Haunted Houses: Oak Alley Plantation
The Oak Alley Plantation resides in Vacherie, Louisiana, and you may have actually seen it in such movies as Interview with a Vampire, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte, Dixie: Changing Habits, The Long Hot Summer, North and South, and/or Primary Colors.
The plantation was built a little over hundred years later in 1837-39 by George Swainey for wealthy Creole sugar cane farmer, Jacques Telesphore Roman III and his wife Josephine Pile. Josephine’s father was a New Orleans architect, who provided the plans for the plantation house and the estate. Jacques called his new plantation home, “Bon Sejour,” (Pleasant Sojourn), but the oaks in the front would give the plantation the name, “Oak Alley.” This is the name which stuck.
These days, the home is open to the public thanks to the Oak Alley Foundation. Public tours are available, and it also serves as a bed and breakfast.
But, as with many historical buildings, tales of eerie manifestations abound. Here are some of the tales you might hear about (or experience!):
A candlestick once flew across the room right in the middle of a group of visitors on a tour led by a hostess.
Staff have heard the sound of crying coming from somewhere within the ‘Big House.’
A maintenance man was working alone in the mansion on a project. He felt a presence keeping him company, and touched him as if to encourage his efforts.
An entity of a slender, young woman with long dark hair - (Thought to be either Josephine Pile Roman or their daughter Louise.)
This entity has been seen throughout the mansion. She has been seen walking up on the widow’s walkway, and hanging out in various rooms. In the master bedroom, a tourist inadvertently caught her image on a picture, much to his surprise! She also rides her horse around the estate grounds.
Jacques Telesphore Roman III
An entity of a man wearing grey clothing and riding boots was seen near the back of the mansion, near the old kitchen by a tour guide.
His face was seen in a mirror in the attic.
The benign entity of Josephine Stewart - (Seems she can’t quite leave her beloved home)
After a private event, the personnel closed the ‘Big House’ for the evening. Imagine their surprise when they noticed the lamp in the lavender room was on, illuminating the room. They then saw a shadowy figure of a woman glide across the room and stopped to look at them from her room lookout.
The apparition of Josephine Stewart has been seen sitting on a bed in her favorite lavender room.
Very creepy.
Creepier, still:
Louisiana Spirits Investigations - Made two visits to Oak Alley with some interesting results. The paranormal activity happened in the attic on both trips.
1st Visit: Shadows were seen on the wall, mists were captured on film, short glimpses of Jacques Telesphore Ramon’s face were seen in the mirror. Some entity grabbed the arm of one investigator hard, shooting an electrical charge through his arm, causing him to drop his camera.
EVPS were recorded. - http://www.laspirits.com/oakalley.html
2nd visit - Again the activity centered in the attic. Bill Murphy, a California film maker came along to record. They recorded some great EVP’s. Also in cottage 4, where some of the crew slept, they got an early morning wake up call by a loud bang in the bathroom. http://www.laspirits.com/oakalleytwo.html
I’m going to go hide under the covers now.
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