Myrtle’s Plantation located in Louisiana, is believed to be the home of a multitude of spirits and has often been called “The Most Haunted House In America”. Constructed in 1791 and built by a general, the plantation has a deep, morbid and interesting history.
A family by the name of Woodruff are probably the most notable residents of Myrtle’s Plantation. This is probably due to the fact that they are directly connected to Chloe, the most famous ghost of Myrtle’s Plantation. Legend states that the Woodruff’s kept a slave named Chloe. It is believed by many today and whispered throughout the fields back then, that Clark Woodruff also kept Chloe as a mistress. Chloe was what was known as a house slave, which resided in the hoe with the family and did many of the household
chores, such as cleaning and cooking. This gave her the perfect opportunity to hear conversations that the other slaves could not. Legend has it, that when Chloe began to suspect that Woodruff may be finished with their affair and that she could end up back in the fields with the other slaves, she started to eavesdrop on Woodruff. This would be something that Chloe would soon regret.
One day, While Chloe was listening to Clark Woodruff’s business dealings through a keyhole, she was caught by Woodruff. Chloe’s ear was cut off as a brutal form of punishment. It is said that Chloe began to wear a green turban in an effort to hide her new deformity caused by this cruel punishment. Although Chloe remained silent, she was angry about her drastic punishment and was now more worried than ever about being put into the fields with the other slaves.
One day, Chloe baked a birthday cake for Woodruff’s wife and children. This cake was her own special recipe, consisting of poisonous oleander leaves. Some say that this was done in an effort to show how useful she was to the family. The idea being that when they all became sick, she would know exactly what was wrong and nurse them to health. Others say that it was simply an act of revenge. Regardless, the wife and children of Mr. Woodruff were killed by eating of the poisonous cake. No trial was necessary for this crime and Chloe was hanged shortly after. Before her death Chloe
cursed the plantation and all of it’s inhabitants. Including the other slaves who had helped in her hanging. Many people say that Myrtle’s Plantation is haunted by the ghost of a woman wearing a green
turban. Many people claim to have seen a woman resembling the descriptions of the famous Chloe throughout the grounds of Myrtle’s Plantation. A picture that allegedly shows the Ghost of Chloe was snapped by a tourist while visiting the plantation and can be seen on the right. Other Haunted Activity
Chloe’s ghost isn’t the only paranormal activity experienced on the grounds of Myrtle’s Plantation. Others have witnessed two little girls in old fashioned clothing playing on the grounds and peeking from windows. Could this be the Woodruff girls? The plantation is rumored to have been built on an ancient Indian burial ground, which to some, could explain the heavy concentration of strange activity. It is also said that three union soldiers were shot and killed while attempting to ransack the home during the civil war. The spot where they fell has had a stain resembling blood since that day, that cannot be removed. Some cleaners even claim that they cannot push their mops onto the ghostly stain.
There is also a custom that called for all mirrors to be covered after the death of a family member during the days of the Woodruffs. Legend states that one mirror was not covered after the death of Sara and her children and that the Ghosts of Sara and her daughters are trapped within the mirror that still hangs on the wall to this day.
