A Guest's Perspective on the Ghosts of New Orleans Tour

Dark fell fast on a cold mid-December night in New Orleans. We parked next to Jax Brewery and walked to Cafe Beignet for a cafe au lait and hot chocolate to warm our tingling hands. We strolled down Decatur St. in front of Jackson Square to the corner of Chartres and St. Ann street. We met our guide across from Muriel’s restaurant, Michael, who was waiting for us as we were the last to arrive. He wore a thick denim jacket and donned an eye patch on his right eye and spoke with that familiar Creole accent. He introduced himself as a history professor for the University of New Orleans and a WWII history buff who also works at the National WWII Museum. He claimed that tonight’s walking “Ghosts of New Orleans” tour would educate us on all the dark history and spirits the Crescent City has to offer.

The colorful christmas lights and flickering gas lamps lit the damp wrought iron balconies of the French Quarter with an eerie glow as we paraded down the cobblestone streets. Our guide’s voice drifted effortlessly over our gang of ghostly history enthusiasts on this Tuesday evening, without all the weekend ruckus of the city. Our family friendly tour was comprised of adults of all ages and one teenager who seemed to really enjoy himself, especially when Michael asked him and another guest to participate in a pantomimed “slaughter” demonstration.

Our first stop was Jackson Square with its stories of the gallows where white men were hung quickly and black men were left to suffer as an example to other slaves. The trees in the square are short though, and this meant there was more of a struggle during the hangings. There was no sharp fall from a tall branch and a quick snap to the neck; it was a long, breathless, agonizing delay to asphyxiate and die. But the townspeople of La Louisiane loved a show, and they clamored to be the first in Jackson Square to witness the ghastly demise. This was an unsettling way to start our ghost tour, indeed.

We roamed the alleyways along both sides of St. Louis Cathedral and learned of dirty pirates, women of a certain profession, and even a ghost who helps the inebriated rise up from the uneven ground and be on their merry way. Behind the cathedral we heard of deathly duels: Americans and their loud guns, and the French with their swords and first blood, both with wildly different outcomes.

We stood in front of the Old Ursuline Convent while Michael shared with us its long, sorted past. He also said there is an impressive museum inside displaying the history of the Roman Catholic church in New Orleans. As we stood there engaged in every word, a mule and carriage came click-clacking down Chartres St. and disappeared in the distance.

We meandered to Muriel’s restaurant and heard of Jourdan, a spirit awakened by renovations to the building and offered a sanctuary in the form of a table set just for him with red wine and fresh bread set out daily. You can even pay an extra fee at the restaurant to dine with the legendary ghost himself.

Legends of Storyville and her vast array of bordellos, madames, and concubines nestled deep within the walls of inconspicuous French Quarter buildings floated through the crisp evening air with a stench of laden mystery.

We ended our walking “Ghosts of New Orleans” tour at the corner of Royal St. and Governor Nicholls St. where the infamous Lalaurie mansion resides. I’ve studied the history of this notorious estate, watched American Horror Story: Coven, and I’ve seen Kathy Bates’ portrayal of Madame Delphine Lalaurie...but I’ve never stood in front of the foreboding location of these horrific events. I felt uneasy, sick to my stomach, unsettled, and apprehensive about taking pictures. My hands were trembling. I’ve never seen much in the way of spirits or ghosts, but I can feel things. I feel their presence and I feel the emotion from tragic events at certain locations. The Lalaurie Mansion was no exception. When Michael told the story of Madame Lalaurie riding swiftly away on her stagecoach as a mob formed in front of her fiery home, I could see the images flash before me like a xoetrope. I heard the rapid gallop of horse hooves smacking the cobblestone. I smelled the distinct odor of burnt flesh. I felt the heat of the scorching flames on my cheek. I glanced at the stately front door, elegant in its solid white finish and ornate, hand-carved designs, standing firm and unwelcoming behind the cold iron bars of the security gate.

That was the end of our evening with the spirits of this haunted city. With just the right helping of cajun ghost spice on a heaping plate of historical fact, an hour and a half from start to finish, and time at the end for questions and conversation, Michael was ever the gracious and confident host of the evening’s festivities. They say that December is a very appropriate time to tell haunted tales; during the Victorian era this was a very popular past time of the Christmas season. With the long, dark nights of winter’s solstice, the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest. Perhaps that’s why I had such an experience at the Lalaurie mansion? Perhaps you will have your own unique experience on one of our Haunted History Tours.

INTERVIEWS

Amanda Scarpaci: Chicago, IL
What brought you to New Orleans?
I had a vacation from work and always wanted to come to New Orleans, it’s a beautiful city. This is my first time in NOLA

What did you think of Michael and the tour? I’m a big fan of American history. I liked the ghost stories and everything but I was glad that history was incorporated in there as well. Would you come back and recommend the tour to everyone? Oh yes, definitely. Brittany & Charlie Kaiser: Ball Ground, GA What brought you to New Orleans? The food and it’s a location we could drive to in a weekend. We’ve been here before and love it, it’s our third trip. What did you think of Michael and the tour? I really liked that it was historical and not BS as Michael calls it. When he said at the beginning that there would be less fluff and more history, I really liked that. I think it makes it more believable that this stuff actually happened and you have a historical base for it. To me, I’m more willing to believe there’s ghosts in there, knowing that horrible things really happened in that house (LaLaurie mansion). Would you come back and recommend the tour to everyone? For sure.