Most Haunted House in America
The Myrtles Plantation
The Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana claims to be the most haunted house in America. The antebellum styled inn, circa 1796, is said to be home to up to 15 ghosts. The inn, built over 200 years ago by, General David Bradford sits on the site of an ancient Indian burial ground.
Supposedly General Bradford, also known as “Whiskey Dave” was the first to see a ghost at the plantation… a naked Indian girl, who is still seen occasionally. Eventually, the house became the property of Bradford's daughter Sara and her husband, Judge Clark Woodruffe.
Legend has it, a slave woman named Chloe owned by the Woodruffes, was the Judge's not so willing mistress. Apparently, the Judge began to tire of her and she feared what her fate would be. Therefore, she took to listening at doors to find out. The Judge caught her one-day and cut her ear off as punishment. Thereafter, Chloe always wore a green turban to hide her disfigurement.
Poisonings
Chloe devised an intricate scheme plan to guarantee her place in the household. She poisoned the eldest daughter’s birthday cake with Oleander leaves, intending to nurse the family back to health. Unfortunately, the judge’s wife and two daughters died from the poison. The Judge had not eaten any cake and therefore spared.
Terrified, Chloe sought the safety and discretion of the plantation’s other slaves. However, they knew hiding her could result in their own deaths, so they hanged her. Her body was weighted down and thrown into the Mississippi River. The ghost of a green turbaned woman has been a resident at the Plantation ever since.
The inn’s present owners, Teeta and John Moss said "There are a million old homes, but how many are haunted?" Teeta believes Chloe helps keep her children safe. When she isn't looking after the Moss children, Chloe is said to peek in on overnight guests. No one seems to know who she’s looking for.
The Chloe incident is not the only tragedy the Myrtles plantation has seen over the years. There have been at least 10 homicides or suicides on the property.
It is told during the Civil War, a wounded confederate soldier crawled through the front door where he died. The story goes his body left an impression where it fell couldn’t be removed or cleaned.
A man was killed during a robbery of the plantation in 1927 and is said his ghost wanders about the property as well. However, this ghost is not as nice as Chloe. He orders patrons to vacate the premises.
The Woodruffe children have also been seen laughing and playing. Reportedly they sometimes perch in the chandeliers or peer at guests from the foot of their beds. Visitors have also reported sightings of a Voodoo priestess, chanting over a little girl. Some have seen a ballet dancer, complete with black tutu, dancing about a foot off the ground.
Other strange happenings and odd things have been observed at the Myrtles. Such as the grand piano playing by itself or crying babies. Others tell of the sound of a man staggering up the stairs in the dead of night and collapsing on the stairs. It’s believed this is the ghost of William Winter, who staggered up the stairs as he was dying of a gunshot wound in 1871. He collapsed into his wife's arms on the 17th step.
