Laurel Valley Village
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.)
