History and Mystery of the MENGER Hotel [Paperback]

Docia Schultz Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2000

This is the definitive account of a beloved hotel that has played a memorable role in San Antonio's history. Generously illustrated, this is the fascinating story of the people who owned the Menger and the noteworthy folk they entertained.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Author Docia Schultz Williams is a longtime resident and certified professional tour guide in San Antonio. Her books include Best Tales of Texas Ghosts, Exploring San Antonio with Children, and When Darkness Falls: Tales of San Antonio Ghosts and Hauntings.

Product Details

• Paperback: 295 pages
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing; Second Printing edition (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556227922
• ISBN-13: 978-1556227929
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #882,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book on San Antonio History and the Menger Hotel, October 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: History and Mystery of the MENGER Hotel (Paperback)

My wife and I just spent a few days at the Menger Hotel and happened to run across this book. After being in awe of the hotel itself, this book provided us with a marvelous background of a hotel dating back almost 150 years. The author explains the history of the hotel in a very straight forward, easy to read format and left us wanting for more. As we sat outside in the gardens, we could just imagine the formal balls going on around us and the captivating personalities, written about in the book, strolling through the lobby. This is obviously a very throuroughly researched, well documented book encompassing the comings and goings of some very well known people, and some ghostly ones as well. We were just waiting to see Captain King stroll down the hallway, or see one of the various other spirits reliving their past life in this remarkable hotel. This book is a must read for those that love to read about Texas history, and the spirits that encompass it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of a kind..., December 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: History and Mystery of the MENGER Hotel (Paperback)

No one writes about Texas' ghostly history like Docia Williams. Having visited the Menger, I was delighted to find Docia's fascinating account of the "life and times" of this venerable old hotel. After providing a short history of the Menger family and early construction, Docia jumps right into the personalities that make this 140-year-old hotel so unique. The Menger's guest list has included Ulysses S. Grant, Gen. Sam Houston, Bob Hope, John Wayne, and the list goes on and on. Read about Teddy Roosevelt's 1898 recruitment of the Rough Riders in the Menger Bar (and the ghostly recruitment that frightened a recent Menger employee). Enjoy the account of Captain Richard King, owner of the famed million-acre Texas King Ranch. A resident guest, the 60-year-old rancher died in his suite in 1885; apparently he liked the accomodations, because he still returns now and again for visits.

Of equal interest are the personal recollections of Asst. Gen. Mgr. Ernesto Malacaro who has dealt with some memorable guests in his 20+ years with the hotel. In a brief chapter titled "Specialties of the Past" the author serves up some interesting tidbits about long past dining experiences at the Menger. Mr. Menger raised his own hogs and was very proud of his cured bacon, pork chops, etc. One of his animals weighed over 1,000 pounds and was nearly seven feet long!

The final chapters cover ghostly manifestations including Sallie White (murdered in 1876), the Confederate officer on the patio, the portly apparition of a maitre d' in the Colonial Dining Room, phantom chambermaids, and others. Read about the woman who awoke to find a male ghost grinning at her from the foot of her bed; the woman and her husband moved to a newer section of the hotel after the ghost "got frisky and tried to pull the bedcovers off her."

In addition to the various stories, Docia Williams includes photographs taken of the hotel and its notable guests throughout the years. This book is a Texas treasure trove of historical fact and trivia from the mid-1850's to the present. It will be a valued part of your library.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous documentation of the history of the Menger!, April 26, 2011

By 

Joseph R Byers - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: History and Mystery of the MENGER Hotel (Paperback)

If you don't already have an ongoing love affair with the Menger hotel, this book will make you fall in love.
Docia Schultz Williams portrays this Texas landmark in all of its glory and splendor by highlighting the state of the hotel, the ownership and management of the hotel, it's famous guests and events from it's founding in 1859 until present day.
Williams is well-versed in the history of both the state of Texas and the city of San Antonio, a fact which gives her the unique ability to ad-lib on the significance of the many people and events that surround the hotel's history.
It is very obvious that she has spent countless hours doing research, perusing old media and registries, as well as interviewing knowledgeable sources to create this book.
Even if you have already visited or stayed at the hotel, this book will make you want to return to the hotel for another stay with the knowledge of what to look for, who to look for, and where to look, in order to really get the most out of your stay.