Fright Night: Haunted African-American Landmarks
A roundup of places where things go bump in the night.
1 / 7
Myrtles Plantation - A roundup of historic landmarks from around the country where things (allegedly) go bump in the night. –Britt Middleton Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana, is said to be haunted by the ghost of Chloe, a slave who had a romantic relationship with plantation owner Clark Woodruff. Chloe fatally poisoned Woodruff’s wife and two children in a jealous rage. The other slaves lynched Chloe in retaliation and threw her body in the Mississippi River. (Photo: Myrtle's Plantation)
2 / 7
Pickens County Courthouse - The mysterious face of a freed slave named Henry Wells is said to appear in a window of the Pickens County Courthouse in Carrollton, Alabama. Wells, a freed slave, was lynched after being convicted of burning down the city's court house in 1876 and allegedly vowed to haunt the town for eternity for his wrongful death. (Photo: United States Department of Agriculture)
3 / 7
The Lalaurie House - The Lalaurie House is one of the most famous — and infamous — attractions in the New Orleans' French Quarter. In the 1830s, Madame Delphine Lalaurie was said to subject her slaves to unspeakable torture and torment, and it is rumored that the sound of slaves banging their chains can still be heard from inside the home. (Photo: wikicommons)
4 / 7
Molly's Hallow - A wooded area inside Jackson Park in Atchison, Kansas, is named for a young Black girl named Molly, who was said to have been murdered by angry townspeople when it was discovered she was dating a white boy. Some claim to have seen a woman's figure hanging from a tree while others tell of sensations of being tugged and grabbed as they passed through the brush. (Photo: U.S. Corps of Engineers Kansas City)
5 / 7
Land's End Road - Land's End Road on St. Helena Island near Beaufort, South Carolina, has attracted ghost hunters for decades as home of the Hanging Tree, a grim landmark depicting where runaway slaves were hung as a warning to others who wanted to escape. According to legend, the ghosts of murdered slaves appear in the form of a blinding white light and speed toward motorists before disappearing as quickly as it appeared. (Photo: South Carolina's Information Highway LLC)
ADVERTISEMENT