Texas Ghost Town: The Mysterious and Gruesome Story of Baby Head
Texas Ghost Towns are scattered across the State of Texas. Each of them has a story and each of them leave behind some mystery as well. When it comes to mystery, Baby Head has to rank as one of the most mysterious and gruesome ghost towns in Texas.
A Texas Hill Country Mystery
Baby Head, Texas... or what's left of it, is located off Highway 16 about 10 miles north of Llano. Don't even bother looking for a welcome sign. It doesn't exist. No one lives in Baby Head anymore and truth be told, there is no town. All that is is left is a Historical Marker, a cemetery, and a creek named after the town.
Why is the Town Named Baby Head?
This is where we get into the gruesome part of the story. According to TexasHillCountry.com, between 1850 and 1870 a group of Native Americans attacked a group of settlers and kidnapped a young girl. According to stories passed down, the girl was killed and her head was put on a spike at the foot of the mountain. In 1870, settlers settled in the area and named the town Babyhead in the child's honor. There are, in fact, maps showing the town's name as Babyhead.
According to 101highlandlakes.com, in the late 1870s the community prospered and grew. In 1879, a new local post office was opened, and in the 1900s Baby Head, also spelled Babyhead by some, had a store, a cotton gin, a blacksmith, and even a school. The oldest gravestone at the Baby Head cemetery belongs to Jodie May McKneely, who died in 1884.
Was a Baby Really Killed in Baby Head
Did the Native Americans actually kill a baby? While it is not 100% verifiable, that is the widely accepted story, as 101highlandlakes.com points out, mainly due to writings and stories that were told.
What Is Left of Baby Head, Texas Today
Not much is left of Baby Head. Except for the cemetery that some claim is haunted. I can tell you this, it does leave you with a creepy feeling when you are in the cemetery. Some who stop will leave heads of baby dolls around the cemetery, on the fence, and even on the grave stone of Jodie May McKneely, a baby girl who died in 1884.
Check out the pictures of Baby Head below.
The Mysterious Texas Ghost Town Of Baby Head
Gallery Credit: Chad Hasty
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Gallery Credit: Beyond Civilization (Xplore RC) via YouTube
PHOTOS: The Scrappiest Little Ghost Town in Texas, Wayside
Gallery Credit: Sarah Clark/TSM