I love the Texas and have gone several times. It's not only a great historical site and a wonderful feeling for what ships were like at the time, but it's also a wonderful workout as you climb from one deck to another, a great family experience and a history lesson that doesn't have to be force-fed. \r
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It's also home to one of the spookiest experiences I've ever had. I was with my husband and a friend and we were exploring the deepest part of the ship, where the engines and steam pipes were. It was November and very cold. I put my hand on one of the pipes and it was searing hot! In that instant the room seemed to be filled with steam and I could see men bustling about. I had no sense of fear or danger, just a great deal of anticipation and activity. I could see one man clearly. He looked me full in the eyes. He was wearing dark pants, an old-fashioned undershirt (not a T shirt) and a dixie cup cap on the back of his head. He had dark hair, dark eyes and heavy eyebrows, light skin and a heavy 5 o'clock shadow. I took him to be of Italian descent and guessed him to be mid-20's. \r
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Then the image was gone. The burn on my hand faded a few minutes after. I'm told the Texas is haunted, but I don't believe I saw ghosts. I think I saw a photograph-like image that I've since begun calling a ship's memory.\r
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Does anyone know who the dark-eyed sailor might have been?
Pros: Well preserved, excellent historical marker. Wonderful time.
Cons: Not for the disabled. Hard to get around. Very physical
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