The Myrtles Plantation

The Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana, has earned a reputation as one of America’s most haunted homes. Built in 1796, the antebellum mansion is said to be home to at least twelve ghosts, including the famous slave Chloe, whose story of murder and vengeance has become central to the plantation’s legend.

History

General David Bradford, a Revolutionary War veteran, built the Myrtles Plantation in 1796 on what was reportedly the site of a Tunica Indian burial ground. The property changed hands multiple times over the centuries, surviving the Civil War and eventually becoming a bed-and-breakfast and tourist attraction.

The plantation’s legend claims that ten murders occurred on the property, though historical records confirm only one: the 1871 shooting of William Drew Winter on the front porch, who allegedly staggered inside and died on the seventeenth step of the staircase.

The Legend of Chloe

The most famous Myrtles ghost is Chloe, a slave who allegedly belonged to Judge Clark Woodruff, an early owner. According to legend, Chloe was the judge’s mistress. When he tired of her and she was caught eavesdropping at doors, he had her ear cut off as punishment. She wore a green turban to hide her injury.

Chloe allegedly poisoned a birthday cake intended to make the judge’s family mildly ill so she could nurse them back to health and regain favor. Instead, his wife and two daughters died. Other slaves, fearing retribution, hanged Chloe and threw her body in the river.

Chloe’s ghost, wearing her distinctive green turban, is said to haunt the plantation to this day. She has been photographed, some claim, standing between the buildings.

Historians have questioned this legend, noting that no records support the story and that the Woodruffs’ daughters died of yellow fever, not poisoning.

Reported Phenomena

The Myrtles produces reports of numerous paranormal phenomena:

A woman in a green turban appearing in photographs and glimpsed by visitors.

A young girl in an antebellum dress who peers from windows and appears on the veranda.

William Drew Winter’s ghost, who walks the grounds and whose footsteps can be heard on the staircase where he died.

A Confederate soldier on the veranda.

A young girl who wanders the grounds and asks visitors to play.

A grand piano that plays by itself.

Objects moving on their own, cold spots, and the feeling of being watched.

The Photograph

One of the most famous pieces of Myrtles evidence is a photograph taken by a visitor that appears to show a figure in period dress standing between the main house and outbuildings. The figure is said to be Chloe.

Skeptics have suggested the image shows a modern person in period costume (the Myrtles hosts historical events), an artifact of the photography, or a shadow misinterpreted as a figure. Believers maintain the photograph captured a genuine ghost.

Investigation

The Myrtles has been investigated by numerous paranormal research groups and featured on television programs including “Ghost Hunters,” “Ghost Adventures,” and “Most Haunted America.” Investigators have reported EVP recordings, unusual electromagnetic readings, and personal experiences.

The plantation offers ghost tours and overnight stays, allowing visitors to investigate for themselves.

Assessment

The Myrtles Plantation combines Southern Gothic atmosphere, antebellum history, and slavery-era tragedy in a way that makes its haunted reputation almost inevitable. Whether its ghosts are real, legends that have taken on life, or tourist marketing depends on one’s perspective.

What is certain is that visitors continue to report experiences at the Myrtles, and the plantation maintains its status as one of America’s most famous haunted locations. History, legend, and the supernatural have become inextricably intertwined at this Louisiana mansion.