About This Location
A historic high school built in 1916, known for its distinctive architecture and long history of educating El Paso students. The school has been featured in numerous paranormal investigations.
The Ghost Story
El Paso High School, a magnificent 1916 structure perched dramatically on a hillside overlooking the city, achieved international notoriety when a 1985 yearbook photo seemingly captured the image of a ghost. The photograph, taken of the graduating class on the school's iconic front steps, appeared to show a translucent girl in 1950s-style clothing standing among the students—a discovery that sparked decades of paranormal investigation and made "The Lady in White" one of Texas' most famous ghosts.
The legend identifies this specter as a cheerleader from the 1950s who allegedly took her own life after a romantic betrayal, though school records have never confirmed such an incident. Regardless of the story's origins, generations of students and faculty have reported encounters with a melancholic female figure in the building's Gothic Revival corridors. She appears most frequently near the auditorium and in the basement areas, her presence accompanied by sudden temperature drops and the faint scent of perfume.
The school's darker history adds layers to its haunted reputation. During the 1918 influenza pandemic and again during World War II, the building served as a makeshift morgue and hospital, with bodies stored in its basement while overwhelmed funeral homes struggled to keep pace with the death toll. Students report hearing moans and cries from the basement, seeing fleeting shadows in their peripheral vision, and feeling unseen hands touching their shoulders in empty hallways.
The building's architectural grandeur—its castle-like towers, arched windows, and sweeping staircases—creates an appropriately Gothic atmosphere for its supernatural residents. The auditorium, with its ornate ceiling and balcony seating, hosts particular activity, with performers reporting a woman in white watching rehearsals from the empty upper seats.
Researched from 5 verified sources including historical records, local archives, and paranormal research organizations. Learn about our research process.