Aerial survey · USDA NAIP · public domain1890s King William District building that housed a physician's practice, sat dormant for 80 years, and now runs ticketed paranormal investigations in its basement.
212 City St, San Antonio, TX 78204
Research updated June 2026
Age
18+
Cost
$$
$45 per person for the 2-hour guided paranormal investigation.
Access
Limited Access
Historic multi-story building; basement investigation included; accessibility not confirmed
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1890 · King William Historic District · Nat M. Washer civic legacy · Grand Lodge of Texas Masonic charter 1935
The structure at 212 City Street stands in the King William Historic District, the oldest historic neighborhood in San Antonio, developed primarily by German immigrants in the late 19th century. The building dates to the 1890s and its early history as a physician's residence gives it an unusual place in the neighborhood's past: the practitioner is documented as having treated patients in a period when San Antonio's red-light district operated nearby, likely including treatment for venereal diseases.
At some point in its pre-lodge years, the building functioned as a makeshift funeral parlor — a use that left its mark on the structure's reputation. The lodge itself was chartered on December 5, 1935, under the Grand Lodge of Texas, named for Nathaniel Moses Washer (1861–1935), a prominent San Antonio businessman and civic leader of German and Jewish descent. Washer co-founded Washer Brothers Clothiers in Fort Worth in 1882 and expanded to San Antonio in 1899; he later served as the Most Worshipful Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas and as the first president of the Texas State Board of Education (1929–1935).
The lodge met at borrowed facilities until 1950, when it acquired 212 City Street as its permanent home. The property has been largely unused since the 1940s, and the Curious Twins (Fred and Stephen Garza Guzman) began operating licensed paranormal investigation events at the site in 2018.
Sources
The paranormal case for 212 City Street rests primarily on the building's layered dark history — medical practice, funeral use, and decades of dormancy — rather than a single documented incident. The basement draws the most consistent attention: guests on the Curious Twins tours describe feelings of unease and physical sensation particularly when in the lower level, and investigators have captured what they characterize as anomalous material in photographic and audio evidence.
The building's association with San Antonio's historic red-light district, and the physician who reportedly practiced there during that era, is part of the historical context presented on tours. The Curious Twins began operating events here in 2018 and run public investigations twice monthly, drawing paranormal enthusiasts from across the region.
KSAT4 San Antonio (News 4 San Antonio) covered the site in a feature segment, documenting the building's history and the Curious Twins' ongoing investigation work. The lodge's extended dormancy — largely unused since the 1940s — contributes to its atmosphere; much of the original interior fabric remains intact.
Media Appearances
A 2-hour guided experience run by the Curious Twins (Fred and Stephen Garza Guzman): the first hour covers the building's history in the King William neighborhood, and the second hour is an active paranormal investigation of the structure, including the basement. Guests report particular activity in the lower level. Tickets are $45 per person; tours run twice monthly.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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