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201 EAST PECAN STREET
by Clayton Stapleton
Updated
07/18/04 21:59 GMT
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The Missouri House
201 East Pecan Street (1866)
[Photo
©2002
Murray Montgomery] |
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Buffalo Billiards 201 East
6th Street (2002) |
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AUSTIN, TEXAS -
The building at 201 East Pecan street was built in 1861 by the
Ziller Family and opened for business as the first boarding house
in Austin, which they called "The Missouri House". It's rumored
that the boarding house was also a brothel. Several brothels where
known to operate in that area just south east of "Guy Town".
Through out the years the building at 201 East Pecan Street served
the community as a bar, store, and many other businesses. Always a
community place to meet and greet, so to speak. As years past the
popular
Driskill Hotel was built across the street on the corner of
Brazos and Pecan, (now known as 6th Street).
Buffalo Billiards occupies the building today and some say the
building is experiencing echoes from it's past in the form of
paranormal activities and apparitions. The first week of operation
the manager did his normal nightly routine of placing all the pool
sticks on the racks, and the billiard balls in their cases before
closing and locking the doors for the night. The next morning, he
arrived early to catch up on some paperwork after unlocking
the front door he noticed that in the front foyer all of the
sticks where laying on the tables and the ball were stern
everywhere. Several balls were found lying on the floor. The
manager immediately thought someone had broken into the store so
he called the Austin Police department to report the break in.
When the officers arrived they checked the building for any marks
of a break-in or signs of intrusions and found none. The
building's alarm was still armed and didn't show any signs of
being tampered with. The police checked the building for possible
intruders hiding within the building and found know one. It looked
as if the manager had forgotten to clean up before he closed for
the day.
Not long after
that strange experience a cleaning woman was on the second floor
in the area called the "Orbit Lounge". While mopping the floor of
the lounge she felt as if someone had been watching her. When she
had finished the chore she left the mop and bucket and went back
in to turn off the lights. On her way back to the front door,
where she had left the mop and bucket, she felt someone tap her on
the shoulder. She turned around and saw nothing but the blackness
of the room. She let out a loud scream then ran out of the second
floor and the building. She quit the next day and never
returned.
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A night
bartender was getting the bar ready for a party in the Orbit Lounge
one afternoon and had left the floor to get some clean glasses from
downstairs. When he walked back up to the second floor lounge he
noticed a gentleman in strange attire near a window looking out onto
Brazos street. When he asked the man if he could help him the man
turned to look at him and smiled. Then turned and walked to where a
door had been before the floor was remodeled. He stepped through the
wall and down the hall, only to disappear around a corner. When the
bartender calmed down enough to tell others what he had seen he
mention that the gentleman was wearing a suit like that of someone
that lived in the later 1800's.
If you ever visit Buffalo Billiards
ask the employees about any paranormal activates in the old building
at 201 East Pecan (6th street). Almost everyone has seen or had
something happen to them while working there.

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