The History and Mystery of the Menger Hotel

by Docia Schultz Williams

Book Overview

This is the definitive account of a beloved hotel that has played a memorable role in San Antonio's history. Generously illustrated, this is the fascinating story of the people who owned the Menger and the noteworthy folk they entertained.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1556227922
• ISBN13: 9781556227929
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing
• Length: 310 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

I LOVE this book !

The Menger Hotel is my favorite place on earth. Some of the staff there was impressed that I know the history of the hotel. Sometimes I reread this book. I would like to meet Ms.Williams.And to stay in the King Ranch Suite.

One of a kind...

No one writes about Texas' ghostly history like Docia Williams. Having visited the Menger, I was delighted to find Docia's fascinating account of the "life and times" of this venerable old hotel. After providing a short history of the Menger family and early construction, Docia jumps right into the personalities that make this 140-year-old hotel so unique. The Menger's guest list has included Ulysses S. Grant, Gen. Sam Houston, Bob Hope, John Wayne, and the list goes on and on. Read about Teddy Roosevelt's 1898 recruitment of the Rough Riders in the Menger Bar (and the ghostly recruitment that frightened a recent Menger employee). Enjoy the account of Captain Richard King, owner of the famed million-acre Texas King Ranch. A resident guest, the 60-year-old rancher died in his suite in 1885; apparently he liked the accomodations, because he still returns now and again for visits. Of equal interest are the personal recollections of Asst. Gen. Mgr. Ernesto Malacaro who has dealt with some memorable guests in his 20+ years with the hotel. In a brief chapter titled "Specialties of the Past" the author serves up some interesting tidbits about long past dining experiences at the Menger. Mr. Menger raised his own hogs and was very proud of his cured bacon, pork chops, etc. One of his animals weighed over 1,000 pounds and was nearly seven feet long! The final chapters cover ghostly manifestations including Sallie White (murdered in 1876), the Confederate officer on the patio, the portly apparition of a maitre d' in the Colonial Dining Room, phantom chambermaids, and others. Read about the woman who awoke to find a male ghost grinning at her from the foot of her bed; the woman and her husband moved to a newer section of the hotel after the ghost "got frisky and tried to pull the bedcovers off her."In addition to the various stories, Docia Williams includes photographs taken of the hotel and its notable guests throughout the years. This book is a Texas treasure trove of historical fact and trivia from the mid-1850's to the present. It will be a valued part of your library.

A Great Book on San Antonio History and the Menger Hotel

My wife and I just spent a few days at the Menger Hotel and happened to run across this book. After being in awe of the hotel itself, this book provided us with a marvelous background of a hotel dating back almost 150 years. The author explains the history of the hotel in a very straight forward, easy to read format and left us wanting for more. As we sat outside in the gardens, we could just imagine the formal balls going on around us and the captivating personalities, written about in the book, strolling through the lobby. This is obviously a very throuroughly researched, well documented book encompassing the comings and goings of some very well known people, and some ghostly ones as well. We were just waiting to see Captain King stroll down the hallway, or see one of the various other spirits reliving their past life in this remarkable hotel. This book is a must read for those that love to read about Texas history, and the spirits that encompass it!