Haunted Louisiana Honorable Mentions Part 1

(PART 2)  (PART 3)  (PART 4)

            I have never claimed to be Agatha Christie or Kolchak but I have tried my best to excavate as much history as I could on haunted locations, especially throughout Louisiana. As you have read, many of these places are worthy of their own books, as they are so rich with interesting tales and folklore. Still, once everything was laid out for presentation, I was still left with a handful of locations that, although little to no history could be found, they have long been rumored to being haunted. Whether it is that these areas have never been investigated, they are barred from the public, or not enough light has been shed on them, I felt that they still had to be mentioned for the sake of truly covering as many reportedly haunted locations that I was aware of. Here, you will find what I simply call the “honorable mentions,” as they still are connected to haunted stories in some fashion. Some may be folklore while others are simply urban legend; they still deserved some form of acknowledgement. This will be part one of a four part series.

Kent House Plantation - Alexandria, LA (A Hidden Gem of Activity)

3601 Bayou Rapides Road

Alexandria, Louisiana 71303

31.303697,-92.482873

www.kenthouse.org

*All pictures below are courtesy of www.kenthouse.org

        If you are looking for a true rendition of French and Spanish life during the late 1700's, then look no further than Kent House Plantation! This beautiful home is one of the oldest original structures still standing in Louisiana. This French colonial home was built around 1796 by French settler, Pierre Baillio II, on ground due to a Spanish land grant that consisted of 500 arpents, which is approximately the French equivalent of an acre, near Poste des Rapides.
        In 1842, the home was sold to Mr. Robert Hynson of Kent County, Maryland, oddly giving this home its final name. After the home luckily survived almost being burnt down during the 1864 Civil War Red River Campaign, it passed through several different owners, and was finally divided into three sections and moved two block over to its current location in 1964.

Tyrone Plantation - Alexandria, LA

6576 Bayou Rapides Rd.

Alexandria, LA 71303

31.312389,-92.562517

This quaint little plantation home was built in 1843 by Virginian, George Mason Graham.  Graham was familiar with plantation life and built a three storied house, a granary, a brick kiln, a saw mill, a cotton gin and a wharf for barge traffic on the bayou. Graham wrote an autobiography and left much correspondence that is in federal, state and university archives. Graham also built what is probably the only underground tomb on a plantation and buried there a wife and a son that has given rise to the story of the “soldier ghost.” Mr. Graham is probably most known for his work with the state's educational system, obtaining federal property, now known as the Pentagon Barracks, in Baton Rouge for a new location for a state university, which you may have heard of: Louisiana State University.

Hotel Bentley - Alexandria, LA (Cenla's Crown Jewel)

 801 3rd St. 

Alexandria, LA 71301

31.312283,-92.445391

The beautiful Hotel Bentley has served as the quintessential landmark for Alexandria for many years. From its beautiful classic Renaissance design to its illustrious past clientele, the Bentley was the place to stay during its years in operation. In 1892, a lumber tycoon by the name of Joseph A. Bentley moved to the area, looking to construct a grand hotel. Once initial construction was complete, the Bentley opened to the public in 1908, which a later addition being erected in the 1930's. What made the hotel especially unique is that Mr. Bentley transformed the top floor into his own personal apartment, event containing its own private elevator, all of which is still intact to this day.
Throughout the years, the hotel has seen its share of notable individuals. Primarily, during WWII maneuvers, military figures such as Major General George Patton, Lieutenant Colonel Omar Bradley, Colonel Dwight David Eisenhower, and Second Lieutenant Henry Kissinger laid their heads to rest here.

Diamond Grill - Alexandria, LA (Dinner, Diamonds and a Ghost)

924 3rd St. 

Alexandria, LA 71301

31.311556,-92.445075

www.thediamondgrill.com 

       The Diamond grill was originally built in 1865 by Scottish immigrants who decided to open a jewelry store right on the Red River. Their business quickly boomed, due to the high river traffic that came in daily. Several years later, the jewelry store was purchased by a German, Carl A. Schnack and the business quickly became a landmark for the city of Alexandria. To this day, Schnack’s is synonymous for their high quality jewelry.
       In the mid 1990’s the store moved locations, leaving the beautiful art deco building empty. It was then purchased by a local attorney and the grandson of the original builder, transforming the location into a fine dining restaurant. To pay homage to its years as a jewelry store, the restaurant was cleverly named The Diamond Grill. Let me personally say that the food here is incredible and the décor is beautiful. It is only the icing on the cake to know that staff and guests have reported this place as being haunted!
       The resident spirit that calls this place home has been nicknamed “Stella”. She has been seen on several occasions as a well-dressed, sophisticated young woman. Stella is said to have a penchant for taking jewelry and placing it in other areas of the restaurant. In addition to her apparition being seen, staff has reported seeing a black mass on the third floor and objects such as candlesticks moving on their own. Is Stella a long lost patron still attached to this once-jewelry store? Who knows, but I highly recommend paying this place a visit. If you don’t run into Stella, you can at least guarantee a wonderful dining experience!

Masonic Children's Home - Alexandria, LA (Laughter From the Past)

Hwy 165 S

Alexandria, Louisiana 

31.259761,-92.477589

A grand home for its time, the children’s Masonic Lodge served as a quality refuge for orphans for nearly seventy years. The home was initially built in 1925. The local Masons believed that the construction of this new home would advocate much better living conditions and an overall improvement in well-being, as opposed to the state-ran orphanages of the time, which were notorious for not being in the most optimum of conditions.  

The grounds initially consisted of a boys’ dorm and a girls’ dorm, with a chapel and large infirmary being built soon after. The lodge opened with its first residents, six young siblings, ranging from three to fifteen. The population soon grew quickly, as it is estimated that a total of seven hundred and seventy-six children once called this place home. The home finally closed in May of 1994, with the remaining ten children being moved elsewhere. The buildings have remained abandoned ever since.