This is a story that was sent to us via Facebook.
I’m curious who on here has heard of The Devil at Los Arcos. I’ve heard this story many times sometimes from a”friend” of a person who was present that night, and even from a person who claimed to be a witness to the unexpected visitor that night. Either way, the story goes like this.
On a hot, West Texas night, a dance was in full swing at the well known Los Arco’s Ballroom. As Norteno music played loud enough to be heard several blocks away, the crowded dance hall moved with couples both young and old . The smell of beer and liquor swelled, reaching out beyond the walls like a haze above the building.
Inside, the ballroom was dimly lit with only the colored lights on stage and a yellow hue of the bar that gave little light to the people inside . This particular night was extremely busy. A favored band was playing and the crowded dance floor left little room for movement. Sometime, during the music and movement, a stranger appears. No one claims to have seen him walk in but only that he was suddenly there. The people begin to ask; who is this man? He is not from here, some guessed he was from a neighboring town others assumed he was was simply a new resident to the oil boom town.
All the women swooned at this man . Dressed in black, his tall muscular build and green eyes caught the gaze of everyone he passed by. He chose the most beautiful women to dance with and moved them around the dance floor as if it were cleared just for them. It was as if he sucked all the oxygen from the room and the music seemed to play slower and deeper. After several songs, one of the young woman the visitor danced with, was in need of a break. She asked the stranger if she could have a drink. He complies and leads her to the bar.
As they chat and wait for service, the young woman glances down to straighten her skirt and notices through the dim and smokey light, what appears to be a chicken’s leg and goat’s hoof which was clearly visible coming from underneath the visitors pants. She screams . The sound of her scream seems to pierce the sound of the ballroom. She screams again, and this time pointing directly to the strangers feet. The visitor seems amused, not at all afraid or even surprised. As he laughs and turns to move towards the exit, the crowd moves away from him now making it very visible that this was no man.
Many people see the chicken and goat’s foot and start to yell, “El Diablo!” He runs out of the ballroom laughing and the people outside turn to see a man fleeing from the dance . They watch in horror as he begins jumping on the cars like a wild animal; his hoof denting each car he lands on. They watch until he disappears into the night with the sound of his laughter vanishing into the darkness.
Thank you for this story Sarai Morales
If you have experienced something like this before, comment below.
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My grandma told me a similar story that happened in Colorado, she witnessed the hooved stranger, and not a woman given to exaggerating or lying. I told a cousin about her experience and he said his suegra in California had a similar story.
Yes. this is how it happened. I ran out of the bar and started jumping on cars. my hoofs made some pretty good dents. ha ha. fools. it’s good to get out of hell once in a while and have a little fun. I was nice. I left that girl alone. I could have had a lot of other kinds of fun with her . ha ha ha. that’s ok. I will get her when she dies.
I heard the same story from my cousin Susan who said she was there that night. She said he was handsome and captivated everyone. He did run off and jumped on the cars before he disappeared.
I’ve heard this same story but that it happened at a Dance Hall in McAllen.
Almost every detail was the exact same except that the man spun the girl around and around until she started screaming in pain and that’s when she noticed his feet, the McAllen story also stated that the smell of sulfur lingered in the air well after the well-dressed man had vanished.
I went to Los arcos all the time and never saw nothing I think everyone just had a little too much to drink lol
I remember that night it was about 23 years ago the story is indeed true I was there the only thing left out in the story was; the smell a horrible smell I remember complaining telling my friends ewww what’s that smell, oh my strong overwhelming (sulfur) rite before the young handsome visitor appered. When I told my grandmother of the occured that night at Los Arcos she turned and looked at me and said he’s been at Pan American Ballroom also Mija. Grandma said one night after attending a dance at Pan American she stayed behind to help a friend clean up the place a lil everyone had already left there were maybe 5 ppl left inside finishing up there beers and talking but Grandma’s friend asked them to leave told them they had to get out so they left grandma was picking up all the ash trays from tables while her friend was sweeping this building was huge the lady all of a sudden stops and calls out my grandma’s name Lucy, Lucia ven si grandma goes over to where she’s at and tells her look over there way in the back then came the smell of sulfur grandma said let’s get out of here!! The lady said wait I thought we kicked everyone out I need to go tell this person to leave to get out go home she said look can you see the lil light it looks like a cigarrete light the lady walked closer and closer grandma stayed put and was telling her let’s go let’s go can’t you smell that?? Grandma headed for the front door the lady kept going grandma heard her say hey you can’t be here anymore sir can you plz leave hello hello finally she was practically in front of him when the man (creature) (devil) looked up and told her I got here late. The lady saw and started screaming and yelling ran out got in the car with grandma and they took off left front door open didn’t look back. She said it was Satan sitting at a table having a drink and smoking á cigar way towards the back at pan American ballroom.
So i heard the story of the devil visiting a mexican bar in amarillo tx..i dont know the name of the bar …..or the year…but i do believe the story was in the amarillo newspaper……so i mean the claim is there….and in print….google it and find out
Look, I lived on McCormick street in Odessa, 2 blocks from the Los Arcos ballroom when this happened. There is more to the story that was left out evidently from the version told above. It was the night of the Tyson/Holyfield fight. There were people dancing. And alot of the version of the story is accurate. But there were other terrifying things that happened and that were witnessed that night that makes this story even scarier. For one, the sulfur smell was overwhelming. Another thing, once outside, he was yelling in a language no one could understand. Also, Los Arcos had a HUGE parking lot, with big light poles about every 80-100 feet. After jumping on the cars and screaming in this inaudibly strange language, he climbed the light pole, and leapt from one to the other seemingly superhumanly, requiring little effort to jump over 80ft to the next pole. And the ending to the story, which may be the most disturbing part, the teenage girl he was last dancing with, that screamed once she saw his legs and feet, her hair turned completely white, OVERNIGHT, and she never spoke another word from that day on. And there are NO HILLS in Odessa, no cross on it, or otherwise. I was there and saw it. I’ve always been strong in my faith, but that night I learned to believe in the devil too.
Lmao! My family owned and operated Los Arcos Ballroom during that time. I work there pretty much every weekend of my teenage and young adult years and I can tell you for a fact this story is fiction. We had many jealous competitors during this time who started many a ridiculous story about our dance hall. None of them are true. We even had freshly butchered goat heads left in the parking lot a few times. They would do anything to scare people and start rumors.
I remember this night. I was the one who danced with the creature. It was the creepiest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. But thank God I was wearing a recent Holy Water Blessed Cross. That’s what helped run him out. Plus a lot of praying.
No disrespect but I find it hard to believe that a person would dance a song and not ever look down at the feet. I have danced many songs and I occasionally glance at the floor or feet of my partner at which point I would have noticed something out of the ordinary.
No disrespect, You don’t have to believe it. There were plenty of people there who can attest to what happened. It was very dark in the ballroom and crowded so people weren’t able to see. Not until the lady got the bar where there was a lil bit of light. Didn’t take her long to notice. Plus, you have to remember, mostly everyone was under the influence of something & when these women were dancing with him, its as if they were under a trance, as they described. Therefore never leaving his gaze.
And i thought all this wa BS
Oh Brother!!! 🙄🙄🙄🙄
Did ur hair really turn white that night after all that?🤔
This story does not say when it happened but back in the mid 80’s we were at Los Arcos when a similar incident happened. The dance floor was very packed as well, we could hardly move. It was towards the end of the dance when people started screaming and pointing at what appeared to be something or someone that looked like the Devil. I my self did not see it because I am only 5’1 and could not see over all the people. My husband got a look at what appeared to be horns. Needless to say we got the heck out of there pretty quick!
I remember hearing this story 25 years ago when I was a kid. I still live in Odessa but have never seen the Devil.
I heard this story twenty one years ago.
The endingbof the story is left off though. The stranger ran across this highway and up a hill. The people gave chase after him. He disappeared just over the top of the hill. The legion is that was the gate back to hell. They placed a cross on the top of the hill. This was to prevent him from returning.
Joe with all respect, there are no hills in Odessa. It has always been very flat. I believe the incident that you described happened in Balmorhea, Texas. That was another appearance that took place. Both towns share a similiar story. And Balmorhea does have hills and a few mountains. If you’ve never visited Balmorhea, it’s a very small town. But a town that loves to party. It attracts many people during different festivities. Many of my husband’s family are from Balmorhea, Texas.
This is correct. And it was the night of the Tyson fight at Los Arcos. There was music, but not from a live band.
Yes this is were it’s at my grandfather talked about this happening I too have a lot of family around the are in pecos and Saragosa and balmorea the cross still sits on top of that mountain we are from the Lopez family
I live in Odessa Texas and it did happen here at the Arcos Ballroom and even though Odessa is flat there is a hill or two 😊.
I heard this happened in Balmorhea, TX and that cross is still on that hill where it was placed. I don’t know if it’s actually true but I’ve heard it all my life.