Author Topic: Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans  (Read 11114 times)

Offline Christine

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Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans
« on: April 10, 2011, 09:31:56 PM »
We visited this place when we were in New Orleans last month.

I wondered why the place looked and felt so disturbing to me.

Of all the haunted houses, in America's most haunted city, the LaLaurie House has surely endured the most gruesome history, and its reputation for otherworldly visitations is well-deserved and well-documented.

The LaLauries:

In 1832, Dr. Louis LaLaurie and his wife, Delphine, moved to their splendid quarters at 1140 Royal Street. They were wealthy Creole socialites who entertained on a grand scale, and Madame LaLaurie was reportedly both beautiful and intelligent. Louis, a native of France, was her third husband. New Orleanians who attended affairs at their home were wined and dined with the choicest food and wine, on the finest china, linens, and silver imaginable. What was unimaginable was the horror behind the facade of gentility.

The Slaves:

While the institution of slavery is indefensible, it nevertheless existed in the antebellum south, and certainly in New Orleans. Madame LaLaurie, it is told, had a particular fondness for the practice, and owned many slaves who were methodically brutalized to keep them "under control." There were many rumors, reportedly fanned by the "jealous Americains" who were systematically excluded from all things truly Creole. Among other things, it was said that in the LaLaurie household, slaves disappeared on a regular basis. A neighbor reported seeing Delphine chasing a slave girl onto the roof of the house with a whip. The child jumped to her death. It appeared that Madame LaLaurie enjoyed her many luxuries at the cost not only of her slaves' freedom, but also of their lives.

The Fire:

On April 10, 1834, a fire broke out in the LaLaurie home, and when the volunteer fireman came to the scene, they discovered the horror hidden inside the facade of gentility. Dozens of slaves were reportedly chained to the wall in a secret attic. Some were in cages, and body parts were strewn about haphazardly. Horrible mutilations had been perpetrated, and some slaves cried out begging to be put out of their pain and misery. The monstrous and insane experiments carried on by Madame LaLaurie were beyond anything imaginable, either before or since. It was a sight that no one in the city could comprehend, and the population was sickened, calling for Delphine to be brought to justice.

But she had disappeared. Some people found evidence that she and her husband fled across Lake Pontchartrain and lived there, while others say she went from there to France, escaping in a horse and buggy on the night of the fire. However, a tombstone bearing her name has been discovered in St. Louis Cemetery No.1, indicating that she died in 1842, and that perhaps her children arranged to have her remains returned here. A mob vented its anger on the home, destroying everything within its walls. For some years after that, it was an abandoned wreck. One window in the house, visible from the street, was sealed over and remains so today. Rumor has it that a slave fell to her death through that window during the rescue attempt on the night of the fire.

The Hauntings:

The LaLaurie house has had many incarnations before returning to its purpose as a residence. It was a saloon and a girl's school, a music conservatory, an apartment building and a furniture store. The stories began almost immediately. Many have reported seeing the phantom of that young slave girl fleeing across the LaLaurie roof. Agonized screams coming from the empty house were commonplace. Those who stayed there after it became occupied left after only a few days. At the turn of the century, a resident, one of the many poor Italian immigrants who lived in the house, encountered a black man in chains. The entity attacked him on the stairwell then suddenly disappeared. The next morning, most of the other residents abandoned the building.

The bar, "The Haunted Saloon," opened in the 20th century. The owner kept records of the odd experiences of his patrons. Later, it seemed the LaLaurie House did not care to be a furniture store. The owner’s merchandise was often found covered in a mysterious foul-smelling fluid. After staying up to catch the suspected vandals, the owner found the liquid had somehow re-appeared in plain sight, although no one had entered. The business closed.

Animals were found butchered within the house. Delphine was reportedly seen hovering over the infant child of a turn-of-the-century resident, or chasing children with a whip. She also apparently attempted, late in the 19th century and long after she was dead, to strangle a black manservant. Today, people just passing the building on tour report fainting or becoming nauseous, and of course, disembodied screams or wailing are still occasionally heard. Some tourists are able to photograph orbs around the roof area.

The LaLaurie House Today:

Today, the house has been restored and is a private home. The owner claims no ghostly or ghastly happenings since his residence there. Further, it should be noted that some claim Madame LaLaurie was the victim of yellow journalism, perpetrated by the jealous Americans who disapproved of her wealthy and exclusive lifestyle. However, fairly recent renovations to the building unearthed graves hidden underneath the wooden floor of the home, indicating the bodies had been dumped rather than buried. The skeletons apparently date from the time of the LaLaurie horrors. Draw your own conclusions.

It was most recently owned by Nicholas Cage but the mortgagee stepped in and repossessed it last 2010. There is a rumour it was purchased by Johnny Depp.


Here's a great clip on the history...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzgX4wiffGo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphine_LaLaurie
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Offline catseyes

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Re: Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2011, 11:13:03 PM »
I have seen a few different shows staring this place over the years.

What did you pick up there?


Offline Christine

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Re: Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2011, 12:25:35 AM »
We were around the outside a few times over a couple of days.

Right throughout the french quarter I saw bodies stacked up on the sides of the roads on the bits closest to the houses etc like where todays modern footpath would be.

Around the side of the house is a garage type door, this is apparently where the slaves got out during fire. It felt particularly awful.

Touching the front of the building was similarly awful. Such hatred and pain. You could see that whoever lived there was cruel, unusually so, the people looking on seemed tortured. Now I know why.

I saw little kids there too. There was an older man hanging around there like he was on watch, he seemed out of place to be honest. He was dark skinned.

Most of it it imprint, I think the souls of those murdered there would try and find peace where they were able to let go of the feeling of wanting revenge.


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Offline catseyes

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Re: Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2011, 09:42:42 AM »
I would have expected to find her haunting there rather than her victims.


Offline bixter76

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Re: Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2011, 01:28:22 PM »
Gosh what an amazing story Christine!  Incredibly sad though.  Must have been an awesome experience for you though.

(Hi!!!!  *waves) :)

Offline Christine

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Re: Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2011, 07:35:27 PM »
I would love to have gone inside. They fled after they were discovered and never heard from again.
If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands.
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Offline KANACKI

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Re: Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2015, 05:01:35 PM »
Hello Christine

Thank you for interesting and eerie story I have nor heard before. Delphine reminds me of an  Elisabeth Bathroy type character. I would of loved to have explored inside the mansion also.

Kanacki

Offline Simon2

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Re: Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2015, 11:58:19 AM »
Christine, reading your Post seemed to give me very negative feelings; like I was there with you. Quite strange and no doubt I may even have visions over the next few days!!
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Offline Christine

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Re: Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans
« Reply #8 on: July 09, 2015, 12:18:20 AM »
It was a very very unsettling place. I watched American Horror Story Season 3 Coven, recently because it was filmed on location in New Orleans. One of my friends thought I might like it. The story is awful, but seeing the buildings is great. I am wracking my brain to come up with a research project for uni that I can incorporate this house in to. I haven't come up with anything yet though.
If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands.
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Offline Simon2

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Re: Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans
« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2015, 11:42:02 AM »
Christine, what about slavery in that era, how common it was, its acceptance and the treatment of the slaves. A small, but important segment on the slavery trade?
To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue;

These five are gravity, generosity of (the) soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.
(Confucius)

Offline Christine

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Re: Lalaurie Mansion New Orleans
« Reply #10 on: July 23, 2015, 11:17:08 PM »
Slaves were sometimes treated like family, but that was rare. Mostly slaves were treated poorly as those that had them believed they owned them. Sometimes they were tortured and there is much to believe in the story of the slaves who suffered under Lalaurie's ownership. I would like to study this for uni if I can discover a so far undiscovered angle to it all.
If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands.
Douglas Adams


 


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