Haunted History

The Devil's Backbone Tavern, built on the site of an ancient Indian campground, is widely believed to be haunted.  “Oh, there are ghosts, I guaran-goddamn-tee you,” said Robert Kelly, a tavern regular who said he sometimes sees shadowy figures on a steep nearby ridge called the Devil’s Backbone, for which the tavern is named.

Stretching from Wimberley to Blanco, the ruggedly scenic area known as Devil’s Backbone resulted from an earthquake that occurred in the region more than thirty million years ago. The powerful earthquake helped separate the land into two different regions, the Edward’s Plateau to the west and the lower Gulf Coastal Plains to the east.

The Devil’s Backbone Tavern is situated on one of the most picturesque spots along this earthquake fault, providing the historic venue with a spectacular view of the surrounding Texas Hill Country.  The history dates back to the late 1890's, when the first stone room was built for a blacksmith’s shop and a stagecoach stop at the top of a treacherous trail. After Prohibition, the sale of alcoholic beverages, particularly beer, became licensed in early 1933.  Since Hays County was "dry" with no public means to purchase alcohol, the tavern, was built next to the old blacksmith’s shop just beyond the Hays County line (in Comal) in 1937. In the early 1940's, a Sinclair service station building was added and the dancehall was constructed.  The venue became a rare attraction for anything you needed including a cold-beer, a tire change or an ass-whoopin' with local and touring bands such as Adolph Hofner drawing crowds to the dancehall during its “hey-day” for music and dancing. 

There are plenty of ghost stories along the Backbone, a limestone ridge that runs from Wimberley to Blanco through the Texas Hill Country, so many stories that the area is a regular stop for paranormal aficionados. Ghost stories are an important part of the history of both Devil’s Backbone and Devil’s Backbone Tavern. The most famous of these stories describes a woman who walks down the road and is carrying a baby and calling out for her husband. Others say that the tavern itself is haunted, with some patrons claiming to have encountered ghostly visitors.

Whether or not these stories are true, the Devil’s Backbone Tavern certainly has long been a favorite “haunt” for musicians and music fans alike.