11-22-24

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

  Several dozen people met at the Uvalde Grand Opera House Thursday evening November 21st for a presentation on the “Ghosts, Goblins and a Drunk Dragon: A History of the Grand Opera House” by Opera House Manager Caitlyn Visel.

  The Uvalde Grand Opera House was constructed in 1891 and is one of the oldest buildings in the downtown area along with the Stein Building located across from the Uvalde City Hall.  

  Visel spoke about the Opera House which from the late 1890’s to 1914 which featured traveling Vaudeville Shows and traveling performers. A high school graduation event was also held at the Opera House. From the start of World War 1 in 1914 through the Great Depression, much of the Opera House was converted into office spaces occupied by various businesses. 

  Not much written history or artifacts remain from the early days of the Opera House as many theater productions in the early days did not print programs and any show posters were not kept. 

 John Nance Garner bought the Opera House and had an office in the Opera House on the second floor overlooking the downtown area in 1917.

 From the 1950’s through the 1970’s, the Opera House was not used and remained closed until the City of Uvalde acquired the building from the Garner Estate for $10 in 1978.

“In 1979, a commission was formed to raise funds to renovate the Opera House and return it to its former glory. The Opera House was officially re-opened in 1982 and was the center stage of Uvalde once again! Hosting dozens of plays, musicals, and a variety of other shows, the Opera House was once again a part of the community and way of life in Uvalde<‘ according to information from the Uvalde Grand Opera House website.

 Ghosts of the Opera House

  While Visel said she has personally not seen any of the three ghosts that haunt the Opera House, she said she has seen strange occurrences and heard unexplained noises during her time working at the Opera House with Program Coordinator Camille Jefcoat.

  Visel said that in 2020 the paranormal occurrences had increased due to the lack of events happening at the Opera House due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 She said that the elevator inside the Opera House would move on its own and the doors would open on each floor. Once she heard what sounded like a chair being dragged along a wooden floor was heard from above. She also said that following one night’s performances. The smell of cigar and cigarette smoke has been detected along with other smells.  Visel continued stating that the unusual movements of the elevator were reported when it was undergoing an inspection. She said the inspectors could not find any technical reason that would cause the elevator to operate on its own during the day.

  She also said after the performances, she went to the downstairs dressing room to turn off all the lights before leaving only to find the lights were back on the next morning. 

  She went on to say others who have seen the ghosts recall seeing a woman in red, a woman in white and a small child.

 Visel stated she believes the ghosts are good ghosts.

The discussion of the paranormal occurrences at the Opera House may have been precipitated by an upcoming show in January 2025 called, “Ghosts of Texas”.

  On Saturday, January 11th, 2025, Klinge Brothers from the Discovery Channel show Ghost Lab will be held from  7pm to 9pm at the Uvalde Grand Opera House in Uvalde, Texas, presenting the “Ghosts of Texas”  

 Visel said in addition to the Ghosts of Texas show, a special VIP event limited to 12 people will occur between 9-10 PM that evening where a small group can join the Klinge brothers in a ghost quest experience. 

Tickets are on sale now at the Uvalde Opera House.

 

Press Release from Uvalde Memorial Hospital

Picture credit: https://www.mindycorporon.com/

 UVALDE, TX – Millions of Americans’ lives are impacted daily by mental health conditions.  Mental illness does not discriminate by age, race, religion, or socio-economic status.  It affects many people in communities across the globe, and communities must work together to create well-being and resilience and educate people regarding mental illness.  An educated community is a healthy community.

  Well-being and resilience are essential in preventing the onset of mental health problems and potentially lessening the severity of existing mental health problems.  Well-being and resilience are vital to developing efficient problem-solving skills, building and maintaining interpersonal relationships, and realistic goal setting, greatly enhancing an individual’s ability to perform and contribute meaningfully in daily life.  Resilience, which is directly related to well-being, is about coping with and adapting to new situations.  Having a sense of resilience and positive well-being enables a person to approach others and situations with confidence and optimism, which is especially important for people, given the enormous changes that occur after traumatic events.  

 To create well-being and resiliency and to educate the community on the importance of mental health issues, Uvalde Memorial Hospital’s Crossroads Behavioral Health program is hosting  The event will bring together mental health professionals, caregivers, parents, friends, and community members affected by mental or behavioral health.  This is an opportunity to explore the truth, discuss the reality, and move towards a healthier future as a community.  

The event will feature keynote speaker Mindy Corporon, Co-founder of Workplace Healing LLC and innovator of the Human Recovery Plan Software Platform.  Mindy was the CEO of a successful wealth management firm when tragedy struck.  Her father and oldest son were murdered by a white supremacist intent on killing Jews.  Her life purpose changed from guiding people financially to creating space for them to learn how to cope with grief and trauma to find joy again.  Mindy’s search for healing and resiliency has allowed her to emerge as a passionate advocate dedicated to advancing mental health awareness.  She is the author of “Healing a Shattered Soul” and presents at conferences worldwide.

The event will also feature breakout sessions on trauma in children and teens, understanding anger, faith-based healing, and building mental wellness in adolescents.  Professionals in each field will present on the topics and allow additional time for questions and answers in each session.

For more information on Healthy Minds Matter, contact Susan Rios at (830) 278- 6251 extension 1037.

For more information on local mental health services, contact Crossroads Behavioral Health at (830) 278- 8144.  An initial assessment is free, and all treatment is strictly confidential.

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Uvalde Memorial Hospital
Founded in 1949, Uvalde Memorial Hospital is a critical access hospital that provides healthcare services for residents of Uvalde, Zavala, Kinney, Real, and Edwards Counties. Uvalde Memorial offers a wealth of medical services including: 24-hour emergency care, advanced radiology services including CT scanning and MRIs, outpatient lab, rehabilitation services including physical, occupational, and speech therapy, surgical services, patient education, and more. 

For additional information, please visit www.umhtx.org.

Uvalde Medical and Surgical Associates

Founded in 2008, Uvalde Medical and Surgical Associates is a physician group practice made up of a variety of specialty physicians. Physicians in the practice specialize in areas such as orthopedic surgery and sports medicine, general surgery, breast surgery, and cardiology. For additional information, please visit www.umhtx.org.