Lady Bird Johnson’s spooky childhood home will give you a jolt
October 24, 2013
For today’s “Spooky Place in Texas,” we’re traveling to the small East Texas town of Karnack and Lady Bird Johnson’s family home. In 1843, Milt Andrews built the plantation-style mansion two-and-a-half miles southwest of Karnak. There, he raised his daughter, Eunice, or “Oonie,” as she was called.
In 1880, when Oonie was 19, a bolt of lightning struck the chimney, raced down the fireplace and killed her. The grief-stricken Andrews family sold the home to T.J. Taylor, the father of Lady Bird. Apparently, the ghost of Oonie Andrews went along with the sale.
Over the years, the Oonie’s ghost has made herself known with eerie noises, misplaced objects, odd happenings and ghostly apparitions. Years later, Lady Bird Johnson was asked about Oonie’s ghost. She said, although she never saw the ghost, she felt a sense of apprehension and unease in the house as a child.
The house still stands today and is a national registered historic landmark, so if you find yourself in the area, you are welcome to visit it.
Who knows, maybe Oonie will give your jacket a little tug while you’re there. Just remember, she gets a bit jumpy during a lightning storm.