Haunted Austin: The Tavern: Loaded Potato Skins 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
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Her Name was Emily. And she is the “ghost” that some say still haunts The Tavern, right here in the heart of Austin, Texas
It’s the second floor that is the key, or maybe the even more isolated 3rd floor. Texas Monthly’s Rosie Ninesling unravels the story beautifully:
A notorious Prohibition-era brothel, one vengeful politician, and a mystery pair of shoes have made the neighborhood bar a favorite site for ghost hunters.
According to local legend, the second floor of The Tavern (then known as Enfield Grocery) was not only home to illegal booze and a secret brothel in the early 1920s, but also a murder scene. A politician and customer of the clandestine operation was allegedly caught visiting the bordello one evening, and in retribution, murdered the head madam’s young daughter, Emily—whom he hid in a crawl space on the third floor.
Below are images of the stairs to the 2nd floor, the second floor itself, the entry to the 3rd floor, and the infamous crawl space up there where Emily was hidden
During a renovation in 2006, a pair of shoes was found buried within the walls, which the bar then put on display as evidence of Emily’s continued presence.
Austin Ghost Tours has some fascinating details, too:
The famous Tavern didn’t always bear that name. In fact, it wasn’t always a tavern either! It actually opened in 1916 as The Enfield Grocery Store and was designed by a prominent Texas architect, a man named Hugo Kuehne.
Kuehne was inspired by German public houses of the time, and as a result, it had a rather grand and modern storefront for its era. Before national grocery chains took over completely, a grocery store like Enfield would have been one of the biggest social hubs of a community.
During Prohibition, the Enfield Grocery Store assumed an especially important social role in Austin, serving as a nightlife hub. Even though it, on the surface, still operated as a supermarket, rumors suggested that when the sun went down, the upstairs area turned out quite the exhibition.
From a hidden bar to a casino and a brothel, there was nothing that the underbelly of Austin could want that the Enfield couldn’t provide. These underground activities soon took over, and the tavern became more known for its nightlife rather than its produce prices.
Once Prohibition ended, the place flourished with its newfound reputation and adopted a new identity as well. Thus, The Tavern was born.
However, with Prohibition gone, The Tavern no longer had to worry about dodging cops or finding an illicit liquor supplier. Ever adaptable, they soon transitioned into being a bar known for its cold beer, hearty food, and air conditioning, which, when it was installed in 1933, was considered a rare luxury.
To this day, The Tavern has a neon sign proudly advertising this once-modern amenity. As quaint as that may seem, the AC still seems to be doing its job because the place continues to attract crowds from all walks of life.
Emily’s legend dates back to the early days of The Tavern, when it was still running its illicit activities. Although records were scarce back then (and even scarcer at places running illegal enterprises), we do know that Emily was an employee of The Tavern. Whether she was a casino dealer, bartender, or even worked in the rumored bordello upstairs is uncertain.
Some people even say she was the madame’s daughter. In any case, she was the unfortunate victim of circumstance on the day of her death.
A local politician was caught visiting the bordello in The Tavern, and, at the thought of his career and family life evaporating before his eyes, the politician flew into a murderous rage. Even though Emily, by all accounts, wasn’t the one who tipped the public off about his escapades, she was the one killed by him.
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Different Drummer has a more personal connection. A good friend used to date the owner’s daughter back in the 90s and got a job cleaning up on the weekends. And he did a good job, too. Maybe he wanted to impress his girlfriend or her parents. He always stacked the chairs on the tables so he could leave the floor spotless.
But on Sunday mornings, things were different. Lots of chairs were drawn up to the tables, and other things moved around. Not quite as dramatic as what the Texas Monthly reported:
Bewildered staff spent years watching kitchen drawers fly open, items disappear, and TVs abruptly switch off in the dining room. During a renovation in 2006, a pair of shoes was found buried within the walls, which the bar then put on display as evidence of Emily’s continued presence.
But Different Drummer’s story was not from some magazine. It was a personal story from a friend, and it began my interest in Austin Hauntings.
If you can, be sure to visit this wonderful place and eat the great food inspired by its German builder.
Loaded Potato Skins
Ingredients
· 5 baked potatoes (small)
· 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
· ½ teaspoon parsley
· ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
· ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
· 3 slices cooked bacon finely chopped or 3 tablespoons bacon bits
· 2 tablespoons chives or green onions
· 1 cup cheddar cheese
· sour cream for serving
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine butter, parsley, seasoned salt and garlic powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Ensure baked potatoes are cooled. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, scoop out the flesh leaving a ¼" shell (or more if you'd prefer).
3. Brush both the inside and outside of the potatoes with the butter mixture. Place potatoes cut side down in baking dish. Bake 15 minutes.
4. Flip potatoes over and bake an additional 5 minutes or until slightly browned and crisp.
5. Fill each potato with cheese and bacon. Return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
6. Remove from the oven, top with chives and serve with sour cream.
