Cornstalk Hotel - New Orleans, LA (The Mischievous Spirit and the Vegetable Fence)

915 Royal St. 

New Orleans, LA 70116

29.960027,-90.063193

www.cornstalkhotel.com

Anyone who has ever taken a daytime stroll through the French Quarters can agree that the architecture is simply beautiful. It really is a melting pot of multiple building styles all thrown together to make for some pretty interesting locations. On any given block, examples of Moorish, Baroque, Spanish, Creole and Caribbean designs can be easily spotted. Some of these designs may not even follow a tradition style, as they are simply just unique in themselves. One home in particular that is found in the French Quarters not only sticks out due its own structure, but it garners attention due to its one of a kind fence!
Trust me, there are some unique fences in this part of town but that is because they are primarily there to inflict pain, as opposed to pleasure. As a deterrent to vandals, burglars and birds, many of the homes in the area have fences either wrapped in barbed wire or even hold huge shards of glass, protruding from the top edge. This is a hell of a way to keep people from trying to climb their fences. However, putting human torture to the side just for now, I will focus on the intricately ornate fence, and its haunted home, found at 915 Royal Street.

The Cornstalk Hotel was originally built in 1834 by François Xavier Martin, the first Attorney General for the state and Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. He erected the home in true Victorian fashion, with its tall Corinthian-styled columns and a front appearing to contain a turret as

Close-up of the intricate iron work.

on a castle. Only a few years later, the home was sold to Colonel Robert Henry Short, who would add the distinct fence that would give the home its name as of today.
The front of the home is decorated with a stout wrought-iron fence, designed to look like stalks of corn. It is rumored that Short's new bride, who was originally from Iowa, was so home sick for her roots that Short had the fence designed just for her. The only other fence in New Orleans similar to this one is located at 1448 Fourth Street in the Garden District. This home was also built by Mr. Short in the late 1800's and served as his Villa. These days, nothing says love like diamonds and roses. In the 1800's, pacification for a nagging wife was an iron fence! Boy, look how times have changed!
The Cornstalk Hotel has since gone through several different owners throughout the years. It is rumored that writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, who once stayed here, visited the nearby slave markets and was moved to write Uncle Tom's Cabin. Since then, many notable individuals have stayed here such as Bill Clinton, Elvis Presley and Tom Cruise.
In addition to the famed celebrities, politicians and writers, this cozy little inn seems to have a few ghostly residents as well. Much of the activity reported here has come from room 103. In this room, guests have reported the television turning on and off and the hot and cold water spigots fully turning on by themselves. Other guests have reported hearing children's laughter and the sounds of children playing throughout the home when there are obviously no children present. Most oddly,

One of several attractive guest rooms at the Cornstalk Hotel.

guests have reported a strange phenomena; not during their stay, but when they returned home to look at their vacation photos. On several occasions, guests have reported that after they reviewed their cameras, there were amazing photographs said to have been taken of themselves as they slept! Someone would have had to enter their rooms, retrieve the camera, snap several photos, place the camera back where they found it and exit the room. All of this would have had to have been done while the guests never woke and with the door still securely locked from the inside!
Although there have never been documented reports of any deaths involving children in the home, the mischievous spirits of young kids are said to be prominent here. If you ever stroll down Royal Street and think to yourself, “Look at that strange fence that looks like corn”, be sure to stop by and take a look around. Admire the unique structures and be on the look out for ghostly children. When you've left, be sure to check your camera, as it seems that even in this day, ghosts enjoy selfies!