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The Myrtles Plantation has long been regarded as one of America’s most haunted homes, drawing a constant stream of tourists each year, many of whom are looking for ghosts. The infamous staircase where witnesses report the sound of phantom footsteps, which stop on the seventeenth step -- where William Winter died in the arms of his true love. Unfortunately, that event never happened -- Winter died on the front porch. According to the story, the troubles that led to the haunting at the Myrtles began in 1817 when Sarah Mathilda married Clark Woodruff.
Judge Clarke Woodruff Suite
Another “haunted highlight” of the Myrtles Plantation is a sizable mirror that some of the owners claim is home to the ghosts of some of the deceased. Photographers of the mirror frequently discover that the developed image contains images of multiple people’s handprints that appear to be inside the glass. Lewis Stirling, the eldest son of Ruffin Grey Stirling, was one of them, and it was reported that he was killed by stabbing at home due to a gambling debt. But according to St. Francisville cemetery records, he passed away from yellow fever in October 1854 at the age of 23. There is no doubt that they did not pass away as a result of a poisoned birthday cake. Also, according to this myth, Octavia would not have existed at all (her mother was allegedly pregnant when she was killed), but we know that she grew up with her father, got married, and lived a long life.
Inside The Myrtles Plantation And The Story Of Its Haunting
I am left wondering why a fantastical past was invented in its place because the actual history of the plantation is rife with tragedy, death, and despair. Others will undoubtedly receive an answer, but that one probably won’t. It appears essential to learn the true history of the location because a house’s past is the most crucial factor in figuring out why it might be haunted in the first place. It has frequently been advised to comb through the local myths and mythology to find some nuggets of truth. There is no denying that the sheer number of accounts that have been reported and collected here would cause the house to qualify as one of the most haunted sites in the country. However, as you can see from the preceding pages, the house may be haunted, just not for the reasons that have been claimed for so many years.
Tour
The house’s wide central hallway and the entire southern section were additions by Stirling. A highly wealthy family named the Stirlings held numerous plantations on both banks of the Mississippi River. Until her passing in 1830, she remained a resident of Laurel Grove along with her son-in-law and granddaughter, Octavia. Woodrooff’s life would never be the same again, but he could pay his mother-in-law cash for the farm. Despite her advanced age, she was relieved to see the home in capable hands. Bradford occasionally took in law students while he was residing in Bayou Sarah.
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Chloe feared the worst, sure that she was going to be sent to the fields, and she began eavesdropping on the Woodruff family's private conversations, dreading hearing the mention of her name. One day, the Judge caught her at this and ordered that one of her ears be cut off to teach her a lesson and to put her in her place. After that time, she always wore a green turban around her head to hide the ugly scar that the knife had left behind. After the death of Mary Cobb Stirling in 1880, the Myrtles was purchased by Stephen Stirling, one of her sons. He bought out his brothers but only maintained ownership of the house until March 1886.
He left his family in a secure location and crossed the Ohio River to reach the Mississippi. He eventually made his home close to Bayou Sara, which is close to St. Francisville, Louisiana. One of five children, David Bradford, was born in America to Irish parents. Near Washington County, Pennsylvania, he bought a tiny stone home and a plot of land. Nevertheless, as you’ll soon discover, the plantation has a peculiar past that actually did take place and may have—and has—leaven its own actual ghosts in its wake. Our goal is not to deter these tourists from coming or even from hunting for the ghosts that they will almost probably encounter while they are here.
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The house became well known in the region for its size and remarkable craftsmanship, with a mahogany staircase and woodwork imported from England. Many of the items had to be transported from the East Coast and over the Pennsylvania mountains at great expense. Bradford would use the parlor of the house as an office, where he would meet with his clients. Discover why the Myrtles Plantation has been named 'One of Americas Most Haunted Homes.' Experience the Myrtles 7 days a week with our guided Daily Mystery Tours.
Myrtles Plantation
Let’s look at the claimed killings of Sarah Mathilda and her two daughters before we tackle the issue of Chloe’s existence. In this instance, the truth has been so drastically misrepresented by mythology. Sadly, despite no proof to support these claims, these stories have been regarded as fact.
The question around the structure's origins points to the cultural melting pot it arose from, a region with a blend of African, French and Spanish influences. Over the next few years, Claude Metoyer would purchase Coincoin's freedom, along with the freedom of the ten children they would have together. The couple split in 1786—some speculate Metoyer wanted to produce an heir legal in the eyes of the French crown.
There seems to be little doubt about the fact that the house is haunted – it’s the reason that it’s haunted that has been called into question. For several generations, owners and guides at the plantation have been presenting “facts and history” that they know is blatantly false. The Myrtles, according to hundreds of people who have encountered the resident spirits, is indeed haunted, but not for the reasons that we have been told. The other slaves, perhaps afraid that their owner would punish them also, dragged Chloe from her room and hanged her from a nearby tree. Her body was later cut down, weighted with rocks and thrown into the river. Woodruff closed off the children's dining room, where the party was held, and never allowed it to be used again as long as he lived.
On July 15, 1824, his only son, James, also died from yellow fever and two months later, in September, Cornelia Gale was also felled by the dreaded disease. A walk through the house and stories about the history are offered on a daily basis. The Mystery Tours are held every Friday and Saturday evening, and guests sit around with a guide who tells about their personal experiences at the haunted mansion. The Myrtles Plantation is a historic home and former antebellum plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana, United States built in 1796 by General David Bradford. In the early history of the property, it was worked by enslaved people.
One night, when the family was about to sit down to dinner and Woodruff was away, Chloe allegedly slipped a bit of poison into their food. And is there any truth to the claims of ghost sightings at Myrtles? The current plantation landscape is centered on a large pond that features a small island centered with a gazebo accessed by a bridge. To the rear of the main house is the oldest structure on the grounds. Now known as the General's Store, this was where General Bradford lived while the main house was being built. Currently it is used as the gift shop, laundry facilities, plantation offices and guest breakfast spot.[4] To the south is another structure that houses a restaurant.
It's part of an estate on the Cane River in Northwest Louisiana, a place separated from the rest of the state by many miles and unique circumstances. Settled by the Cane River Creoles, free people of color who became wealthy slaveowners and plantation owners, it also stands as a bit of an architectural mystery. These occurrences include handprints in the mirrors, footsteps on the stairs, eerie smells, disappearing objects, poisoning deaths, hangings, murder, and gunfire. The murky history that has been offered to “explain” why the house is so haunted in the first place might be more dubious than the award itself. One film, which was decidedly not paranormal, was a television mini-series remake of The Long Hot Summer, starring Don Johnson, Cybill Shepherd, Ava Gardner, and Jason Robards.
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