It is often heard said that New Orleans is the 'most haunted city' in the U.S.

So given the chance to snoop around a little on our road trip how could we pass it up?!

A few days before we were going to New Orleans we began researching and choosing the things we'd most like to see. The pics you see are the spots we got to see.

            Marie Laveau was known as the Voodoo Queen. To this day she is famous as one of the most powerful Voodoo priestesses who ever lived. She was born in the 1790's & move to New Orleans in her youth. She bore 15 children between two husbands. Little is known about her origin and exact parentage.

            She gained instant attention from the city's elite because it was thought that she saved a prominent fathers son. A murder trial that was almost certain to end in a guilty verdict brought the father to Marie. He asked her to rescue his son, promising her anything if she succeeded. During the trial, she secretly placed several charms throughout the courtroom. The mans son was declared not guilty and Marie asked for his house in return.

            For more on her famous exploits go to this site: http://ame2.asu.edu/sites/voodoodreams/marie_laveau.asp

There's a shop dedicated to Marie in the heart of New Orleans. You can also visit her tomb in St Louis Cemetery #1. (It wasn't that difficult to find. When you walk in go towards the left, you'll know it when you see it.) Its said that if you draw three x's on her grave and make a love wish, It will come true.

A side note on the cemeteries in New Orleans:

They're known as Cities Of The Dead. Upon looking in, it really looks like a city. New Orleans is below sea level, Therefore they cant bury their dead under ground. They must use mausoleums. All of which look like small homes. In many books I've read, there's talk of a year and a day rule. The people that cant afford their own mausoleums, are buried in the walls of the graveyard. Because its so hot there, the bodies decompose much quicker. After a year and a day - they take the coffins out and replace you without the coffin. a little creepy if you ask me...

            Besides visiting Marie Laveau locations, another big spot for us was the Lalaurie home.  Its one of the best known ghost stories in New Orleans. Its said to be the most haunted building in the french quarter. For the full story check this link: http://www.prairieghosts.com/lalaurie.html

            The quick version says Madam Lalaurie was one of the most beautiful and popular women in new Orleans. The Lalaurie family was well respected, fashionable, incredibly influential. The lovely home was attended to by dozens of slaves - to which madam lalaurie was horribly cruel too. The cook was kept chained to the fireplace in the kitchen - and he's thought to be treated well compared to the others.  One day a neighbor heard a scream and saw madam lalaurie chasing a little girl with a whip. They ran to the roof, where the servant jumped to her death. There was a law against mistreatment of slaves in new Orleans - authorities investigated the neighbors claims and impounded the lalaurie slaves. The slaves were sold at auction, unfortunately she coaxed relatives into buying them and selling them back to her in secret.

            The stories continued about the mistreatment of her slaves. The stories spread like wild fire - soon dinner invitations were ignored or declined.

            Finally in April of 1834, everything came to an end. A fire broke out in the kitchen of the lalaurie house. It spread quickly through the house.

            The blaze was put out, but in doing so the fire fighters discovered the unthinkable. There was a secret door in the attic - behind it they found dozens of slaves. Some were chained to the wall, others were strapped to makeshift operating tables, some were stuffed in cages made for dogs. Body parts, heads and organs were placed in buckets around the room, along with a collection of whips and paddles. The news papers had a field day with this. They wrote stories of how they were tortured. One women's mouth was full of animal excrement and her lips sewn shut. Men had their private areas sliced away, eyes poked out, finger nails ripped off.

            A mob gathered outside the home calling for something to be done. They carried hanging ropes. But to no avail. A carriage roared out of the gates and disappeared into the night. The family was never seen again.

            The house was occupied and vacated many times throughout the years, leaving it empty for years at a time. Many people said they could hear screams of agony, and saw ghosts of the slaves walking throughout the house. Some even said that homeless people who had gone in seeking shelter were never seen again.     

            Many people bought the home, and tried to use it for different things. One man tried to lease rooms out, but the people never stayed more then a few days. It was also used as a school for girls for one year. One man turned it into a conservatory for music and fashionable dance, which did well until a newspaper wrote a story claiming the teacher did unpure deeds with female students.  The place closed the next day. More people attempted living in the mansion but it never lasted long.  It was an apartment building, a bar and a furniture store within a couple of years. The furniture store suspected vandals when he found all his merchandise was found ruined multiple times. One night he waited for the vandals to return. when dawn came everything was again ruined but he had never seen a single person.

            Unfortunately upon our visits we couldn't enter the house. Its now an apartment building and not open to the public.

            More will be added about all the pictures as we finish the update.

            We're also considering going to the voodoo festival in New Orleans in October. So who knows, maybe we'll have more.

~Tory