The History Of The New Orleans Haunted LaLaurie Mansion

One of the first things that come to mind when you think of New Orleans is the food, the music, and the partying. What you may not realize is right in the heart of the world’s famous French Quarter lies a home with a sick and twisted history dating back to slavery. In spite of claims that The LaLaurie Mansion is haunted, the truth of what went on behind closed doors is proof that we only know a small portion of the atrocities slaves endured.

A descendent of the early Irish-French New Orleans colonists, Delphine MacCarty was born into a family with power and good social standing. After marrying her first husband at age fourteen, Delphine went on to marry twice more and amassed a decent fortune by managing the land and slaves she inherited from her parents. As an affluent socialite, she married Dr. Louis LaLaurie in 1825 and constructed the three-story mansion on Royal Street, which was once one of the grandest homes in the French Quarter. Despite her rank in society and the practice of owning slaves at the time, it was rumored that LaLaurie was unusually cruel to her slaves. Although the mistreatment of her slaves was no secret, an incident in 1833 altered public perception of the Madame. LaLaurie allegedly chased a young slave girl to her death after brushing her hair too harshly. With her social connections and family’s political power, LaLaurie was investigated and fined but was able to evade severe punishment.

In April 1834, a fire broke out at the mansion, which exposed LaLaurie’s sadistic behavior and forever altered her reputation. As the fire blazed, a crowd gathered, and people rushed to assist LaLaurie, who wanted to ensure her property and possessions were quickly moved to safety. However, there was also a public concern for the well-being of the slaves who remained in her household. According to newspaper reports, when asked who was helping the slaves, Dr. LaLaurie stated, “there are those who would be better employed if they would attend to their own affairs instead of officiously intermeddling with the concerns of other people.” Later, a Judge sent men to search the slave quarters, and they discovered that slaves were being tortured in the attic of the mansion. They found both men and women in large iron chains and collars, severely malnourished with scars filled with maggots. It was reported that “their limbs were stretched and torn from one extremity to the other.” LaLaurie and her family fled the mob attacks and settled in France until her death in 1849.

Although tales of the events have been embellished over time, legend has it that there has been paranormal activity at the house for over 200 years. Reports of moaning, phantom footsteps, and eerie feelings have been consistently told by visitors of the home and its inhabitants over the years. Identified as one of the most haunted sites in New Orleans, The LaLaurie Mansion was highlighted in the popular series American Horror Story and remains a popular Ghost Tour attraction for tourists.