News
The Haunted Traveler: Haunted New Orleans
In our first month of Haunted Traveler, we traveled to Asia to visit the most haunted places in Hong Kong. This month, let’s hop across the pond from Asia to another place of magic, superstition, and murder. I’m talking about haunted New Orleans.
You may have read iHorror’s past article on famous murderers of New Orleans, and you may see some familiar names because where there’s murder, there’s a breeding ground for ghosts. Let’s jump right in!
LaLaurie Mansion-1140 Royal St.
Many will know this name. As one of the villains of American Horror Story: Coven, Delphine LaLaurie was brutal, sick and twisted and unfortunately a real person. Many of the actions carried out in the show of Delphine’s sick past are based in fact.
The Big Séance did a podcast episode on her crimes and inevitable capture. I recommend taking a listen.
From torture, to murder, to possible desecration of corpses, this woman was a monster. She owned a number of slaves and many were found chained to the wall and it is said that body parts littered her hidden torture room.
Her mansion, built in 1832, still stands on Royal St. Strange sounds are heard and images appear both inside the home and outside on the street.
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1- 425 Basin St.
One of the many gorgeous cemeteries in New Orleans, this one is the most famous and said to be one of the most haunted in the country. Due to the bowl shape of the city causing it to be below sea level, all graves are above ground.
The most famous grave in the cemetery is that of The Witch Queen of New Orleans, Marie Leveau, Many flock to her grave because it is said that if you knock three times, draw “xxx” on her grave, knock three more times and leave an offering, your wish will be granted.
So many came to visit that the Archdiocese closed it to the public in 2015 and a special permit is needed to enter. Specially licensed tour guides can take tourists into the cemetery.
Hotel Monteleone- 214 Royal St.
This hotel was built in 1886 and remains one of the last family owned hotels in the country. Its most famous amenity is its carousel bar, which houses spirits of many kinds. Apparitions are often seen to appear (and disappear) at the bar.
Many children died of yellow fever in the hotel and are seen playing in the halls. Others have seen old employees still working and doors open and close on their own.
Lafittes Blacksmith Shop-941 Bourbon St.
Being the oldest bar dating back to around 1722, this location is no stranger to history. Started by notorious pirate Jean Lafitte, it was thought to be a front for his smuggling business. With a history that long, it would be hard to think that some patrons didn’t stick around.
So grab a drink, sit in the candlelit tavern, and if you wait long enough, you just might see Jean Lafitte himself.
The Jimani House- 141 Chartres St.
The Jimani House holds a tragedy in its past. It used to be called the UpStairs Lounge and was a popular spot for the gay community. On June 24, 1973 the club was targeted by an arsonist taking the lives of 32 patrons.
Those who visit the location in modern day claim to hear the cries and pleas of the fire victims to not be forgotten.
New Orleans Pharmacy Museum- 514 Chartres St
This originally was a pharmacy opened by Louis Joseph Dufilho, Jr. in 1816. He provided medicine and voodoo for those too embarrassed to go elsewhere. When Dufilho, Jr. retired, he sold the business to a Dr. Dupas.
Dupas used the pharmacy to reportedly do grotesque and bizarre experiments on pregnant slaves in the area. It is unknown to what extend his experiments were carried. It is said that Dupas’ children that died in the pharmacy are seen playing outside.
The museum is also host to poltergeist activities such as things being moved and thrown and alarms going off.
We’re going to jump out of haunted New Orleans a bit to include one of the most haunted places in the country:
Myrtle’s Plantation- St. Francisville, LA
Not quite a hop, skip or jump from New Orleans at 111 miles away, but many Haunted Travelers make a point to pass through this location before they hit haunted New Orleans. Myrtle’s Plantation has been investigated by famous ghost hunters from the likes of T.A.P.S and Zak Bagans and the Ghost Adventure’s crew.
The plantation was built in 1796 by General David Bradford. Passing through several hands means many have died in the house both by illness and murder. Many see apparitions in the windows, hear footsteps, and is said to house 12 ghosts.
Even Unsolved Mysteries got their hands in the Myrtle’s Plantation pot and it was said they had technical difficulties while filming. It is currently a bed and breakfast and would make a great resting spot if driving to haunted New Orleans. Big Seance also visited the plantation on their trip and made an episode on it as well.
Unfortunately I can’t include all of the amazing locations where spirits dwell in haunted New Orleans and some honorable mentions I wouldn’t miss in my travels include: the Gardette-Lepretre Mansion, The Beauregard-Keyes House, Muriel’s Séance Lounge, Arnaud’s Restaurant and Le Pavillion Hotel.
Don’t forget to check in on the first of every month for a new haunted location. What city would you like to see us visit? Let us know in the comments!
(Featured image courtesy of Ghost City Tours)
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Movies
‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt
Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.
In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.
This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.
Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.
“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”
The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”
The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.
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Movies
‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time
It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?
It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.
Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.
Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.
The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.
It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.
The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.
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News
Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween
Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.
The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.
This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.
This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.
“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”
But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.
This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.
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