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Reported phenomena — as catalogued
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Built in 1909 as San Antonio's first high-rise office building, Hotel Gibbs stands on the northwest corner of the original Alamo compound where the 1836 perimeter was breached — workers excavating the foundation found five cannons in the basement.
105 N Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78205
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$$
Hotel room rates typically $150–$300+ per night depending on season. Lobby accessible to non-guests.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Urban boutique hotel in a historic high-rise with elevator access
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1909 · Site of the Alamo's northwest perimeter breach, March 6, 1836 · San Antonio's first high-rise office building (1909) · Discovery of five Alamo-era cannons during construction · Samuel Maverick residence site (1850)
Colonel C.C. Gibbs commissioned the eight-story structure in 1909 on the northwest corner of the original 1836 Alamo compound — the precise point where Santa Anna's forces breached the perimeter during the final assault on March 6, 1836. The building, constructed in white glazed brick and terra cotta, was San Antonio's first modern office skyscraper and housed one of the city's earliest elevators.
During the 1909 foundation excavation, workers uncovered five cannons dating to the Battle of the Alamo buried in the basement. At least one cannon was subsequently donated to St. Mark's Episcopal Church — founded by Mary Maverick — and melted down to cast a church bell. The remaining cannons were removed to museums.
The land itself passed through significant hands before the Gibbs Building. Samuel Maverick, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, purchased the property after the 1836 battle and built a residence there in 1850. The area remained part of San Antonio's evolving commercial district until the Gibbs Building replaced it.
After nearly a century as an office building, the property was converted into a boutique hotel in 2006 and is now a full-service hotel offering Alamo-facing views, a bar, and complimentary breakfast. It appears on multiple San Antonio ghost tour itineraries, including Alamo City Ghost Tours and Ghost City Tours.
Sources
The ghost lore at Hotel Gibbs is inseparable from the site's history as the northwest breach point of the Alamo. Alamo City Ghost Tours and Ghost City Tours both document reports of apparitions in period clothing observed in the corridors and passing through walls — consistent with the residual-energy framing common in hotel hauntings tied to battle sites.
One frequently cited incident involves a security guard who reported seeing a figure approaching with a cannon in what turned out to be an empty corridor with no active reenactment nearby. Staff and guests have also described the sounds of crying women and babies, footsteps in empty hallways, and doors opening and closing without mechanical cause.
The hotel's original elevators — now non-functional for guests — are a recurring focal point. Reports include elevator doors closing on their own and a sense of presence in the elevator shaft area. Ghost City Tours notes that the front desk stands approximately where Colonel William B. Travis was killed on March 6, 1836, at age 27; guests have reported a commanding male voice in that area. The cannon discovery during the 1909 excavation is treated as physical corroboration of the site's connection to the battle.
Notable Entities
Stay in the hotel that occupies the ground where Santa Anna's forces breached the Alamo on March 6, 1836. Guests on upper floors have reported apparitions in period clothing, elevator activity, disembodied voices, and footsteps. The hotel offers free breakfast, a bar, and Alamo-facing views.
The hotel's lobby and the adjacent Alamo grounds are open to the public. The building's connection to the 1836 battle site — and the five cannons unearthed during its 1909 construction — is documented by Alamo City Ghost Tours and is part of several walking tour itineraries in the area.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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