Bottom of the Cup Tea Room - New Orleans, LA (The Quadroon Love Affair)

734 Royal St. 

New Orleans, LA 70116

29.9586110,-90.0642067

www.bottomofthecup.com  

        I can remember in the mid 1990’s, my cousin and I made a trip to New Orleans. As teenagers we just wanted some alcohol and maybe be lucky enough to spot a breast by glancing in one of the gentlemen club’s doors. Fortunately, my cousin was not carded that evening so we walked around the French Quarters with our alcoholic drinks like we were hot stuff. We decided to go on one of the many “Haunted New Orleans” tours that were being offered. We were both fascinated with haunted history and figured this was the only way we could get a somewhat realistic account of some of the gruesome events that took place in the city. We paid our fourteen dollars and were greeted by an overweight version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula who talked with a lisp, as he couldn’t quite speak correctly due to his prosthetic fangs. Still, we were excited to get what we thought was an insider’s look at the city. To this day, I will never forget the very first place we stopped by; a small little tea shop with a tragic story of devotion.
        As plentiful as breasts and alcohol are in the French Quarter, so are fortune tellers. Especially in Jackson Square, it is impossible to walk ten feet without bumping into an individual with a folding table, a crystal ball and a deck of tarot cards, waiting to read your future. Occasionally, you may even run into one or two with a large poster board, containing some faded magazine articles that they were featured in from the 1980’s in a pathetic attempt to validate their authenticity. Sadly, like many of the breasts, most of the fortune tellers are equally as fake! I’ve always recommend that you quickly bypass these folks and if you are looking for a little more legitimate psychic reading, you might want to try some of the reputable shops in the area.

        The Bottom of the Cup Tea Room has been providing quality readings for over eighty years in the French Quarter and has been home to some of the most reputable psychics in the business. The shop originally opened in 1929 on Royal Street and provided valid readings while treating their

Photo of the building circa 1965

guests to several types of teas. That tradition is still going strong today, only the shop has now moved to its current location of 327 Chartres Street. However, it is the original building on Royal Street that we will focus on, as it is haunted due to a tragic event that took place here years ago.
        During the 1800’s it was not uncommon to have what were called Octoroon Balls. An Octoroon is a term that was used to describe a woman who was one-eighth black and seven-eighths white. These women were considered freed backs and enamored for their extreme beauty. They were often given the best education and became quite wealthy. Despite the desire for them, it was prohibited for the young elite men of the time to openly court one of these women so masked balls were held as a way for these men to make their move. The Octoroon Balls allowed these Creole men to have secret affairs with these beautiful women, while still living a normal life with their wives. This was obviously difficult, as these young women often became very attached to their part-time lovers.
        Such was the case with a particular Quadroon mistress, named Julie, who lived at the residence on Royal Street. She was deeply in love with a particular young Frenchman and continuously pleaded with him to marry her. However, due to his elite status and fear of what others would think, he repeatedly turned down her requests. On one particular December evening, in a cruel act of deceit, the Frenchman decided to have a little fun at the expense of his mistress. While playing cards downstairs with several friends, the Frenchman summoned for Julie and demanded that she prove her

Nighttime view of the building

love to him by stripping naked and climbing atop the roof of her home. To the young man’s surprise, Julie did just as she was told; standing on the roof completely exposed to the cold and wet December weather.
        Apparently the Frenchman was too drunk to remember or too thoughtless to care; either way, Julie was forgotten about for much of the night. When the young man decided to check on Julie, he found her lifeless body still naked and on the rooftop. Poor Julie had frozen to death as a final sign of devotion and love to an arrogant jerk. Rumor is that karma did catch up to the young Frenchman, as he really did care for Julie and felt so terrible because of the incident that he is said to have died shortly thereafter of a broken heart. Payback is a….well, you know!
        Julie would prove to have the final laugh as she is still seen wandering through the home to this very day. It is said that on late nights in December, her apparition can often be seen pacing back and forth on the roof of the home, reliving that horrible night over and over. Her spirit is said to be extremely caring and poses no threat of any sorts. Resident psychics and staff of the Tea Room have had numerous encounters with Julie. They have heard her voice speaking to them as well as her footsteps above them. Some feel that the home may also be haunted by a male spirit; possibly even that of her former lover. Reports have been too far and in between to validate for sure if there are multiple hauntings here, as Julie is definitely the prominent entity at this location.
        Unfortunately the Bottom of the Cup Tea Room has moved but I can only assume that Julie still wanders the building. I do not know for sure if the home is currently unoccupied but if it is, this would be an opportune, or should I say Octoroon, time for an investigation! Bless me father for I have sinned, my last bad joke was a sentence ago!