Thursday, January 8, 2009

The Sallie Suite is Haunted!

My husband is not much of a B&B man, but he does love history. So, when we visited historical Salado, TX, this New Years with relatives, he agreed to stay in the Historic Rose Mansion built in 1872 by Major Archibald Rose. It was the home of his family for a hundred years. The home is filled with antiques and artifacts used and treasured during the family's lifetime. Guests can browse at leisure.


The architecture is interesting in that you approach the enclosed stairway from the rear of the entry hall. I thought these old homes had exposed staircases and they met you as you entered the room.


To the left you enter the front parlor, move on into the rear parlor, and then into the dining room with the kitchen at the end. The front three room are now used for dining, though the front parlor also has a sitting area. One bedroom is located downstairs. It's the Salado Room.

Upstairs are two bedrooms, the Quilters Room and the Sallie Suite. To reach the bathroom in the suite, you walk down several steps into a small, long room with an entrance onto a porch. Off the porch and behind the suite is another room, the Traveler's Room, with an outer entrance behind the suite. The outdoor stairway is steep.





The Sallie Suite is named for Major
Rose's wife, Sallie. Pictures of the couple hang in both the front parlor and dining room. They are a distinguished pair.

Many guests, who have no prior knowledge of the mansion's reputation, have reported sightings of a spirit. They claim to have seen a woman, dressed in a green or white robe, at various places in the home, yet have never felt afraid or threatened. Guests have described the apparition as being warm and maternal.

Though many believe the resident ghost is Sallie, it is one of her eleven children, her daughter Beatrice as identified from an old family photograph.

My husband and I slept peacefully both nights we stayed in the Sallie Suite. Though I had to get up and trip down those stairs to the bathroom, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. It wasn't until I picked up a copy of Salado, A Jewel In the Crown Of Texas, Free Guide to the Historic Village of Salado, Fall 2005 Edition, for my blog post on the Stagecoach Inn that I saw the article by Chris McGregor, Staff Writer on Visiting Salado's 'haunted' Past.

I complained all the way home. "Darn, I'd loved to have seen Sallie, Beatrice, anyone." If I'd known, maybe I would have been more in-tune, but I doubt it. I guess the spirit knew we were all having a good time and didn't need any intervention. Plus, we had colds and she may have avoided our sneezing.

I do have to say, New Years Eve, as we sat around the fire in the front parlor, an aura showed up in two pictures. Maybe she was around and we just didn't know it.

I give credit to Chris McGregor for much of the information in this post. I loved your article, Chris, and thank you.

If you're ever in Salado and want a nice place to stay, visit The Rose Mansion. The food and hospitality is wonderful.

Happy reading and writing!

Linda








11 comments:

Kimber Chin said...

I've seen at least one ghost
and I certainly don't want to see another!

Sounds like a lovely place!
Thanks for letting us explore it with you (virtually), Linda!

Marci Baun said...

It sounds like a lovely place.

I've encountered a few ghosts in my time. I also have a picture where I am surrounded by ghosts. Creepy photo!

Marci

Candace Morehouse said...

Don't feel bad, Linda.
I try to stay at haunted places whenever I travel in the hopes of experiencing something.
Over the weekend my husband proposed to me, he specially booked a room at a hotel in Bisbee, AZ which was reputed to be haunted. Much as I tried, I never did see or hear anything out of the ordinary.
Maybe next time!

Missy said...

What a gorgeous locale! I love B&B's and this one looks exquisite. As to ghosts -- go back just before Samhain and I'm sure you'll see lots!

Cindy said...

It does sound like a wonderful place...and the pictures were fun to look at! I think it's neat that an aura showed up in a couple.

Do you think you will ever go back?

Elaine Cantrell said...

I've never seen a ghost, and frankly I don't want to. I have a cousin who says her house is haunted, but I've never seen anything there.

Helen Hardt said...

This kind of stuff is fascinating. Thanks for sharing!

Helen

Jen Childers said...

Too fun!
I never saw a ghost, but my grandfather has. In Kings mountain there is a battle ground that is haunted, i will make a trek up there.
Can we keep a tally of haunted places in the US? This might be a fun way for those of us with no money to experience the sights.
Jen

Clover Autrey said...

I've only seen one spirit as well. As a kid. Scared me. I'd love another shot at it now that I'm grown though.

Viola Estrella said...

Ooh, I want to go here. Thanks for sharing!

Viola
www.violaestrella.com

Anonymous said...

Since I write as Pamela K. Kinney and did a nonfiction ghost book, and have another coming out fall 2009, yeah, I've seen a few, heard them (mainly on my digital voice recorder) and now that i ghost hunt, more so.
Sapphire Phelan