It's no surprise that New Orleans is among one of the most haunted places in the nation. The Big Easy has quite the paranormal reputation, with countless bars, hotels, and homes playing host to the supernatural. Of course, cemeteries are pretty creepy on their own, but we've got one, in particular, that's believed to be one of the most haunted places in New Orleans.
Established in 1789, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the oldest cemetery in New Orleans.
It was built to replace the St. Peter Cemetery, which no longer exists.
The cemetery is only accessible via a licensed tour guide, and it’s worth the extra effort.
During your tour, you’ll see the final resting place of many historic New Orleanians including the first mayor of New Orleans, Etienne de Boré, Homer Plessy, of the famous civil rights Supreme Court case, and Paul Morphy, one of the earliest world champions of chess, to name a few.
For a cemetery that spans just one block, there are countless graves here.
The cemetery has over 700 tombs and more than 100,000 of the dead, and that number continues to grow since it is still an active grave site.
Many believe this cemetery is haunted.
And you’ll learn a few ghost stories during your tour.
One of the most famous ghost stories to come out of the cemetery is the story of Henry Vignes.
Mr. Vignes was a sailor in the 1800s. Before he set off to sea during one of his ventures, he asked his landlord to keep some paperwork for him. The papers included his family tombs, and while Mr. Vignes was away, the landlord sold his family’s tomb, and he was never able to get it back. When he died, he was buried in an unmarked grave in the pauper’s section of the cemetery.
Many visitors have claimed that they've seen the ghost of Henry Vignes.
Several reports have described a tall man with blue eyes who asks visitors if they know where the Vignes tomb is.
Of course, the most famous spirit in the cemetery is probably the main reason the cemetery is so popular, and that's Marie Laveau's tomb.
That's right, the Voodoo Queen herself is believed to be buried right here. While she's certainly a wandering spirit, she's been spotted all over downtown, primarily the French Quarter, but many people claim to have seen her at the cemetery. Often seen walking along the tombs, she may not be the friendliest of spirits, as many believe they've been pinched or shoved by her.
If there's ever a spirit you do not want to anger, it's a Voodoo Queen spirit.
Have you ever visited this cemetery and had a paranormal experience? Share it with us in the comments below!
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