Spooky Adventures in Louisiana

Built in 1915, the Gothic Jail of DeRidder is said to be haunted by two men hanged for the murder of their taxi driver, earning it the nickname ‘The Hanging Jail’. Inside, a spiral staircase winds around an ominous hanging noose, while an underground tunnel once connected the jail to the neighbouring courthouse. Come autumn, the jail takes on an even darker atmosphere with Gothic Jail After Dark, bringing its history and ghost stories to life.

At Magnolia Plantation, history and haunting folklore collide. During the Civil War, the plantation became the scene of conflict between Union and Confederate forces, with accounts of a Union major allegedly poisoned by Confederate troops and dying in one of the main house’s rooms. Stories also tell of spirits haunting the former hospital and a cabin where anthropologists have uncovered evidence of Voodoo. The mansion is now privately owned, while the National Park Service manages the rest of the site, which is open for tours.

It's said the hauntings at Myrtles Plantation began with Chloe, an enslaved person punished for eavesdropping on the family. She baked a poisoned birthday cake to get the family sick and nurse them back to health, hoping to prove her value and get back in good graces. Within hours, three family members were dead. Subsequent owners suffered death and murder tragedies in the years that followed. The ghosts of these former residents have been documented in photos, featured in national TV shows and witnessed by residents and tourists alike. Those brave enough can stay overnight at this historic home.