The city of New Orleans is rich with history and culture. Known for its eclectic nightlife scene, live music, and spicy entrees, the Big Easy is an exciting and thrilling place where locals and tourists alike go to hang out and enjoy life.
But there is another well-known aspect to this city that draws in the crowds, and that is its connection to dark magic, voodoo, and all things haunted.
If you are hoping to experience a ghostly encounter while staying in New Orleans, there are several places where it is very likely you will see a spirit or two. Booking a New Orleans ghost tour is a great way to learn more about the top haunted locations in New Orleans and hear some of the stories and urban legends that make these places so creepy.
What is the Most Haunted Place in New Orleans?
It is hard to say which location in New Orleans is the most haunted of all. This city is known for being home to Voodoo queens, witches, vampires, and anything that’s considered strange or unusual. Many of the haunted places in town can be found in the historic French Quarter, which seems to have an air of mystery and macabre all its own.
About the French Quarter
The Haunted LaLaurie Mansion in the French Quarter – Copyright New Orleans Ghosts
The mixture of French, African, and Spanish cultures in New Orleans brings together a turbulent history filled with natural disasters, tragic epidemics, slavery, war, and so much more. And few places in New Orleans endured the pain from these and other issues quite like the French Quarter.
When it was founded by the French in 1718, the event took place at a site used by Native Americans for centuries, now known as the French Quarter. This is the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans and continues to be a popular gathering place as well as a top location for hauntings and ghost encounters.
Along with being home to the infamous Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, Marie Laveau, the French Quarter is also home to Muriel’s Restaurant, Dauphine’s Orleans Hotel, and the Haunted LaLaurie Mansion.
Muriel’s Restaurant
Muriel’s Jackson Square Restaurant offers a classic Creole menu with an atmosphere that combines old-world charm with fine dining. Constructed in the mid-1700s, the building was initially a private residence and went through several transformations before becoming the popular and historic Muriel’s Jackson Square restaurant that is loved by so many.
The Ghost of Muriel’s—Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan
During the 18th century, a devastating fire swept through the French Quarter, destroying over 850 homes and businesses. As the city made efforts to rebuild, it constructed several new buildings in Jackson Square, including the Presbytère and the Cabildo. The piece of property where Muriel’s is located today in the French Quarter was purchased at the time by a man named Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan.
Jourdan tore down the humble little cottage on the land to build his new home, a lavish and grand estate that he and his family treasured. It appeared that Jourdan had everything going for him. But looks can often be deceiving.
Jourdan had a serious gambling problem. He lived for the thrill and excitement that came with wagering his wealth in hopes that Lady Luck would shine down upon him. One night in 1814, during an intense poker game, Jourdan did the unthinkable and wagered his beautiful family home. Unfortunately, he lost the bet and the property he loved more than anything else along with it.
Jourdan was in shock at his loss. It was such an intense blow to his mental state that before he vacated the property to hand it over to its new owners, he went upstairs to the second floor and committed suicide.
The Séance Lounge at Muriel’s
Today, the second floor of Muriel’s, where Jourdan took his own life, is an enchanting room that pays homage to its former owner. The room is filled with vintage furnishings and bold red drapes, as well as a sense that someone or something is lurking in the shadows.
Visitors to the Séance Lounge have reported the temperature of the room dropping in certain areas, seeing the lights flicker spontaneously, and witnessing the apparition of a man, many believe to be Jourdan himself, dressed in clothing from the 19th century. These sightings have become so frequent that the restaurant’s owner sets a table for Jourdan each night with fresh bread and a glass of wine.
The Haunted Courtyard at Muriel’s
Along with the ghost of Jourdan lurking throughout the Séance Lounge, Muriel’s is also known to have a haunted courtyard.
This outdoor area of the restaurant is a popular place for social gatherings as well as ghostly activity. Patrons and employees have reported multiple ghostly encounters over the years. They’ve seen shadowy figures in the distance, heard disembodied voices, and overall felt a general sense of unease and simply not being welcome there.
There is also a Lady in White who roams the courtyard. The spirit is often seen drifting throughout the courtyard or standing still near the fountain. There are some who believe she is the spirit of a former resident who simply misses her former home and the life she once lived.
Dauphine Orleans Hotel
The Dauphine Orleans Hotel was established in the 1800s in the French Quarter. This historic hotel, popular on New Orleans ghost tours, features a Creole cottage style that is reminiscent of the early days of New Orleans. Today, the hotel is still open, offering a selection of rooms and suites inside the Main House, Carriage House, and Hermann House.
The hotel is also home to a bar, known as May Baily’s Place, which was once used as a brothel during the mid-to-late 19th century.
May Baily’s Place was one of the very first bordellos in New Orleans, and it was also one of the most notorious. Today, it is a cozy bar where guests can sip spirits surrounded by décor inspired by burlesque art. But there is such a dark and disturbing history attached to this place that it is considered to be one of the most haunted locations in all of New Orleans.
The Ghosts of Dauphine’s Orleans Hotel
There are several urban legends tied to this old hotel, and it can be difficult to say which one is the most popular. These stories of troubled spirits and tragic endings will either deter you from staying at Dauphine’s or satisfy your curiosity by booking a room there tonight.
The Lost Bride—The Ghost of Millie Baily
One of the most heartbreaking ghost tales from the Dauphine Orleans Hotel is the one about the Lost Bride, Millie Baily.
Millie was the younger sister of May Baily, the owner of the first brothel in New Orleans. When the Yellow Fever epidemic swept through the city in 1847, it took the life of an Irish immigrant, who left his two young daughters behind. To survive, the oldest daughter, May, recruited the help of her father’s wealthy friend and opened a “sporting house” on Dauphine Street in 1857, which later became the infamous May Bailey’s Place.
The women who worked at May Baily’s Place catered to the desires of soldiers as well as local merchants, dignitaries, and sailors. It was considered a fairly modest establishment that was well-run by its owner. The brothel was even granted a city license under the support of the “Ordinance Concerning Lewd and Abandoned Women.”
Millie Baily is Engaged
It wasn’t long before May employed her younger sister, Millie, at the brothel. However, Millie never aspired to this way of life and wished for something better. In 1861, she met a young Confederate soldier who was serving in the War of Northern Aggression. The soldier would frequent the brothel while visiting family on nearby Burgundy Street. But unlike the other patrons, he would only visit May’s place to see Millie. He soon proposed to her, and a wedding date was set.
Millie sewed her own wedding gown, applying lace the same way her Irish mother taught her while she was living. But the dream wedding never took place. On the morning of the big day, Millie’s fiancé was shot during a dispute over gambling. Millie only learned about his death as she was headed for the altar. The locals say she never recovered from her grief of losing her true love.
Visitors to the hotel and bar have reported seeing the ghost of Millie wandering around in her handmade wedding gown, often in the rear gallery, still anxiously waiting to meet with her beloved.
The Spirits of Civil War Soldiers
It’s very common to see a ghost or two dressed in a military uniform. New Orleans was a city of great importance during the Civil War. It was the largest Confederate city in the nation and also the principal port city for the South.
Visitors to the hotel have reported hearing the sound of horses galloping nearby as if they are on their way to battle. Some have even reported hearing the distinct sound of a battle cry in the distance. Haunting experts have also documented sightings of the ghost of a high-ranking general in the courtyard, wandering around in a state of worry. Some believe he is concerned about the loss of his soldiers to the girls at May Baily’s brothel.
Lalaurie Mansion
The LaLaurie Mansion – Copyright US Ghost Adventures
Revered as home to one of the most cruel and devious New Orleans socialites, the Lalaurie Mansion is believed by many to be the most haunted place in New Orleans.
Madame Delphine MacCarthy Lalaurie was a wealthy woman and notorious slave owner who lived in New Orleans during the 1830s. Delphine moved into the mansion located at the intersection of Royal and Governor Nicholls Streets with her third husband, Dr. Leonard Louis Nicolas LaLaurie, in 1832. Although the LaLauries hosted many extravagant events in their home, in reality, it was a place of pure evil for all those who were enslaved.
The Truth After the Smoke Cleared
On April 10, 1834, a fire broke out inside the mansion. Onlookers gathered around outside to watch the home as it was engulfed in flames. According to The New Orleans Bee, a local French-language newspaper from that era, as firefighters were working to control the fire, they discovered seven enslaved people locked inside a building, who were all horribly mutilated beyond belief.
The newspaper went on to say the “barbarous and fiendish atrocities committed by the woman Lalaurie upon the persons of her slaves.” Fortunately, the firefighters were able to rescue the slaves, taking them to the Cabildo.
As word of Madame Delphine’s mercilessness toward enslaved people spread through town, members of the community became enraged by her cruelty and malice. A crowd of four thousand people gathered at the Cabildo. They ransacked the LaLaurie Mansion and destroyed everything that was left standing after the fire. Madame Delphine and her husband fled to nearby Lake Pontchartrain and later relocated to Paris, where Delphine died. It is believed that her body was returned to New Orleans and buried in the St. Louis Cemetery.
Ghost Encounters at Lalaurie Mansion
Many people believe that the Lalaurie Mansion is haunted. The urban legends first started soon after the LaLauries fled from the home. At that time, people claimed to have heard the screams of the enslaved victims all throughout the house in the middle of the night.
The ghost tales continued decades later. Along with hearing the haunting wails of Madame Delphine’s victims, people also reported hearing doors slam, the sink faucets turning on and off, and furniture moving on its own.
There have been imprints of bodies found on the beds that no one has slept in. People have also reported seeing apparitions of slaves wearing chains and hearing the eerie sound of the chains dragging against the floor throughout the night.
More To Do In New Orleans
New Orleans has a very complex history that contributes to the strange and unusual culture the city is known for today.
Visiting the most haunted locations in New Orleans is something that ghost and horror enthusiasts dream of doing. If you are up for the thrills and chills, visiting one of the places mentioned here is sure to leave you with a haunting experience like no other.
There are so many more haunted locations that you will want to check out during your stay, including Hotel Monteleone with its enchanting Carousel Bar, The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum that features medical oddities from centuries ago, and Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, which is one of the oldest and most haunted bars in the French Quarter.
For even more haunted fun and excitement, don’t forget to book your next ghost tour with New Orleans Ghosts!
