HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
The oldest structure at Heritage Park: a Civil War and yellow fever hospital from 1851 where Dr. Eli Merriman died treating patients — a woman in period dress still enters through the front door
1581 N Chaparral St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Heritage Park grounds are free to visit. Ghost tour through RJA Ghost Tours: Adults $30, Military/First Responder $27, Children (3-11) $25.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved Heritage Park grounds; historic 1851 structure may have interior step access
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1851 · Second Oldest Structure in Corpus Christi · Oldest Structure in Heritage Park · Civil War and Yellow Fever Field Hospital · Greek Revival Architecture
The Merriman-Bobys House was built in 1851 by Walter Merriman and stands as one of the earliest surviving residential structures in Corpus Christi. It is one of the few remaining examples of Greek Revival architecture in the region. Its original location was 801 South Upper Broadway.
Dr. Eli T. Merriman, who occupied and operated the home, converted it into a hospital facility during two crises: the Civil War period and the yellow fever epidemic of 1867. The 1867 epidemic was particularly severe — it killed approximately 300 people out of a Corpus Christi population of roughly 1,000, meaning roughly a third of the city died within a concentrated period. Dr. Merriman treated patients throughout the epidemic. He died of yellow fever himself, becoming one of the disease's victims in the city he worked to protect.
The house was moved to Heritage Park in 1982 to preserve it, and the building later housed the Christian House Bistro restaurant. It is the oldest surviving structure within the Heritage Park collection.
Sources
The paranormal record at the Merriman-Bobys House comes primarily from the period when the building housed the Christian House Bistro restaurant. Staff members on multiple occasions reported seeing a woman in period clothing enter through the front door: dressed in old-fashioned attire including a large hat and elaborate shoes, she would walk through the entry and disappear without completing the entrance. Witnesses consistently noted that her face was never visible — she was always seen from behind or at an angle.
The apparition is classified in most accounts as residual: a repeated action rather than an interactive presence. No communications or responses to living people have been attributed to her. Her identity is unknown; the building's role as a hospital during the Civil War and the 1867 yellow fever epidemic has led some to speculate she may be connected to the patients or caregivers of that era.
Dr. Eli Merriman, who died of yellow fever in the building he used to treat others, is also cited in some accounts as a potential presence — though the female apparition is the more specific and widely reported phenomenon. RJA Ghost Tours includes the building as a stop on its Heritage Park tour.
Notable Entities
The Merriman-Bobys House is the oldest surviving structure in Heritage Park and among the oldest in Corpus Christi. The park grounds are freely accessible. The house is one of the few remaining examples of Greek Revival architecture in the city.
The Merriman-Bobys House is featured on RJA Ghost Tours' Heritage Park tour segment. The guide covers Dr. Eli Merriman's use of the building as a hospital during the Civil War and the 1867 yellow fever epidemic, his death from the disease, and the female apparition reported by former restaurant staff.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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