PIKE HOUSE TRUTH AND FICTION
Built in 1903 and was originally named the Fisher House and was a dorm for a boys military academy called The Coronal Institute.
In 1917 as the United States entered World War I, and the buildings which made up the campus were rented out as barracks and for the training of soldiers. After the conclusion of the war, the buildings were put to use again as the Coronal Military Academy – an endeavor that only lasted until 1919.
1923 converted into Memorial Hospital and that was for the next 40 decades
The building was bought by the Zeta Theta chapter of the Phi Kappa Alpha fraternity in 1969. It was at this point that the building became known as the “Pike House.” The fraternity moved out in 1997 and the building was sold.
During the fraternity days unusual sounds, like the sound of footsteps, doors opening and closing and other happenings associated with a haunted building were reported. It was a hospital for 40-years and old hospitals are notoriously haunted locations. So, not surprising. The students did not seem overly concerned.
After 1997 any actual ghost encounters were replaced with urban legends and hearsay. Some claim Civil War soldiers who are discontent about losing the war remain (the building was built in 1903 ?). It wasn’t a hospital but an insane asylum where people were tortured. During the fraternity days at a hazing a student was actually murdered. And the list goes on.
It was abandoned and broken into by ghost investigators and vandals until it burned down in 2007.
Location: 1132 Belvin Street, San Marcos, Texas 78666
