Haunted Roadtrips: Saturday Edition – The Myrtles Plantation (America’s Most Haunted House)
Where poisoned cakes, haunted mirrors, and restless spirits keep watch through the centuries.
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| By Bogdan Oporowski - CC BY-SA 3.0 |
A woman in a green turban, standing by the canopy bed, her gaze steady, her form faint but unmistakable. She lingers for only a moment before vanishing into the wall.
You’re left staring at your own reflection in the tall gilded mirror across the room—and for a second, you swear there’s a child’s handprint smudged into the glass.
Welcome to The Myrtles Plantation, where ghost stories are stitched into the very fabric of the house, and where history and legend blur into something chillingly unforgettable.
Where Are We Headed?
This Saturday, our haunted roadtrip takes us to St. Francisville, Louisiana, about 30 miles north of Baton Rouge. Nestled among ancient oaks dripping with Spanish moss, The Myrtles Plantation rises like a Southern Gothic painting come to life.
Built in 1796 by General David Bradford, a wealthy man fleeing arrest for his role in the Whiskey Rebellion, the home has stood for more than two centuries. In that time, it has witnessed wealth, tragedy, war, and more than its share of death.
Today, it’s a picture-perfect bed-and-breakfast by day—and one of America’s most haunted houses by night. Locals say at least a dozen spirits call it home, from children who died of fever to soldiers and slaves whose stories ended violently.
The Legends of The Myrtles
Chloe and the Poisoned Cake
The most infamous tale of The Myrtles centers on Chloe, a slave girl who, according to legend, was caught eavesdropping on her master Judge Clark Woodruff. As punishment, her ear was cut off, and she wore a green turban to hide the wound.
Seeking revenge—or perhaps forgiveness—she supposedly laced a birthday cake with oleander leaves. Instead of a mild sickness, the poison killed Woodruff’s wife Sara and two of their children.
Chloe’s punishment was swift. She was hanged, and her body was thrown into the Mississippi River.
Historical records show that Sara and two of her children did die young, but the likely cause was yellow fever. Documentation of Chloe herself has never been found. Still, many visitors and staff insist they’ve seen her ghost—a woman in a green turban, appearing in doorways, walking the halls, and even captured in photographs.
Was she real? Or has the legend taken on a life of its own? At The Myrtles, the line between fact and folklore is as blurred as the face in a haunted mirror.
The Haunted Mirror
Hanging in the hallway is a gilded mirror said to trap the souls of Sara and her children. Visitors claim ghostly faces appear in its surface and that children’s handprints reappear even after the glass is polished.
Whether you believe it or not, the mirror has become one of the most iconic—and unsettling—features of the house.
The Ghost Children
Guests often describe the sound of children laughing, the patter of small feet, or the tug of invisible hands at their clothing. Rocking chairs sway on their own, and toys left in empty rooms are sometimes found moved in the morning.
Some believe these are Sara’s children, while others say they are the restless spirits of children who succumbed to typhoid and yellow fever over the years.
The Civil War Soldiers
During the Civil War, the plantation was occupied and looted by Union troops. One soldier was allegedly shot inside the house, his blood staining the wood floors. Visitors today report phantom footsteps in heavy boots and even the figure of a man in uniform standing guard.
The Piano That Plays Alone
In the parlor sits an old piano, long out of tune. Yet many visitors swear it still produces music—hesitant notes, played by unseen hands in the stillness of the night.
Firsthand Chilling Encounters
The Myrtles doesn’t just have legends—it has modern witnesses. Guests, staff, and paranormal investigators have all walked away with stories they’ll never forget.
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The Bedside Visitor – A guest awoke in the middle of the night to find a woman in a turban standing at the foot of the bed. She blinked—and the figure was gone. Some guests even describe a faint lingering scent of sugar and vanilla, as though Chloe herself had been baking nearby.
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The Mirror Handprints – Several families have taken photos of the mirror that show smeared handprints, even after the glass was freshly polished. One pair of tourists claimed they saw a small hand drag itself slowly down the glass, though no one else was in the room.
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The Disappearing Woman – A staff member reported seeing a woman in antebellum dress walk across the hall and vanish through a locked door. Guides say they often hear the faint rustle of skirts following them just before such apparitions appear.
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Children’s Laughter – Many visitors describe the same thing: a sudden burst of giggles in an empty room, followed by the sensation of small fingers brushing their hands. On one tour, a child began laughing along, insisting he was “playing chase” with another boy no one else could see.
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The Heavy Steps – During a ghost tour, a group heard heavy boot steps pacing in the upstairs hall. The guide checked—no one was there. Paranormal investigators later captured audio of the same footsteps trailing behind them, stopping only when they turned to look.
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The 17th Step – The most chilling story belongs to the staircase where William Winter died. Guests swear they hear the sound of his last climb—the slow, dragging footsteps that end abruptly at the 17th stair. For some, the sequence repeats again and again, as though Winter is doomed to relive his final moments forever.
The Real History Behind the Hauntings
Much of the plantation’s haunted reputation can be traced back to very real tragedies.
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1796 – Built by David Bradford (Laurel Grove).
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1823–1824 – Sarah Woodruff and two of her children die of yellow fever, sparking the Chloe legend.
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1834 – Purchased by Ruffin Gray Stirling, who expanded and renamed it The Myrtles.
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1871 – The only confirmed murder: William Drew Winter, shot on the front porch. Legend says he staggered inside, climbing to the 17th step before collapsing and dying. Guests still claim to hear those final footsteps today.
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20th Century – The house passed through multiple owners. Deaths from disease, war, and hardship cemented its reputation as a house touched by tragedy.
So while the Chloe story may not be fully verifiable, the plantation’s history is undeniably steeped in loss and sorrow.
Want to Visit?
Today, The Myrtles Plantation is a thriving bed-and-breakfast and one of the most popular haunted destinations in America.
Tours
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Daytime History Tour – Focused on antebellum architecture and real history.
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Evening Mystery Tour – One-hour tour filled with ghost stories and legends.
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Overnight Stays – For the bold, spend the night in famously haunted rooms like the General Bradford Suite or the Caretaker’s Cottage.
What to Bring
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Camera or smartphone (especially for the mirror!)
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Flashlight if you’re on a night tour
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Voice recorder for EVPs
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A willingness to keep the lights on while you sleep
Fun Facts & Lesser-Known Stories
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At least 12 spirits are said to inhabit the plantation.
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Featured on Unsolved Mysteries, Ghost Hunters, and Ghost Adventures.
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Some say the house stands on Native American burial grounds, though this remains folklore.
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The 1992 Chloe photograph, showing a turbaned figure between buildings, is still one of the most famous “ghost photos” ever taken.
Pop Culture + Paranormal Cred
The Myrtles Plantation has become a fixture in American ghost lore. It has appeared on:
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Unsolved Mysteries
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Ghost Hunters
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Ghost Adventures
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Most Terrifying Places in America
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National Geographic’s Haunted
Spooky Scale
👻👻👻👻👻
5 out of 5 Ghosts
From poisoned cakes and haunted mirrors to the chilling 17th step, The Myrtles easily ranks among the most haunted places in America.
Final Thoughts
Visiting The Myrtles Plantation is like stepping into a Southern Gothic novel—beautiful, tragic, and haunted at every turn. Whether Chloe was a flesh-and-blood woman or only ever a story, her presence seems to linger, carried in whispers, sightings, and the imaginations of all who visit.
The legends may never be fully proven. But the house’s atmosphere? That’s something you’ll have to experience for yourself.
Would you dare to spend the night in Chloe’s room?
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