feet in the river as well as Caddo Lake and the Big Cypress Bayou east of Jefferson. It all connected into a vast watery expanse that reached to the Mississippi River, enabling steamboat travel to Jefferson from New Orleans and far-away ports of call.

Boom times began shortly after Jefferson was founded in 1840, with riverboats bringing affluence and a cosmopolitan panache. Vestiges of its heyday era still adorn the town today, a patina of past glory that hums with the mysterious allure of the lost. Balconies with wrought-iron railings beckon you to linger. Horse-drawn carriages trundle down the original brick streets. Stately Greek Revival mansions and ornate Victorians stand in silent reverie with a haunting elegance — and haunted halls, rooms, and porches. 

As the self-proclaimed “most haunted town in Texas,” Jefferson has no shortage of spine-tingling stories swirling about. Ghost tours run year-round. Listen for footsteps in the parlor at The Grove, an antebellum home and purported paranormal hotspot. Watch for specters in the coffeehouse at Hotel Kahn, a former saloon that freaked out Steven Spielberg so much that he wrote “Poltergeist.” Or just tuck into bed — chances are wherever you’re staying, there’s a ghost story or two floating around.

The gothic aura extends to the Big Cypress Bayou and Caddo Lake, which you can explore on a guided boat tour. Creep through thickets of cypress trees immersed in the mists and murk, a swamp realm of shadows and tangled Spanish moss. Keep an eye out for the sasquatch; cryptozoologists claim that the beast calls Caddo Lake home. Where paddle steamers once churned toward Jefferson’s prosperous port, now snapping turtles skulk and alligators slip out of sight. Bigfoot or not, something otherworldly is stirring in these listless, languid waters.

Jefferson’s day in the sun came to an end in 1873 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers applied a new solution to the logjam problem: nitroglycerin. To clear the river, they dynamited the dam — and Jefferson’s valuable port city status. No longer able to navigate Caddo Lake, the riverboats disappeared along with the boom times. But they left a beautifully preserved town in their wake, as graceful and proud as she ever was back when the sound of steamship bells filled the air. 

Savor

Fine dining meets live music at 1852 on Austin, a new restaurant that fancies up Texas comfort food like honey fried chicken and brisket burgers. The bands kick up at 8 p.m., so make your table reservation early if you prefer not to jam. Did someone say brisket? Joseph’s Riverport Bar-B-Q slathers on the sauce in true East Texas style. Smoked beef brisket is the standout here; try it mounded on cheesy Swamp Fries with bacon, onions, and jalapeño. Stop by Kitt’s Kornbread Sandwich & Pie Bar to nosh on cornbread sammies like the Club, the Irish, the Sicilian, or the Redneck (fried bologna and cheese) — followed by one of 15 varieties of pie. For something a bit lighter, dip into Austin Street Bistro for flavorful salads and scratch-made soups. Don’t skimp with the maple butter on your oatmeal molasses bread.

Shop

Get lost in a whirlwind of old-timey toys and candy galore at Jefferson General Store, a nostalgic mercantile and soda fountain that’s a portal to a bygone era. Play a round of checkers while you slow-sip a Coke float or a 5-cent cup of coffee. Head to Bohn’s Gift Shoppe for a bottle of Jefferson-famous Blackburn Syrup or pick up a jar of fresh-milled peanut butter at Nutty’s. Specialty stores cluster around Polk Street, with Christmas in every season at Yesteryear Gift Shop and masterfully crafted belts at Calavera Leather. Browse statement-piece hats at The Lazy Draft and pretty baubles at River Rose Boutique. And if you’re shopping for fudge or antiques, just walk in any direction and you’ll find what you’re looking for. 

Enjoy

Glimpse the extravagant lifestyle of the Gilded Age’s 1% in the Atalanta, the luxurious private train car that belonged to railroad tycoon Jay Gould. Sumptuous crystal, silver, and mahogany embellish its interior spaces, including four bed chambers and a ballroom. The unmissable red-brick building next door is the Jefferson Historical Society Museum, where you can roam three floors of artifacts from the Caddo Indians, Sam Houston, and the Civil War. Lean further into the Deep South vibes at Scarlett O’Hardy’s Gone With the Wind Museum or admire vintage clocks at the quirky Museum of Measurement & Time. For nightlife, Auntie Skinner’s Riverboat Club hosts live music on the weekends in a converted 1850s warehouse that’s full of character — and characters.

Snooze

In the “B&B Capital of Texas,” you’ll have more than 60 handsome historic homes to choose from, but book early to snag a bedroom in the best of them (particularly on weekends). The landmark House of the Seasons is worth touring even if you’re not sleeping there, a spectacular Greek Revival and Victorian mansion with murals and a cupola. Every room has a fireplace and king-sized bed at the Delta Street Inn, and the Benefield House is an enchanting Queen Anne Victorian with original stained glass in the bedrooms. If hotels are more your speed, stay where Ulysses S. Grant and Oscar Wilde did: Excelsior House, the oldest hotel in Texas. To be fair, it feels a lot like a B&B with its canopy beds and clawfoot tubs — but you won’t have to make small talk over breakfast. 

How to Get There

You’ll spend most of the three-hour trip to Jefferson on Interstate 20 heading east from Fort Worth. After 184 miles, take Exit 617 for U.S. Route 59 and turn north, driving 20 more miles to reach Jefferson.