Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville, Louisiana, by Kathy Alexander
Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville, Louisiana – Built in 1796 by General David Bradford and first called Laurel Grove, the antebellum plantation near Baton Rouge is a bed and breakfast today and offers historical and mystery tours. Said to be one of the most haunted homes in America, several theories abound as to why it is so haunted. But when one learns the history of this old building, it becomes more apparent. First, it was allegedly built on the site of an ancient Indian burial ground, and after the house was constructed, ten murders were committed within its walls. Several strange events occur within the mansion, including handprints in the mirrors, the sound of footsteps on the stairs when no one is there, strange smells, and objects that move or disappear. Several spirits remain in the building, including a French woman who wanders from room to room, a ghost who sits at the grand piano and plays the same chord repeatedly, and a young girl who appears only just before thunderstorms.
But the home’s most famous apparition is a woman named Cloe. A slave, she became her master’s mistress, and when he tired of her, she began to eavesdrop on the family. When caught, she had her ear cut off and was sent to the fields to work as punishment. She poisoned a family birthday cake as revenge, killing the two children and the mother. The other slaves, fearful of the plantation owner’s wrath, dragged Cloe out of the house and hanged her. The spirit of Cloe, the two children, and the mother are said to remain within the house.
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