The House of Horrors

The LaLaurie Mansion at 1140 Royal Street in New Orleans is one of America’s most haunted locations. After a fire in 1834 revealed Madame LaLaurie’s secret torture chamber, the house has been plagued by paranormal activity.

The Location

Royal Street mansion:

• 1140 Royal Street
• French Quarter
• New Orleans
• Three-story home
• Built 1832

Madame LaLaurie

Delphine LaLaurie:

• High society
• Three marriages
• Wealthy widow
• Sadistic torturer
• Fled New Orleans

The Fire

April 10, 1834:

• Kitchen fire
• Firefighters responded
• Found locked door
• Broke it down
• Horror discovered

What They Found

The attic:

• Enslaved people chained
• Evidence of torture
• Mutilated victims
• Surgical experiments
• Chamber of horrors

The Mob

Public response:

• Word spread quickly
• Angry mob formed
• Attacked mansion
• LaLaurie fled
• Never caught

Her Escape

Madame LaLaurie:

• Fled to carriage
• To Lake Pontchartrain
• Then to Paris
• Never returned
• Died in obscurity

The Haunting Begins

After 1834:

• Strange sounds
• Screams heard
• Apparitions seen
• Moaning from attic
• Activity constant

The Ghosts

Reports include:

• Tortured victims
• Madame herself
• Children spirits
• Shadowy figures
• Chains rattling

Notable Incidents

Through the years:

• Tenants flee
• Businesses fail
• Sightings continue
• Multiple owners
• Persistent activity

Modern Ownership

Recent history:

• Nicolas Cage owned
• Various residents
• Private home
• Tour destination
• Still active

Ghost Tours

New Orleans staple:

• Featured on tours
• French Quarter stop
• Famous story
• Visitors photograph
• Exterior viewing

Investigation

Paranormal teams:

• Limited access
• Private property
• External investigation
• Activity detected
• Reports published

The Screams

Commonly reported:

• At night
• From upper floors
• Anguished sounds
• Multiple witnesses
• Continuing today

Cultural Impact

The story:

• American Horror Story
• Books and films
• Ghost lore
• True crime
• Historical interest

Significance

190 years of paranormal reports in location of documented atrocities with hundreds of witnesses.

Legacy

The LaLaurie Mansion stands as a monument to horror—both historical and supernatural—where the screams of tortured souls may still echo through Royal Street.