One Of The Most Haunted Homes In America, Where Guests Are Convinced That Its Past Residents Still Hang Around
The flower, “Crepe Myrtle”, known as the lilac of the south and the flower of the Gods, lends it name and reputation to a plantation home in southern Louisiana abundant with its fragrant pink flowers across 10 acres. This is the Myrtles Plantation. On the plantation grounds, where rocking chairs creak on the magnificent southern porch of the 10,000 square foot main home while beautiful Spanish moss covered ancient Oak trees whisper in the wind, some, or perhaps many former “residents” interact with guests in peculiar ways.
“It is like they do not want to be forgotten,” says Hester Eby, a guide who has been with the Myrtles Plantation for over 30 years. The ‘they’ Eby refers to are what are considered the resident ghosts of the plantation. The Myrtles is generally recognized as one of the most haunted places in the United States. “Unsolved Mysteries, The History Channel, Oprah…they’ve all been here,” Eby says.
There have been many reports of paranormal activity at the plantation. “I’d say about 70% of the guests staying over night have some sort of experience,” Eby says. “A few of them refuse to stay overnight and leave, but most of them stay the night…these are friendly spirits.” They may be friendly spirits, but some of the stories that are part of the plantation’s lore have a darker spin.
There is only one confirmed case of murder on the plantation grounds. However, Eby says the daily tours that she helps guide recount 10 murders that happened on the grounds over 200 years of history.
The most famous is Chloe. Chloe was a household servant at the plantation, who was forced into an affair with the owner, Judge Clark Woodruff, in the 1800s. Chloe was fearful of losing her household status and returning to the fields after the affair ended, so she came up with a plan to make herself useful to the Woodruffs. She decided to poison Woodruff’s two young daughters then nurse them back to health to show she deserved to be in the house. Unfortunately for her and the two young daughters, her plan didn’t work and ended in the death of the two girls. After they died, the other slaves were afraid of being accused as accomplices, so they took Chloe from her sleep and hung her from one of the giant oak trees on the grounds. One of the most famous paranormal photos of all time purportedly shows Chloe on the porch of one of the buildings on the grounds. According to Myrtles publicity material, “A National Geographic Explorer filming crew determined that the photograph definitely contained what appeared to be an apparition of what they believe to be a slave girl.” As for the young daughters of the Judge, “they are seen playing in the grass or heard laughing throughout the plantation, especially during bad weather,” continues Eby. “They say the poisoning happened during bad weather. Guests [will] look down from the second floor windows when it is too bad to be outside and will see the girls playing.”
Chloe and the girls are not the only haunts of the home. The one confirmed murder at the Myrtles Plantation is one William Winter. Winter was shot as he stumbled into the house and tried to reach the top of the stairs. He made it to the 17th stair and perished. People still hear his footsteps, trying to make it to the second floor. There is also an apparition of a girl in a photograph, taken rather recently on a digital camera, in old style clothes staring back at the camera. The photograph was sent to paranormal experts, who concluded that it is difficult to explain and does not appear to have any doctoring.
According to Eby, there are as many as 12 different ghosts, who frequently reveal themselves to guests and people on tours. A piano playing phantom. A dancer who hovers above the floor. Faces that appear in a mirror. All have been reported. “I have experiences infrequently, but they do happen,” Eby recalls. “One that stands out is when I was coming into the house. I heard a little girl say ‘hello.’ I turned to look where the sound was coming from and, of course, there was no one there. I walked around the porch to look and didn’t see anyone. I then went back to the door to go inside and I heard giggling, like the little girl was playing with me.”
Beyond the ghost stories and experiences is the peaceful and lovely atmosphere of the plantation, set outside St. Francisville, LA, a popular tourist town outside Baton Rouge. Living up to its Crepe Myrtle name, the plantation is filled with manicured grounds, beautiful architecture, a gorgeous brick patio, and pleasant, hospitable owners. John and Teeta Moss, the current owners, originally bought the home as a residence, but with its history and supernatural happenings, they decided to open it up as a place for tours and as an overnight stay for guests wanting a true taste of the historical South. “The food, the beautiful homes and nature, the hospitality are all wonderful reasons to come to the state of Louisiana,” Eby says. “Myrtles Plantation continues to provide relaxation and excitement to many guests and day-trippers who roam the grounds [whether] in search of hidden mysteries or to simply feel the living past of the Deep South.”
Andrew Malo
A graduate of Northeastern Illinois University in Education, Andrew has taught for the past decade in Chicago, New Mexico, and Japan. He enjoys tinkering with trucks and motorcycles, woodworking, reading and computer programming.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Myrtles Plantation, inviting guests to step into the past for a visit of antebellum splendor. Relax in a giant rocker on the wide veranda or stroll through the historic grounds laced with Live Oak trees, Crepe Myrtle trees, azaleas and other flora and fauna.