The Legend of Chloe at the Myrtles

Among the twelve ghosts said to inhabit the Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana, none is more famous than Chloe - an enslaved woman whose tragic story of punishment, revenge, and remorse has become inseparable from the property’s haunted reputation. Her apparition, distinctive in its green turban, has been photographed and witnessed by thousands.

The Myrtles Plantation

Built in 1796 by General David Bradford, the Myrtles Plantation sits on land supposedly built over a Tunica Indian burial ground. The antebellum mansion, with its 125-foot veranda and French Colonial architecture, has been called one of America’s most haunted locations.

The property changed hands multiple times, with the Stirling and Woodruff families being most associated with its legends. Today it operates as a bed and breakfast and tour destination.

The Legend of Chloe

The Story

According to the most popular version of the legend:

Chloe was an enslaved house servant during Judge Clark Woodruff’s ownership (1817-1830s). She became Woodruff’s mistress, though as an enslaved person she had no ability to refuse.

When Woodruff tired of her and threatened to send her to the fields, Chloe became desperate. She was caught eavesdropping at keyholes, attempting to learn if Woodruff planned to dismiss her. As punishment, Judge Woodruff had her left ear severed. From that day forward, she wore a green turban to hide her disfigurement.

Seeking to restore her position or perhaps exact revenge, Chloe baked a birthday cake for the Woodruff children, lacing it with oleander leaves - a poison. Her intention, some say, was to make the family mildly ill so she could nurse them back to health and regain favor.

But she used too much poison. Sara Mathilda Woodruff (the Judge’s wife) and two of their children died after eating the cake. When other enslaved people learned what Chloe had done, they hanged her from a tree on the property and threw her body into the Mississippi River, fearing collective punishment from their master.

Historical Controversy

Modern historians have questioned nearly every element of this story:

• No records confirm an enslaved woman named Chloe at the Myrtles
• Sara Mathilda Woodruff actually died of yellow fever in 1823
• The children’s deaths are not documented as poisoning
• Judge Woodruff’s ear-cutting punishment is unverified

However, the legend persists because:

• The story predates modern historical research
• Something is clearly haunting the Myrtles
• A figure matching Chloe’s description appears in photographs

The Ghost

Whatever the historical truth, witnesses consistently report seeing a figure matching Chloe’s description:

Visual Sightings

• A tall African American woman
• Wearing a green turban or head wrap
• Dressed in period servant’s clothing
• Often seen on the veranda or near the main house
• Sometimes appears in the mirror between two buildings

Behavior

• She appears to be watching or waiting
• Often seen in peripheral vision, vanishing when looked at directly
• Has been reported walking through walls
• Sometimes manifests holding what appears to be a slice of cake

The Famous Photograph

In 1992, a photograph taken during a tour appeared to show a figure standing between two buildings. The figure wears what looks like a turban and period dress. This image has become one of the most analyzed ghost photographs in American paranormal history.

Skeptics suggest it’s a lens flare, shadow, or other photographic artifact. Believers point to the consistency with Chloe’s description and the fact that no one present saw the figure when the photo was taken.

Other Ghosts at the Myrtles

Chloe is far from the only spirit:

• William Winter: A lawyer shot on the property in 1871, seen dragging himself up the stairs
• The Ghost Children: Spirits of children seen playing on the veranda
• The French Soldier: A wounded soldier who appears bloody and disheveled
• The Native American Woman: Possibly connected to the burial ground legend
• The Lady in White: Often seen floating near the veranda

A grand piano is said to play by itself, always the same chord. Footsteps echo from empty rooms. Doors lock and unlock without explanation.

Investigations

The Myrtles has been featured on numerous paranormal television programs. Investigations have recorded:

• EVPs of whispered voices
• Cold spots throughout the house
• Objects moving on their own
• Shadow figures captured on camera
• Unexplained sounds including children laughing

The Myrtles Today

The plantation operates as a bed and breakfast, with overnight guests frequently reporting paranormal experiences. Ghost tours run regularly, and the property embraces its haunted reputation.

Whether Chloe was a real person whose terrible fate bound her to the Myrtles, or a legend that somehow manifested into hauntings, her green-turbaned ghost remains the iconic spirit of one of America’s most haunted locations.

For those who have seen her - standing silently on the veranda or peering from the manor’s dark corners - the question of historical accuracy matters less than the certainty of her presence.