Fort Pike State Historic Site
Fort Pike State Historic Site is located 23 miles from central New Orleans, between the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Pontchartrain. The location was strategic during the British attempt to invade New Orleans in 1814 and 1815. After the War of 1812, President Monroe ordered the construction of forts across the entire Gulf and Atlantic coasts in order to prevent foreign invasion. Fort Pike was built and named for explorer Zebulon Montgomery Pike. It was built in 1816 and major renovations were done in the 1850s. The fort was strategically designed to be protected from invasion of both land and sea. It contained protective moats and 400 men were holding it down.
When the Civil War began, the Louisiana militia took control of the fort with ease. Union forces then took control of New Orleans and the fort in 1862. By 1871, it was under the care of only one sergeant and would go abandoned in 1890. The name of this lone sergeant is not known but he appears to continue to do this job to this day. Visitors often have the sense of being followed or hear the sounds of boots walking down on the ground. Cold spots are also felt in addition to this phenomena.
(Source: Dwyer, Jeff. Ghost Hunter’s Guide to New Orleans. 2007.)
