Madewood Plantation is located in Napoleonville, Louisiana. This 1840s plantation has a surprise located behind the manor house, featuring a graveyard which contains the corpse of Colonel Thomas Pugh, who was the first owner of the estate, and his family. Colonel Hugh hired architect Henry Howard to build the manor house besides his enormous sugar plantation between 1840 and 1848. Following the Civil War, as did almost every plantation in the area, the plantation fell apart due to the hard economic times. The Harold Marshall family eventually purchased the plantation in 1964.
To this day, the family owns and operates the plantation and has turned it into a tourist attraction, giving tours and having rooms available for overnight stays. The cast-iron fence at the front of the cemetery is very eery and creaks on its own. A male apparition has been reported seen standing by the fence in addition to this. Psychics believe this male presence was a slave who was to maintain the grounds. He serves almost as a guard for the souls in the cemetery, acting as a liaison to those spirits and the living who come to the site to visit on any given day.
(Source: Dwyer, Jeff. Ghost Hunter’s Guide to New Orleans. 2007.)
Chris Haunted New Orleans, Haunted Places
There are four ghosts that haunt the Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana. Three of the four are members of the family that built the plantation. The Bon Sejour Plantation was later renamed Oak Alley when a twin row of oak trees were planted in the early 1700s. In total, the rows contain 14 oak trees that are planted 80 feet apart from each other. For over the span of three centuries, these oak trees have survived every natural disaster that this area of Louisiana has ever seen. The property was bought in 1836 by a man named Jacques Telesphore Roman and he built a classical revival house that still stands today. Even though his wife Celina loved the property, she yearned to live in the society of New Orleans.
Jacques died due to health reasons in 1848 and eventually Celina left business affairs of the plantation, for her heart was not in taking care of the plantation as it was for her husband. At the end of the Civil War there was so much destruction in the area that Celina would have to sell the plantation in 1866 for $32,800 dollars. She has now returned to her former home, but now as a ghost. The ghost of Celina has been seen by the Oak trees and throughout the house.
She is seen wearing black clothes with a veil that hangs to her waist. She is one of the few apparitions that is often mistaken for an actual person because she looks so real. Her husband Jacques has also been seen after death staring back at those looking out of the first floor window. The apparition of their daughter Louise is also seen wearing black clothes as if she is in mourning. Another ghost of a girl has been reported in the second floor hallway, walking about in a blue and white nightgown. She is most likely the daughter of another one of the various former owners of the plantation.
There are many other paranormal events that take place on the plantation. For instance, one may hear the sound of a carriage at the front of the manor house. On the second floor, there is a rocking chair that moves on its own. The scent of tobacco and roses are also smelt at various times in the house. At the sick room and nursery, some people feel cold spots, while others experience a burning sensation on their heads as if they are suffering from a severe fever. The luckiest guests are witnesses to the sight of Celina Roman walking amongst the oak trees. No matter when the visit is, you are most likely going to experience some paranormal event at the Oak Alley Plantation.
(Source: Dwyer, Jeff. Ghost Hunter’s Guide to New Orleans. 2007.)
Chris Haunted New Orleans, Haunted Places
The Laurel Valley Village is located about one mile off of Louisiana 308 and is currently a working farm that is not open to the public. However, anyone can still view the largest slave village that is still standing today in the United States. The key is to find an unnamed road that leads to the village located past the store museum. The village consists of 65 buildings that are mostly in the form of duplex houses. They have all remarkably survived through all of the natural disasters in the New Orleans area for over 150 years now. The houses were the former homes of slaves for years in the 19th century. The overall atmosphere of the village is always cold with a sense of sadness.
It seems to be clearly evident that many slaves born in the village never left and died there as well. The houses are not able to withstand people going inside so it is blocked off. However from the outside, people have smelt the scent of food and fireplaces. Slamming doors have also been heard coming from these houses as well. Voices of a male and laughing children are heard in accordance with these sounds to give an even deeper effect. Some have even claimed to see the apparitions of women and children sitting on the porches as if it is just another hot, Louisiana summer day.
(Source: Dwyer, Jeff. Ghost Hunter’s Guide to New Orleans. 2007.)
Chris Haunted New Orleans, Haunted Places
The San Francisco Plantation is located in New Orleans, Louisiana and has quite a descriptive history. Edmond Bozonier Marmillion constructed a grand mansion on the Mississippi River called the Marmillion Plantation. However, shortly after he completed the construction of the plantation he died, never having a chance to enjoy the beautiful plantation with his family. His son Charles was only 16 years old when he died and not too long after he was put into service for the Civil War. He became a captain in the Confederate Army and fought in many battles, including Gettysburg.
He was captured by the Union army but escaped, only to be captured again where he spent two years in captivity. When he was released, he went to live on the plantation with his brother Valsin. Valsin’s wife Louise spent so much money on renovations of the plantation that Valsin renamed it sans fruschin, which means “without a penny in my pocket.” Somehow years later, this was translated to San Francisco. Charles and Valsin saved the plantation from the economy following the war and started a successful sugar business. Suddenly, Valsin died in 1871 at the age of 44.
Charles did what he could do to continue the business and help Louise with her three daughters but a mere four years later he died as well at the age of 35. Louise then sold the plantation in 1879 because she was unable to run everything by herself. She left behind two of her daughters who died before the age of two in unmarked graves on the property. One of these girls died, falling down the stairs. The ghost of Charles Marmillion is believed to haunt the plantation, smoking his cigar as he roams the property. He has been seen in a long coat in the main-floor office, one of the bedrooms, and the dining room. Some people have also seen the ghosts of two little girls dressed in white playing with each other on the grounds, believed to be the daughters of Valsin and Louise.
(Source: Dwyer, Jeff. Ghost Hunter’s Guide to New Orleans. 2007.)
Chris Haunted New Orleans, Haunted Places
Ormond Plantation is located in New Orleans, Louisiana and currently serves as a popular bed and breakfast. The grounds are utterly beautiful and provide a prime example of what life was like in the old south. The house was originally built in the 1780s and only a mere ten years later it was the site of a slave uprising. The leader of the rebellion was eventually caught and punished. He was tied to one of the trees and whipped unforgivingly. While this was happening, the slave allegedly laid a curse on the master and the plantation. This curse has been the reason for the early deaths of masters of the plantation. The constructor of the plantation was a man by the name of Pierre d’Trepagnier. One night during dinner, a royal Spanish carriage arrived.
The master went out to greet the carriage, stepping on board. Then, the carriage pulled away and he was never seen again. To this day, it is not sure what the fate of d’Trepagnier was. Scary, isn’t it? Colonel Richard Butler then owned the plantation from 1805 to 1819. Since the yellow fever was taking over New Orleans, he sold the plantation to his brother-in-law and moved to Mississippi. However, by the year 1820 he and his wife still fell victim to the yellow fever.
In 1898, state senator Basile LaPlace was the master or Ormond Plantation. Laplace was also a vocal leader of the Ku Klux Klan. One night, he was called outside for a meeting. The next morning, his body was found hanging from a tree outside with bullet holes all over. There is a dark shadowy presence that has been seen in or around the plantation. The bed and breakfast staff have reported seeing the apparition of a man wandering around the grounds dressed in 19th century clothing as well.
Chris Haunted New Orleans, Haunted Places
