La Borde House

Following 83 Highway northwest from Mercedes you'll reach Rio Grande City, 

home of the La Borde House Hotel.

The La Borde House was built in 1899 by Francoise La Borde, and used as a home for the family and a way-station for travelers. One block south on the Rio Grande was a landing for river boats that carried goods and passengers.

The house boasted a tunnel that traveled to the river, and rumors are varied as to the purpose.

 The house became a hotel, then a boarding house and a hotel again. 

It fell in to disrepair but was resurrected in the early 1980s and is now on the National Register of Historic Homes.

At the end of the porch you can see half of a double door.

Keep that in mind as we'll return.

The rooms have been furnished in period furniture and wallpaper.

The floor lamp seems a bit tacky though.

The rooms have footed tubs and pedestal sinks, and the commodes are in a their own little room.

A beautiful marble topped dresser.

Most of the rooms have fireplaces.

This is the room that Lady Bird Johnson reportedly stayed in during a visit.

The lovingly restored furniture is in all the rooms and here a fainting couch waits

in the hall.

This shows the second story in back, above the courtyard.

We plan to spend a night at the hotel this winter, and the double doors open to the room I want to sleep in.

Called The Red Room it was the former lodging of a woman who "entertained" gentlemen callers.

It's also ............haunted.

Yes, the entire hotel is supposed to be a hot bed of paranormal activity.

Visitors report cold areas of rooms and unexplained noises - visions of bodies floating by and children laughing or calling their mothers.

The Red Room is reputed to be the busiest spot due to the suicide of the woman who plied her trade there.

Who knows?

Maybe something will go bump in the dark.