Griffon House
Griffon House was built by a man named Adam Griffon in 1852, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The house that Griffon built became the nicest one in the entire neighborhood, with 14-foot high ceilings, and rooms that were large enough to hold balls and other social events. However, Adam Griffon would only able to live in the house for only ten years until 1862, upon which the Union Army took over the house during their occupation of New Orleans during the Civil War.The Union officers took over the house and used it as barracks, a warehouse, and a jail for rebellious soldiers.
There are two events that occurred during this time period that may account for the paranormal activities that still are prevalent to this day. As the Unions soldiers went through the neighborhood looking for any houses that would be large enough to accommodate their needs, they came across Griffon House. Upon entering, they started to hear moaning and screaming from upstairs. These screams were also accompanied by the sound of rattling chains. The soldiers went upstairs to investigate the situation, and they found several slaves that were chained on the walls of the third floor.
These slaves were found nearly dead from starvation and infectious wounds. This discovery lead to the realization that Adam Griffon fled from New Orleans for fear of the Union army discovering his cruel and inhumane mistreatment of his slaves, as opposed to just that he hated the soldiers. Most of the slaves that were chained up died at the hospital or even on the stairs as they were being carried down. The horrifying events and torture that these slaves went through has seemed to have an impact on all people who have lived or stayed in this house ever since.
Ghosts are believed to haunt in the house looking for their revenge on Adam Griffon. There are also frequent hauntings of two Confederate soldiers that committed a double suicide on the third floor. These two men were dressed up as Union soldiers and were caught looting. They were caught and placed into Griffon house for confinement until a senior officer could come and tell them what their fate would be. During their time of waiting, a Union solider told them that the price for looting was a shot in the head. Therefore, these two soldiers bribed a Union soldier to get them two pistols and a bottle of whiskey. They drank the bottle, sang their favorite songs, and then shot each other in the chest at the same time.
There was so much blood as a result of this that it was said to have dripped through the floorboards onto the second floor. Paranormal events began to happen at Griffon house in the 1920s. A man lived there who ran a small repair shop in the rear of the house. One day, he disappeared without a trace. The other people in the neighborhood said that he was disturbed from seeing strange things in the house but he would never explain what they were one when someone asked him. The people who lived in the house in the 1930s reported hearing sounds of marching boots. This was also sometimes accompanied with the sound of singing and laughing.
A second floor renter of the place even reported blood dripping from the third floor into her room. For years now, people passing by the Griffon House have seen the faces of two men from the third-floor attic window. These men seem to be dressed in blue uniforms. Some have even heard the sounds of loud Civil War era-songs being sung very loud. One of these songs include “John Brown’s Body.” In 2005, the house went under major renovations. It is currently under private residence, but one may still be able to have a paranormal experience simply from walking by it on the street.
(Source: Dwyer, Jeff. Ghost Hunter’s Guide to New Orleans. 2007.)
