The Myrtles Plantation: America’s Most Haunted Home
If walls could talk, few in America would whisper darker secrets than those of The Myrtles Plantation.
Nestled under Spanish moss in St. Francisville, Louisiana, this 18th-century estate is as famous for its ghost stories as its antebellum beauty. Legend insists the house is built atop an old Native American burial ground and that it has seen at least ten murders within its walls (USA Today).
🌿 Origins of the Myrtles Plantation
Established during the Spanish colonial period in Louisiana, the Myrtles Plantation's history dates back to 1796. General David Bradford, a wealthy lawyer from Pennsylvania who became entangled in the famous Whiskey Rebellion, built it. Bradford, nicknamed “Whiskey Dave,” was wanted for his role in the 1794 uprising against federal whiskey taxes. Facing arrest, he fled Pennsylvania and eventually sought refuge in Louisiana, which was still under Spanish rule at the time (Southern Gothic Media).
Bradford, after securing a land grant, erected a grand plantation home, initially named Laurel Grove, amidst several hundred acres near St. Francisville. Sprawling cotton fields and elegant live oaks, their branches laden with Spanish moss, characterized the estate, a testament to the antebellum South's power.
By 1799, Bradford received a presidential pardon from John Adams, which allowed his wife and children to join him at Laurel Grove safely. Life at the plantation carried on quietly until Bradford’s death in 1808, after which his widow, Elizabeth, maintained the property for nearly a decade.
The next chapter of the plantation’s story began with Bradford’s daughter, Sara Matilda, and her husband, Judge Clarke Woodruff, who managed the estate in the 1810s. Their time there planted the seeds of many enduring legends—stories of family tragedy, whispered affairs, and the enslaved people whose lives were bound to the property.
In 1834, the home changed hands once again, this time to Ruffin Gray Stirling, a wealthy Louisiana planter. Stirling doubled the size of the mansion, adding opulent touches like imported marble, intricate ironwork, and hand-painted stained-glass windows. He renamed the property “The Myrtles” after the crepe myrtle trees that shaded the grounds. Under Stirling’s ownership, the plantation became one of the most impressive homes in the region (Wikipedia).
But grandeur could not shield the Myrtles from tragedy. Over the decades, the plantation saw the ravages of war, loss, and death. In 1871, one of its most infamous moments occurred when William Winter, a later resident, was shot on the front porch and died inside the home—an event still retold on ghost tours today.
From its origins as a fugitive’s sanctuary to its rebirth as a Southern showpiece, the Myrtles Plantation has always carried an air of drama and mystery. Perhaps it is this history—layered with struggle, reinvention, and bloodshed—that made the house fertile ground for the ghost stories that now define it.
🌑 The Legend of Chloe
The most famous ghost story at the Myrtles centers on Chloe, an enslaved woman. According to the tale, Chloe was caught eavesdropping on her master, Judge Clarke Woodruff, and punished by having her ear cut off. To retaliate—or in some versions, to win her way back into favor—she allegedly baked a poisoned cake meant for the family. The mistress, Sara Matilda Woodruff, and two of her children supposedly died after eating it.
Fearful of retribution, the other enslaved people hanged Chloe before throwing her corpse into the flowing Mississippi River. A green turban covers her missing ear as she roams the grounds, according to visitors who claim to have seen her ghost.
Historians have uncovered no records of an enslaved woman named Chloe, and there is no evidence of the reported poisonings, adding a twist to the tale. Sara Matilda and two of her children did, in fact, die young, but the cause was yellow fever, not poisoning (American Hauntings; Southern Gothic Media).
🕯 Chloe’s Legend: Poisoning vs. History
The Legend’s Version
Chloe, an enslaved woman, was caught eavesdropping and had her ear cut off.
To retaliate or regain favor, she baked a cake laced with oleander leaves (poisonous).
Mistress Sara Matilda Woodruff and two of her daughters ate the cake and died soon after.
Chloe was then hanged by other enslaved people in fear of punishment, and her ghost is said to still haunt the plantation.
This story was first popularized in the late 20th century—especially after Frances Kermeen’s book (1992)—but no plantation records or period newspapers confirm it.
🪞 The Haunted Mirror
The Legend
Inside the Myrtles Plantation, near the grand staircase, hangs an ornate 19th-century mirror that has become infamous in ghost lore. According to tradition, after the deaths of Sara Matilda Woodruff (Judge Clarke Woodruff’s wife) and two of her children, the household failed to follow a Southern mourning custom: covering mirrors with cloth after a death.
This custom, rooted in superstition, was believed to prevent the souls of the dead from becoming trapped inside reflective surfaces. Because the mirror was left uncovered, it’s said that the spirits of Sara and her children were caught within its glass.
Over the years, visitors and staff have reported:
Handprints appear inside the glass that cannot be wiped away.
Faces or silhouettes are reflected in the mirror, even when no one is nearby.
Dark smudges or streaks that reappear after cleaning are believed to be paranormal residue.
The mirror has become a centerpiece of tours and is often cited as one of the plantation’s most haunted objects (American Hauntings; Haunted Walk).
The History Behind It
Sara Matilda and two of her children died young in the 1820s, but historical records say they died from yellow fever, not Chloe’s poisoned cake (as the legend suggests).
The mirror itself likely dates from the mid-19th century, meaning it may not have even been in the home at the time of their deaths.
Paranormal historians note that the “haunted mirror” story likely evolved in the 20th century, especially as ghost tourism at the Myrtles grew.
👧 The Ghost Girl of the Myrtles
The Sightings
Many visitors to the Myrtles Plantation report encountering the spirit of a young girl dressed in antebellum clothing. She is often described as wearing a long, mid-19th-century-style dress, with her hair tied back or braided. Witnesses say she appears in the hallways or near the veranda, sometimes giggling or moving quickly past doorways.
What makes her especially eerie is that she vanishes almost immediately when approached — as if she flickers out of existence before anyone can get close. Guests on tours often describe seeing her for only a few seconds, but enough to leave a vivid impression.
Who Is She Supposed to Be?
There are a few competing explanations for the ghost girl’s identity:
One of Sara Matilda Woodruff’s children.
Historical records confirm that two of her young daughters died in the 1820s during a yellow fever outbreak. Some believe the ghost is one of these children, forever tied to the house where she lived and died.The spirit of another child from the Stirling family.
When Ruffin Gray Stirling bought the plantation in 1834 and expanded it, the family raised several children there. The plantation cemetery includes multiple graves of children, fueling speculation that the ghost could be one of them.A legend tied to the Chloe story.
In the folklore version, the two daughters supposedly killed by Chloe’s poisoned cake are sometimes said to linger as child ghosts. The ghost girl could be connected to this embellishment of the legend.
Why the Story Persists
Unlike some of the grander legends (Chloe, the haunted mirror, William Winter’s final footsteps), the ghost girl’s story is more complex to trace to a single origin. It doesn’t appear in early written accounts but has become a recurring theme in modern visitor testimonies.
Tourists and paranormal investigators frequently report seeing childlike figures in photographs.
Psychics who’ve toured the property claim to sense “innocent energy” near staircases and bedrooms, reinforcing the child ghost narrative.
For many visitors, the ghost girl is one of the most unsettling presences due to her fleeting and silent nature.
🎹 Unexplained Sounds at the Myrtles
The Phenomena
Visitors and staff alike often report eerie noises echoing through the plantation’s halls, especially after dark or when the house is quiet. These sounds are considered among the most convincing signs of a haunting because they recur so frequently.
Footsteps on the stairs or upstairs hallways, even when the house is empty. Many say they resemble heavy, deliberate steps, sometimes linked to the story of William Winter’s final climb after being shot.
Rattling doorknobs as though someone is trying to enter a locked room. Guides sometimes recreate the sound for visitors, only to reveal that no one is on the other side of the door.
Piano music drifting through the halls. The plantation once had a family piano, and guests have claimed to hear faint melodies—often old Southern hymns or indistinct tunes—even when no piano is present or being played.
Possible Identities of the Sounds
William Winter’s Ghost: The phantom footsteps are most often attributed to William Drew Winter, who was shot on the front porch in 1871. According to legend, he staggered back inside and collapsed on the 17th step of the staircase. Many claim his final climb repeats as ghostly footsteps.
The Woodruff or Stirling Families: The piano music is sometimes linked to the Woodruff or Stirling children, said to have played the instrument during the 1800s. Some paranormal investigators suggest the sound is a “residual haunting”—a kind of energy echo, not an intelligent spirit.
General Restlessness: Doorknob rattles and random noises are often attributed to the many deaths associated with the plantation (both historical and legendary), making the entire home feel unsettled.
Skeptical Explanations
Skeptics argue that:
The old wooden floors and staircases naturally creak and shift with temperature and humidity.
Drafts or warped wood could cause doorknobs and latches to jiggle.
Nearby sounds—like car radios or tourist chatter—could be mistaken for faint piano music in the stillness of the plantation.
Even so, many visitors insist the timing and repetition of the noises feel “too real” to dismiss.
Paranormal Shows at The Myrtles Plantation
Ghost Hunters (TAPS, 2005)
According to the show’s Syfy blog recap, investigators deployed cameras in the most haunted areas—like the grand hallway, dining room, and slave cabins. They captured intriguing anomalies:
Temperature fluctuations on the stairs (using thermal imaging) suggested something other than natural conditions.
In a slave cabin, a lamp moved across a table seemingly of its own accord.
The team also recorded electronic voice phenomena (EVP) in the ballroom and sensed a presence watching someone alone in the cabin—even seeing “something darting from tree to tree.” SYFY
Ghost Adventures
The crew, led by Zak Bagans, investigated the plantation in 2014. Though details are limited, it’s one of several shows to explore the Myrtles—and it reinforced the site's reputation as a must-investigate paranormal hotspot. Wikipedia
Paranormal Pop Culture Interpretation
A deeper dive on Paranormal Pop Culture revisits Ghost Adventures findings, introducing philosophical layers about life and death. As one commentator put it:
“The living can’t harm the dead and the dead can’t harm the living. But if the living try to harm the dead…”
This touches on the ethics of how ghost stories—and the spirits themselves—should be treated. Paranormal Pop Culture
Countless paranormal shows featured the Myrtles, which cemented its reputation as a hotspot for supernatural encounters, according to National Geographic.
🕯 Why the Myrtles Endure
The Myrtles Plantation is an enduring icon of haunted history, drawing visitors with tales of its fusion of history, folklore, and tragedy. Historians may say the property has a single murder in its past, but ghost hunters and storytellers keep the chilling stories alive. A poignant example of how ghost stories evolve, the plantation —a place where the echoes of suffering and injustice still reverberate —reminded us of both its factual and folkloric origins.
For believers, it’s a place where the weight of the past lingers. For skeptics, the story unfolds as a masterclass, steeped in the eerie atmosphere of Southern Gothic mythmaking.
The Almost-Murder of Frances Kermeen Myers
After purchasing the plantation in the late 1970s along with her husband, James, Frances Kermeen Myers opened it as a bed-and-breakfast during the 1980s. In her memoir, The Myrtles Plantation: The True Story of America’s Most Haunted House, she recounts the many unsettling, sometimes dangerous paranormal events that occurred during their ownership.
In fact, one particularly chilling moment came when Kermeen described waking up to find her bed apparently lowered—so much so that her feet dangled off the end. On another occasion, she felt invisible hands tug at her ankles from under the covers. Although she never said she was physically attacked, the intensity of these encounters deeply affected her sense of safety. Eventually, she and her husband decided to sell the plantation around 1990. Kermeen wrote that "the spirits won out"—a line that conveys just how profound that final decision was AmazonUS Ghost Adventures.
🌿 Visit the Myrtles Plantation
Want to explore more about the history, legends, and even book a stay at America’s most haunted home? Visit the official site:
👉 The Myrtles Plantation – Official Website
📚 Sources
The Myrtles Plantation. History & Culture. Official site.
Wikipedia. Myrtles Plantation. Retrieved from Wikipedia.
Wikipedia. David Bradford (lawyer). Retrieved from Wikipedia.
American Hauntings. The Myrtles Plantation. Link
Southern Gothic Media. The Myrtles Plantation. Link
Haunted Walk. The Haunting of the Myrtles Plantation. Link
Wikipedia. Legends of the Myrtles Plantation. Link
Syfy. (2005). Ghost Hunters: Episode recap – Myrtles Plantation. Retrieved from https://www.syfy.com/ghost-hunters/season-2/blogs/episode-recap-myrtles-plantation
Wikipedia. (2023). Myrtles Plantation. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrtles_Plantation
Wikipedia. (2023). Legends of Myrtles Plantation. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legends_of_Myrtles_Plantation
Paranormal Pop Culture. (2014). Ghost Adventures recap: Myrtles Plantation. Retrieved from http://www.paranormalpopculture.com/2014/02/ghost-adventures-recap-myrtles.html
Kermeen, F. (2005). The Myrtles Plantation: The True Story of America’s Most Haunted House. (Firsthand accounts of the paranormal events she and her husband experienced) Amazon.
Vanished Souls of the Myrtles: accounts of why Frances and James Kermeen Myers sold the plantation, citing the intensity of haunting experiences US Ghost Adventures.
Curated Sources on Myrtles Plantation
1. Haunted Legend & Folklore
HauntedWalk.com – A narrative of the "Chloe" legend, poisoning story, mirror hauntings, and the famous 1992 photograph of her ghost. hauntedwalk.com
American Hauntings (AmericanHauntingsInk.com) – Explores the discrepancy between legendary tales and verifiable historical events like murders. American Hauntings
WhereYaT.com – Describes paranormal tourist experiences including ghostly encounters and child spirits. Where Y'at New Orleans
SouthernGothicMedia.com – Discusses myth versus documentation, including evidence debunking the tale of Chloe. Southern Gothic
2. Historical Accuracy & Critique
Wikipedia: Legends of Myrtles Plantation – Summarizes myths versus historical records, mentions the verified murder of William Winter, while noting the lack of evidence for Chloe or multiple murders. Wikipedia
National Register of Historic Places / Wikipedia (Myrtles Plantation) – Offers detailed history, architecture, key dates, and evidence-based haunting tourism, including scholarly references and critiques. Wikipedia
Southern Spirit Guide – Investigates the factual versus fictional elements of the haunt narratives and reports on media reactions (e.g., viral ghost image stories). southernspiritguide.org
3. Tourism, Performance & Cultural Study
Holley Ann Vaughn’s PhD Dissertation (LSU, 2012) – A critical ethnography exploring how the stories and ghosts of Myrtles Plantation are "performed" culturally in tourism and storytelling. LSU Scholarly Repository
4. Official History & Heritage Information
TheMyrtles.com (official site) – Offers a timeline of ownership, restoration history, and cultural significance, including Frances Kermeen’s 1992 book that cemented the haunted reputation. The Myrtles
1031Consortium.com – Provides a snapshot of the site’s architectural and paranormal history, including the Chloe legend and ghost anecdotes. 10/31 Consortium
5. General Paranormal Promotion
USGhostAdventures.com – Presents a dramatic summary of hauntings, snapshots of ghostly encounters, and architectural origins. US Ghost Adventures
New Orleans Ghost Tour Blog – Highlights the plantation’s status as one of Louisiana’s and America’s most haunted attractions, noting visitor reactions. New Orleans Ghosts
📚 Further Reading on The Myrtles Plantation
The Myrtles Plantation: The True Story of America’s Most Haunted House — Frances Kermeen’s firsthand account as a former owner, blending history with her personal encounters.
The History and Haunting of the Myrtles Plantation (2nd Edition) — Rebecca F. Pittman’s updated, in-depth exploration featuring photographs, folklore, and paranormal accounts.
The History & Haunting of The Myrtles (Official Plantation Store Edition) — Sold directly by the plantation, this edition combines historical storytelling with haunting anecdotes.