Napoleon House
Napoleon House is located on Chartres Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. The house was built in 1814 by Mayor Nicholas Girod and contained a large courtyard and balconies. The Mayor was so proud of his establishment that during a party he was hosting in 1821, he offered the house to emperor Napoleon of France if he were to escape from imprisonment in Elba Island. The chances that this were to happen was slim to none, but the people of New Orleans gave him a lot of respect as a result of the gesture. From that point on, the house started to be referred to as Napoleon House.
Currently, Napoleon House serves as a restaurant that has an outdoor bar, an in-house dining room, and a courtyard. The restaurant is quite popular and busy every day of the week. The walls of the inside are covered with old portraits of Napoleon and depictions of battles. The one portrait that is not of this theme is of Pete Impastato, who was the owner of the restaurant from 1936 to 1971. Since its construction about 200 years ago, over several families have called Napoleon House their home. The second floor of the building also served as an infirmary during the Civil War for both Confederate and Union soldiers. Sadly, many soldiers would die at the house due to the lack of medical attention.
As nightfall approaches the balcony on the building that faces Chartres Street, the apparition of a soldier in a gray uniform can be seen. He walks the balcony and then abruptly disappears. There are also times when the same ghost is seen leaning over the balcony. In the courtyard, the apparition of a black woman is seen wearing a long skirt and bandanna on her head. This ghost is believed to be a mammy, or a slave governess. The courtyard is most likely the spot of either this woman’s death or place of responsibility during her life. During renovations of the building, bartenders would often watch as the most expensive liquor bottles were knocked over.
(Source: Dwyer, Jeff. Ghost Hunter’s Guide to New Orleans. 2007.)
