Ghost looking out of the window of the Huebner-Onion House

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The Haunted Huebner-Onion Homestead

San Antonio, Texas. A historic town in a bombastic state, it’s of course racked up more than a few different nicknames over the centuries; Alamo City, Mission City, Military City, River City, the list goes on and on. 

These nicknames all speak to how diverse and offbeat the city of San Antonio really is. Whether it’s their popular basketball team, the passionate college students, the art scene, or the unique blending of the different cultures that make up the city, there’s something here for everyone, including ghost hunters. 

Yes, San Antonio, Texas, has its share of haunted histories, too, and nowhere is that more prevalent in this town than in the Hubener-Onion Homestead. A former stagecoach stop that evolved to be much more, this homestead has quite a twisted tale behind it. 

And, of course, if you want to see San Antonio’s ghosts for yourself, the best way to do that is via our in-person ghost tour with River City Ghosts, which you can book today! 

Is the Huebner-Onion Homestead Haunted?

Before delving into the supposed haunting of the Huebner-Onion Homestead, it’s first necessary to learn about the history of this curious piece of San Antonio history. Opinions are split on whether or not this place is actually haunted, but one thing is for sure: this place had some strange things happen in its past…and some of them are still happening today.

History of the Homestead

Like many Europeans of his time, Joseph Huebner came to America in 1853 with dreams of opportunity. He was from Austria and had brought his whole family – a wife and two children – with him to make it in the land of the free. 

In 1858, his efforts ​​proved fruitful enough for him to purchase 200 acres out of the Losoya Survey in Texas. He built a homestead on the property to accommodate his family and also operated a ranch and farm. 

Unable to stop grinding with his incredible work ethic, Huebner was reported to have over 150 head of cattle, as well as herds of horses and mules running around his homestead—a veritable goldmine on four legs at the time. The Western territories had no pre-existing infrastructure, and any source of meat or transportation would fetch a far higher price than it would on the East Coast or in Europe. 

In 1862, Huebner expanded the property and built a larger house for his family to live in. The previous residence was converted into a kitchen and a cookhouse. The property became a stop for various stagecoach lines. Occasionally, the Huebners would even provide room and board for their visitors. 

Huebner would die in his fifties and the property would eventually pass to the Onion family in the 1930s. Judge John Onion lived with his wife Harriet on the Homestead for 53 years, after which the property was declared a National Historical Landmark. 

However, the homestead would fade in prominence and esteem over the next few decades as it became a popular target for vandals, trespassers, and ne’er-do-wells. In fact, one college student even reported that the property was the site of several occult rituals in the 1980s and 1990s. 

Reports of Hauntings

Perhaps these occult rituals were an omen of things to come. Or perhaps they were a way to soothe the malevolent spirits that live here, as this property has had hauntings and ghost sightings for decades now.

There are the usual “cold spots” that are familiar to those knowledgeable about haunted locations: freezing cold zones of an area that defy the climate and are seemingly at odds with the rest of the house. Phantom footsteps seem to go up and down the stairwell when paranormal investigators dig into the homestead despite there being nobody else inside the building. 

Ghost mist in hallway
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

Even more chilling are the mysterious circumstances that pop up in the house where appliances, like the old iron, coming to life as if they are possessed by someone. Even the piano is said to sometimes come to life and start playing a tune without anyone sitting there!

These strange phenomena have plagued the area for decades, with neighbors even warning prospective buyers about them. Perhaps they are a result not of ghosts but of the occult worshipping that was done here. According to locals and various news sources, symbols associated with Satanic cults like goat heads and pentagrams have been found spray painted on the area in the 80s and 90s. 

If there was a demon-worshipping cult that took up residence there, it’s possible those tributes were dedicated to Baphomet, a pagan god who’s sometimes seen as a demon king. If that’s true, his worshippers seemed to have committed arson because there has been evidence of quite a few fires on the homestead, including scarred wood and damaged property. 

Kerosene On The Rocks

Maybe these strange happenings can be attributed to teens or mischief makers being attracted to an abandoned property. Or perhaps it’s this alleged cult that’s to blame. Or maybe these happenings are all the result of a ghost, Huebner himself. After all, his death was quite gruesome, and such grisly endings can sometimes lead to the spirit lingering on after death. 

The way he died was by drinking from a bottle of whiskey. It was his usual drink and something that was quite ordinary for him. Only on his last day, it wasn’t whiskey but a bottle of kerosene. Huebner keeled over, dead hours later, writhing in pain the whole time. 

Ghost of man with whiskey
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

Whether or not it truly was a mistake or whether Huebner meant to ingest is a matter of debate. In fact, much of his death is a debate, from the cause of it to even where his body lies. Although a gravesite on the property marks Hubener’s final resting place, many historians aren’t even sure if that’s really him.

If Huebner does haunt the area, perhaps he’s looking for a final burial place to put his soul at ease. Or, given the brush that’s grown up around the grave, maybe he just wants someone to do some maintenance around the property. 

In any case, there does seem to be some evidence that someone is hanging around the Huebner-Onion Homestead, whether it’s the ghost of Huebner or another entity entirely. People have reported seeing images of a strange man walking on the balcony after hours, and some investigators have reported feeling led by an invisible person whenever they walk onto the property. 

Will the mystery of this historic homestead ever truly be solved? Your guess is as good as ours. 

Haunted San Antonio

From a simple, ramshackle stagecoach stop in the mid-1800s to a historical landmark to a ghost-sighting hotspot, the Huebner-Onion Homestead has worn many hats over its lifetime. And we’re not sure it’s done evolving yet either, especially with the ghostly residents that may still be living there! 

If you want to learn more about San Antonio hauntings or Texas in general, be sure and browse our resources below. 

We’re always active on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and you can continue reading our blog for more real Texas hauntings.

If you want to get a more up-close-and-personal look at haunted San Antonio, the best way to do that is by taking one of our amazing in-person ghost tours with River City Ghosts. These tours provide an unforgettable real-world experience that cannot be duplicated by reading an online article or blog post. 

Sources:

  1. https://www.lvhistoricalsociety.org/homestead
  2. https://farmandranch.omeka.net/exhibits/show/huebneronionhomestead/huebneronionhomesteadnatlreg
  3. https://sanantonioreport.org/the-trailist-huebner-onion-natural-area/
  4. https://www.ksat.com/holidays/2016/10/10/does-the-ghost-of-joseph-huebner-haunt-the-huebner-onion-homestead/

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