Cameron Park

The Witch's Castle occupies the highest point in Cameron Park's trail system, at a location known as Eagle Rock. The physical remains consist of a two-hole concrete outhouse and the stone foundation and frame of a house. What survives is architecturally distinctive—the castle-like stone gateway and structured stonework gave rise to its popular name.

Local paranormal folklore surrounding the site developed over decades. Stories circulated that a woman—variously described as a witch—practiced dark rituals at the location. More sensational accounts claimed that screams, unidentified odors resembling death, and sounds of violence emanated from the structure, particularly along the access road approaching the site. Some narratives suggested mass burials or bodies hidden within or beneath the building. These accounts evolved into standard paranormal legend: the Witch's Castle became a destination for ghost hunters, paranormal investigators, and thrill-seekers.

However, when Waco Parks and Recreation Department representatives were queried about the location and its haunted status, they confirmed the structure exists but denied any documented paranormal activity. Historical investigation by Waco land surveyor John Kamenec uncovered the actual provenance. The stone structure was built in the early 1900s—specifically 1912—by a man named Levi Coombes, a professional stonemason who constructed the castle-like home as his private family residence. The structure was not abandoned due to supernatural events; it was simply left vacant after the building burned down in 1961.

Kamenec's research indicated that Coombes was an avid rock collector, explaining the elaborate stonework and castle-like aesthetic. The romantic architectural styling may have contributed to the paranormal mystique, suggesting to later visitors that the structure belonged to someone occult or sinister. Stories attributing deaths to supernatural causes, claims of World War I tragedy triggering a curse, and narratives of ritualistic violence appear to be post-hoc interpretations rather than documented historical events.

Despite the absence of verifiable paranormal evidence, the location remains one of Cameron Park's most visited attractions. Whether visitor experiences derive from historical suggestion, natural environmental factors, or genuine paranormal phenomena remains an open question. The ruins themselves—weathered stone, skeletal framing, isolated hilltop setting—certainly create an atmospheric environment conducive to both legitimate investigation and folklore amplification.