The Legend of Chloe

The Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana is said to be haunted by Chloe, a slave woman who allegedly poisoned her master’s family and was subsequently hanged. Her ghost, wearing a green turban, is the plantation’s most famous spirit.

The Legend

According to tradition, Chloe was a house slave who became mistress to plantation owner Clark Woodruff. When he tired of her, she feared being sent to the fields. She eavesdropped on family conversations, was caught, and had her ear cut off.

The Poisoning

Seeking either revenge or a way to make herself needed as a nurse, Chloe allegedly baked a birthday cake laced with oleander for Woodruff’s wife and daughters. All three died. Fellow slaves hanged Chloe and threw her body into the river.

The Ghost

Chloe appears wearing a green turban to hide her missing ear. She is seen peering into windows, standing on the veranda, and walking the grounds. A famous photograph shows what appears to be a figure in green standing between buildings.

The History

Historical research has not confirmed Chloe’s existence. Records show the Woodruff wife and daughters died of yellow fever, not poisoning. Whether Chloe is historical fact or plantation folklore is uncertain.

The Activity

Regardless of Chloe’s historical reality, the plantation is genuinely haunted. Multiple spirits have been documented. The ghost sightings continue regardless of the legend’s accuracy.

Assessment

Chloe may be more legend than history, but something haunts the Myrtles. Whether the ghost in the green turban is the tragic slave woman of legend or another spirit, she appears consistently to visitors.