The Castle Inn
The Castle Inn is located on Fourth Street at St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Victorian architecture of this mansion is quite astounding, and will be sure to stop anyone in their tracks if they were to walk on by it. Among its unique characteristics, there is a giant medieval suit of armor that stands on the porch, making its visitors think twice upon entering. The inn actually was built on land that was once that of the Livaudais Plantation. In 1848, a townhouse was built on the land as home to a popular civic leader, and an organizer of the White Man’s League.
The White Man’s League was actually a forerunner to the Ku Klux Klan. After this man died, the house was demolished and the land was deserted for the next 40 years. In 1891, the building that now serves as the Castle Inn was constructed. The ceilings are 13-feet high, the hardwood floors are beautifully well done, and period antiques are displayed that make one feel as though they are living back in the 19th century. Oddly enough, there is an evil portrait of the former white supremacist leader that still hangs over the stairs, almost as if he is looking at everyone as they are walking into the inn.
The Castle Inn is a site that has a reputation for being very haunted, as it even displays a certificate from the North Florida Paranormal Research Group confirming that there have been paranormal events that took place here. Guests of the inn have written in two books that describe the experiences that they’ve had with two ghosts. The most often seen ghost is that of a black man who worked in the mansion as a servant and lived in the quarters across the yard. This man apparently spoke a few languages, was a well-known drinker, and was a “ladies man.” He was also a smoker of cigars and cigarettes. One night, this man consumed a large amount of brandy, and fell asleep in his bed as he was smoking a cigar.
The smoke that resulted in this became so thick that he died in the night from suffocation. After death, this man’s spirit still remains in its jovial spirit, but now he is living in the main house and no longer in the smaller quarters. The other famous ghost here is that of a young girl named Emily, but is also called Dee. This little girl died in the pond on the property during the time when it was still the Livaudais Plantation. The little girl is seen walking around in confusion, looking for her mommy.
The spirit of Emily has been seen in a few houses around the neighborhood and on the streets as well. Activity has been reported in nearly every single room in the inn. This also includes the hallway and the stairwell. Knocking on doors, floors, and the ceiling have been reported. Other paranormal events include: coughing, singing, the moving of furniture, creaking floor boards, and the sound of heavy footsteps. Some people have even experienced shaking on their beds as they tried to go to sleep. Some feel that there is a spirit jumping up and down on the bed, trying to get under the covers.
The male ghost has been well-known to play a lot of pranks. He has moved all types of objects, including shoes, suitcases, keys, and wallets. Some guests have strangely found their lost keys inside the microwave. Light switches are also turned on and off frequently. One woman reported to the staff that her fan would not shut off, but when the staff heard this, they told her that the fan had not been running and was unplugged for the past three years. People have also smelt the scent of tobacco and flowers in the non-smoking rooms of the inn. These scents often appear right before the apparitions are seen by a guest. Guests have even felt someone kiss their cheek, touch their face with a hand, or have their forearms stroked as they lay in bed trying to fall asleep.
Apparitions are often seen in the stairwell and in the guest rooms. A large dark shadow is the most usual form of apparition seen at night. The ghost of Emily has been seen on the second floor stairwell and the foyer. It is believed that there are also other ghosts that call the Castle Inn their home. According to one couple, they contacted a spirit named Henry through the use of an Ouija board. The spirit said that he was born in 1854, and died at the age of 39. His favorite room is number 8, and he was a card dealer with a wife and several children. Henry is known to create orbs that show up in film.
(Source: Dwyer, Jeff. Ghost Hunter’s Guide to New Orleans. 2007.)
